MIchigan City Development Thread! |
MIchigan City Development Thread! |
Mar 3 2015, 01:29 PM
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Getting Comfortable Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 22-January 13 Member No.: 1,242 |
I think that we should have a thread where we can keep track of and discuss projects that are under construction, planned or proposed for the city. We can also exchange ideas about what types of developments Michigan City needs to attract to be competitive in the region. I am sort of a development nerd and the idea comes from 'Skyscraperpage' where the site is devoted to major construction projects from around the world.
Current projects and proposals: Michigan City Police Station Lifeworks Business Park Construction on South Franklin Realignment of Washington and Pine New activities center/pavilion at Washington Park U.S. 421 Overpass U.S. 12 bridge Franklin Street Bridge LMGIS Art Space Proposed "up-scale" hotel for North End Former Memorial Hospital Site Trail Creek Corridor Beautification of Nipsco Cooling Tower Nipsco "Scrubber" NICTD Track Realignment We have a lot of development in the works. I've always felt that Michigan City is a sleeping giant that has the potential to dominate the region. We have had multiple developers envision high-rises and mid-rises in the city at various locations. I can remember back in 2006-2007 a developer from Chicago wanted to demolish Galveston Steakhouse and erect a 13 story "S" shaped condo on the site before the economy collapsed. Another developer proposed two 20 story condo/hotel buildings for the former Memorial Hospital site and Lohan-Anderson recommended 3-24 story condos for Trail Creek next to Blue Chip. The possibilities are endless but the city must rid itself of the terrible NIMBY'ism which harms our growth. I hope to hear of other projects in the city that people have knowledge of that I am unaware of and welcome even rumors. For instance, I have a friend with ties to sources in the city and he has stated that they are working towards Marquette Mall being demolished with the city claiming emanate domain. Whether it is substantial I don't know but it is certainly conceivable and necessary. He also claimed that the mall doubled the rent of Applebee's and that is why they exited the city. I hope Michigan City does not work to just become Valparaiso redux which I fear is the idea. Michigan City has a unique opportunity to become more South Bend like with major developments. We have almost double the Sq. Mileage of Valpo and La Porte. The problem is Michigan City is largely underdeveloped. We have large swaths of land primed for mixed use projects. Cleveland Ave. for one has the potential to be even more prominent with a greater density than Franklin Street yet it has attracted no interest from what I can glean. The sign for "Cleveland Crossing" has been up for 8-10 years. I would also like to see Michigan City attract more authentic ethnic restaurants and other businesses to give more of a big city feel by offering something for everyone and widening the demographics rather than just being a high-end mono-cultural boutique city like Valpo. A market research company suggested Michigan City also attract a college campus somewhere downtown to give a "university feel" to the North End. Either PNC, Ivy Tech or I.U. That would be an excellent idea to bolster growth. |
Jan 13 2018, 11:27 AM
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Getting Comfortable Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 22-January 13 Member No.: 1,242 |
I recommend the Mich City redevelopment team take a weekend drive through the Indiana towns of Carmel and Columbus to help them form some idea of architectural vision. Then maybe pass through the S. Indy neighborhoods of Fountain Square and Bates-Hendrix to see how old home restoration mixed with modern style construction infill on vacant lots can revive old middle-worker class neighborhoods. You don't have to look outside Indiana to see things being done right. Columbus is very unique as they had a billionaire benefactor who paid to commission renowned architects for public buildings and structures. Having said that, Michigan City sealed their fate when they looked no further than Valpo to hire their creative and development director. Was there any doubt what he was going to try to achieve in Michigan City? When I watch these meetings I laugh every time Craig Philips "recommends" the commission use Company "X" that he is familiar with from his Valparaiso days. Which is almost every project. The city uses Holladay Properties for 2 business parks. How did they land another development deal after Lifeworks boasts a grand total of 3 businesses after 11 years. This is prime property along I-94 and it's a ghost town. Holladay is also in the final 3 potential master developers for redevelopment of the former police station site. All of their buildings, being a design/build firm are absolutely the same cookie-cutter designs, are value engineered to the hilt and are being built all over Northwest Indiana. They have projects in Crown Point, Merrillville, Hobart, Valpo, Portage , Michigan City and La Porte. Every City is littered with the same lifeless quality they produce. A Mid to high Rise hotel with "lake views" is far beyond the scope of their work. They have no high end buildings in their national portfolio. The city uses the same few engineering firms like Kennig Keast Collabrative, Global and Haas for 99% of projects. The Michigan Blvd. project is an underwhelming mess. The median height and design, the plants and flowers, the traffic lights, street signs, intersections, etc, is all bad. For the money they spent one would expect something similar to the grand Chicago avenues. The city needs to take a drive through Chicago to see how to develop. The interactive lighted structures along Michigan, State, Roosevelt and Wacker alone make for an amazing streetscape experience. Franklin Square is a joke. The decorations, "art displays" landscaping and streetviews miss on every level. Not to mention there is no night life in the downtown what-so-ever. All these liquor licenses and yet we only see run of the mill corner bars downtown. The Zorn Brewery is nice but way off the beaten path. 5 years to develop a 20,000 sq, ft. plaza? That is astonishing. |
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