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 23 2008, 07:56 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 |
The reason that the Golden Triangle has failed to this point is that the City has done nothing to help it grow.
Think of MC this way. We are a major college basketball program in a power confrence. The problem is we have been down for a long time, while other programs have had good winning histories recently. People aren't going to go here easily, they need to be convinced. They will go to the other schools because of their reputations for winning. We as a City need to really work at building up our assets and working hard on recruiting, neither of which we have really done so far. We just kind of expected people to just show up, because. It doesn't work that way. We need something to get people excited about here, and to make them feel we are on the upswing. Back to the example, we need to hit the recruiting trail, and hit it hard. |
Jan 23 2008, 07:30 PM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 4-April 07 Member No.: 182 |
The reason that the Golden Triangle has failed to this point is that the City has done nothing to help it grow. Think of MC this way. We are a major college basketball program in a power confrence. The problem is we have been down for a long time, while other programs have had good winning histories recently. People aren't going to go here easily, they need to be convinced. They will go to the other schools because of their reputations for winning. We as a City need to really work at building up our assets and working hard on recruiting, neither of which we have really done so far. We just kind of expected people to just show up, because. It doesn't work that way. We need something to get people excited about here, and to make them feel we are on the upswing. Back to the example, we need to hit the recruiting trail, and hit it hard. I'm not sure whether I agree with this statement or not. The lack of private development is the problem. Nobody seems to want to make the first commitment. Whether it's the Warren Building, the old St. John's church or the Eagle Building. Everyone is sitting and waiting for that sign from above. Does government really need to spearhead this, or should an association of private, interested parties be actively recruiting investors with more guts. Put simply, mean reversion is a bitch. -Vitaliy Katsenelson
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Jan 24 2008, 07:20 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 |
I'm not sure whether I agree with this statement or not. The lack of private development is the problem. Nobody seems to want to make the first commitment. Whether it's the Warren Building, the old St. John's church or the Eagle Building. Everyone is sitting and waiting for that sign from above. Does government really need to spearhead this, or should an association of private, interested parties be actively recruiting investors with more guts. You have to remember, we aren't talking about a primo locale when compared to our neighbors. Why would people want to be the first to make a commitment when they could slide into a much more established and reliable community like Chesterton, Valpo, New Buffalo, etc. We don't have the luxuries that they have, so we have to be more aggressive in selling ourselves. People want to know that Michigan City is serious about fixing itself before they are going to be serious about moving/building/opening here. Outsiders, who are going to be the big push here, don't have our level of civic pride, and they have no reason to. Until they live here and acclimate, they won't. They are looking at MC like they would any other town. MC's leadership needs to step into this vacuum and sell this City. |
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