North end could be "choice area", Andrews North End Plan discussion |
North end could be "choice area", Andrews North End Plan discussion |
Jan 17 2008, 08:07 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=32796.78
QUOTE Oberlie: North End Can Be 'Choice' Area Jason Miller The News-Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY - In his annual state-of-the-city address last week, Mayor Chuck Oberlie outlined his fast-track plans for the city's North End in hopes that after the first quarter of 2008, the engine of change will be humming. Saying the area isn't pedestrian friendly or visually pleasing, he hopes the results of three studies laying out possibilities for the North End turn the area - through a unified vision - into the city's "neighborhood of choice." "The beauty of it all is that I outlined 21 different projects, and all of them will be moving forward as of (Thursday)," he said. "And they can all move forward without hurting the others." Oberlie also released a small portfolio featuring a few ideas for North End redevelopment gleaned from three studies the city has commissioned in the last two years. The most visually striking of the ideas is a large residential and commercial area along Trail Creek which, in theory, would include three large high-rise buildings just across the creek from Blue Chip Casino. Oberlie's thoughts are that developing the Trail Creek Corridor from Eighth Street to Washington Park would turn the city's North End into the crown jewel of the city. His hopes aren't without precedent. Although its size pales in comparison to that of Michigan City, the town of Saugatuck, Mich., benefits greatly from a developed Kalamazoo River, which houses not only hundreds of private boat slips, but residences, shops and restaurants like those Oberlie envisions for Trail Creek. "Our boating industry is a huge element of our success, if not the lifeblood of our town," second-term Saugatuck Mayor Tony Vettori said Friday. "And it's all due to the fact that there's so much to do right along the river. It brings in boaters and non-boaters." Like Michigan City, Saugatuck features a river that leads to a large, heavily used beach and the waters of Lake Michigan. Vettori said the beach benefits from the downtown river scene, just as the downtown benefits from the beach and Lake Michigan. "We've become an art destination and a shopping destination. And Oval Beach is rated one of the top 10 beaches in the country," Vettori said. "The water is all a part of what draws people here, and I'd think it would have the same effect in Michigan City." |
Jan 18 2008, 07:27 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
Did anyone else watch the unveiling of the north end plan last night? A great idea and plan, but I think Ilove is right, 10 years too late. I just don't know where you are going to find a developer to pony up that kind of cash in this time.
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Jan 18 2008, 12:49 PM
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Really Comfortable Group: Moderator Posts: 1,658 Joined: 26-July 07 From: Michigan City Member No.: 482 |
Did anyone else watch the unveiling of the north end plan last night? A great idea and plan, but I think Ilove is right, 10 years too late. I just don't know where you are going to find a developer to pony up that kind of cash in this time. I was at the meeting last night. I was the guy standing next to Rich Murphy, if you were there southsider. There's supposed to be a poll about it on the N-D website, but I'm not finding it, just the article at: http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=49192.93 which I see on preview Southsider has quoted already. Two things I really like about this study -- first, they come down hard against the idea of moving the 11th street South Shore station, actually making the station a major part of their plan, and second (which isn't mentioned in the N-D article), they remove the library and city hall and run Franklin back out to the lake. I do agree that this plan isn't going to happen tomorrow. With the sub-prime lending market imploding, and with the current admin in City Hall, it just isn't happening until the next election cycle. |
Jan 18 2008, 12:54 PM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
I was at the meeting last night. I was the guy standing next to Rich Murphy, if you were there southsider. There's supposed to be a poll about it on the N-D website, but I'm not finding it, just the article at: http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=49192.93 which I see on preview Southsider has quoted already. Two things I really like about this study -- first, they come down hard against the idea of moving the 11th street South Shore station, actually making the station a major part of their plan, and second (which isn't mentioned in the N-D article), they remove the library and city hall and run Franklin back out to the lake. I do agree that this plan isn't going to happen tomorrow. With the sub-prime lending market imploding, and with the current admin in City Hall, it just isn't happening until the next election cycle. I did not go, but I watched it on Ch 97. I did find it interesting that after blasting Joie Winski's idea to move the library during the election cycle, the ND was 100% silent on that being a centerpiece of this plan, along with some major revamps of City Hall. |
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