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." |
Mar 19 2008, 11:58 AM
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Really Comfortable Group: Moderator Posts: 2,315 Joined: 10-February 07 From: Michigan City Member No.: 43 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=50573.94
QUOTE 3/19/2008 10:52:00 AM Council Embraces Chicago Firm's North End Plan Jason Miller The News-Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Common Council said Tuesday the North End redevelopment plan presented by a Chicago design firm is a good blueprint for what the city wants to do with Trail Creek. And members think creating a riverfront entertainment district within the Trail Creek corridor is a needed step in following the plan. "I believe this is an excellent step in revitalizing the area," at-large councilman Bob McKee said Tuesday. "This is a call to action and implementation. We should consider it a working document." The council unanimously approved resolutions Tuesday accepting the plan by Chicago design firm Lohan Anderson, agreeing to apply to the state's alcohol and tobacco commission to create a riverfront entertainment district. The Lohan plan includes a guideline by which to redevelop the Trail Creek corridor from U.S. 12 on the north to E Street on the south, turning the area into an entertainment, residential and retail mecca. By creating a riverfront district, the city will be able to use an extra allotment of liquor licenses as incentives for developers looking for a place to build a restaurant. First-Ward Councilman Richard Murphy, whose district encompasses the Trail Creek corridor, lauded both moves made by the council as positive steps in the revitalization of the North End. "They're vital for us to be able to leverage the assets we have down there," he said. "We must bring more people in here to work and live in these districts. These are two large steps toward that mission." The plan to apply for additional liquor licenses was spurred by the recent purchase of Michigan City Yacht Club and the plan to turn the building into a public restaurant. The club sits on the Michigan City harbor near the U.S. Coast Guard station, and its owners - including La Porte County resident Ed Arnold - plan to offer beer and liquor. The city, though, is over its allotment of licenses, making it impossible for Arnold's newly named Michigan City Harbor Grille to apply for a license. Redevelopment Commission attorney Michael Bergerson said Tuesday creating the district in only one small spot would not be helpful to the rest of the area. Arnold said he and his business partner have begun renovations on the building, in the basement of which the Yacht Club will remain in existence. Dick Lohan, principal partner of Lohan Anderson, owns a summer home between Michigan City and New Buffalo and told council members Tuesday he's often wondered why Michigan City wasn't booming like cities in Southwest Michigan. He said his plan should be a good start in creating a boom. "People come to where life occurs," Lohan said. "You just need to find a developer or developers who will come into town and make a commitment to undertake such a project." Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com. |
May 8 2008, 08:47 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Members Posts: 3,237 Joined: 8-December 06 From: MC Member No.: 3 |
The problem with putting something between Michigan Boulevard and the Creek is that there will be no incentive to put stuff on the other side of the Boulevard. I have addressed this at length, and the City nomenklatura are gonna screw it up again! No wonder--they are by and large the same people! The difference between genius and stupidity is that there are limits to genius. Albert Einstein
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