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[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=32796.78

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."

[Max Main]

I thought (re)moving the library was interesting, but still think it is not Necessary. I dont see why all the building would happen in between all the shops on mich Blvd Franklin.

The best thing was the idea of making it a Gold Diamond, instead of, a Golden Triangle, by developing the 11th street South Shore station: Franklin St Bridge--8th and Mich--Station--Lighthouse place(let's say 6th and Wabash). Potratz the architect has talked about the east/west corridor as a neglected key part of any plan, prob along 6th st.

[lovethiscity]

I thought (re)moving the library was interesting, but still think it is not Necessary. I dont see why all the building would happen in between all the shops on mich Blvd Franklin.

The best thing was the idea of making it a Gold Diamond, instead of, a Golden Triangle, by developing the 11th street South Shore station: Franklin St Bridge--8th and Mich--Station--Lighthouse place(let's say 6th and Wabash). Potratz the architect has talked about the east/west corridor as a neglected key part of any plan, prob along 6th st.

The Golden Triangle did not work. Trying a failed plan over only bigger sounds just like what Oberlie would do. Winski's plan so for is the only one that would attract developers to use their money instead of ours.

[Dave]

The Golden Triangle did not work. Trying a failed plan over only bigger sounds just like what Oberlie would do. Winski's plan so for is the only one that would attract developers to use their money instead of ours.

I have to disagree here. The Golden Triangle was never anything that would "work," is simply is. The main features of the north end are the casino boat, the lakefront, and the outlet mall. That is a simple fact. It's also a fact that no one has done anything to use the "Golden Triangle" to jump start north end redevelopment even though it has been talked about since the original Andersen plan.
Though there have been major steps backward (can you say "Franklin Square"?) which were implemented by certain people who are still running the show.

[lovethiscity]

I have to disagree here. The Golden Triangle was never anything that would "work," is simply is. The main features of the north end are the casino boat, the lakefront, and the outlet mall. That is a simple fact. It's also a fact that no one has done anything to use the "Golden Triangle" to jump start north end redevelopment even though it has been talked about since the original Andersen plan.
Though there have been major steps backward (can you say "Franklin Square"?) which were implemented by certain people who are still running the show.

I agree with most of your post. The part I disagree with is that the triangle is part of it. When Sheila was on the committee selecting the company to receive the license here, she chose Blue Chip and its upstream location. Solely to create the Golden Triangle. The other two firms were offering between 15 and 20 million more per year through the agreement of suitability. Just having the Golden Triangle would revitalize downtown MC by itself. Never happened. When other Cities with boats are getting 5-8% of the adjusted gross revenue, we are getting a whopping .6%

[edgeywood]

I agree with most of your post. The part I disagree with is that the triangle is part of it. When Sheila was on the committee selecting the company to receive the license here, she chose Blue Chip and its upstream location. Solely to create the Golden Triangle. The other two firms were offering between 15 and 20 million more per year through the agreement of suitability. Just having the Golden Triangle would revitalize downtown MC by itself. Never happened. When other Cities with boats are getting 5-8% of the adjusted gross revenue, we are getting a whopping .6%

The fact is that 2 legs of the Golden Triangle are not designed to revitalize anything. The Outlet Mall and the boat are designed to keep people confined to those areas. As an "economic engine", casinos and boats have failed to revitalize any area. Sure the Boat brings in $$$ but at what cost to the community at large?

Same deal with the Outlet Mall, it really did little for the immediate neighborhood.

The library didn't kill the North End...the Marquette Mall and the South End did that. The scenario of the malls killing off the downtowns played out all over the country. So lets look at the some nearby communities that made the same mistake and have managed to correct it...Chicago and Oak Park both have vibrant downtowns after a pedestrian mall fiasco.

We have great transportation from the North End to Chicago. OK, it takes 1.5 hours, but lots of people are commuting that long from Naperville, Lemont, Racine, etc... to Chicago and they are paying premium prices for their homes in those suburbs. Why doesn't someone market Michigan City to those people?

Meanwhile, the Mayor is bound and determined to move the South Shore from the North End. Proximity to a commuter train is a huge asset for any neighborhood, but MC seems determined to squander yet another opportunity.

[mcstumper]

Why doesn't someone market Michigan City to those people?

Meanwhile, the Mayor is bound and determined to move the South Shore from the North End. Proximity to a commuter train is a huge asset for any neighborhood, but MC seems determined to squander yet another opportunity.

Advertising to outsiders is to invite change. But whether they are advertised to or not, they will come. At my church this weekend, I was introduced to a younger couple from the Northside of Chicago that bought a house here (in the City proper) in the last year. For the time being they spend every other weekend here. Their intention is to eventually give up the Chicago life, move out here and commute. He said repeatedly how much they love it here and how well the commute times compare to the west and northwest suburbs. He told a client of his in passing how much he liked it, and out of the blue he runs into her at a store in town, only to find out that she had looked into it and bought a place of her own here...

As for the SS relocation, remember that accessibility is really a combination of physical proximity and parking availability. How much prime real estate are we going to sacrifice to not only build an elevated railway, but to also build the parking lots necessary for all the commuters. The drive from Elston Grove to Al's (which I imagine is very close to where a relocated train station would be), can't be more than 3 minutes.

[lovethiscity]

Advertising to outsiders is to invite change. But whether they are advertised to or not, they will come. At my church this weekend, I was introduced to a younger couple from the Northside of Chicago that bought a house here (in the City proper) in the last year. For the time being they spend every other weekend here. Their intention is to eventually give up the Chicago life, move out here and commute. He said repeatedly how much they love it here and how well the commute times compare to the west and northwest suburbs. He told a client of his in passing how much he liked it, and out of the blue he runs into her at a store in town, only to find out that she had looked into it and bought a place of her own here...

Please don't come up with an opinion soley on two people moving into your Parish. Michigan City has had a populaltion decline for over thirty years. Expert projections are not very promising for the next ten either. Very bleak actualy when compared to Lake and Porter.

Population projections from the Indiana Business Research Center indicate that, by 2020, the Michigan City–La Porte metro will grow 2.3 percent (about 2,500 people) from current levels. This is significantly slower than the state’s anticipated growth of 8.1 percent. The area is expected to have about 5,000 more senior citizens than it did in Census 2000. The growth rate of 34.1 percent for those 65 and older is slower than the state’s anticipated growth of 40.6 percent. However, the metro has a slightly older population to begin with and by 2020, nearly 18 percent of the population will be in the upper age group.

Updated growth projections released Friday for Lake and Porter counties show a 239 percent increase over a prior population forecast, according to a South Shore Railroad consultant.