[eric.hanke]

Things I loathe about Michigan City:

• The need to "study" everything from South Shore track placement, North End development, MC Police Station and Library. With no movement on any front.
• The MCAS. Lack of public input, parental support, disconnect from the public.
• Lack of development. While development is occuring in LaPorte, Valparaiso, Chesterton, and New Buffalo, Michigan City, and the older population, has stonewalled any developoment in the community.

The city lives off the casino. Once that well dries up, Four Winds has developed a far superior gaming facility, Michigan City will fall into the same financial mess as Gary, IN. It's only a matter of time.

Get out while you can!

[mcstumper]

1. The small percentage of the City's population that have this insatiable need to trash the town to anyone who will listen. Invariably their rants end with "Michigan City is going to end up just like Gary, you wait and see" - a vile and racist form of fear-mongering if ever there was one. They derive nearly orgasmic pleasure from fueling negative perceptions toward our town, and even when they do bless us all by moving away, continue to post their unsolicited garbage talk in the Anvil Chorus and in forums like this one.

[Tim]

Agree with mcstumper.

There's always one of these -

[indianamaniac]

1. The small percentage of the City's population that have this insatiable need to trash the town to anyone who will listen. Invariably their rants end with "Michigan City is going to end up just like Gary, you wait and see" - a vile and racist form of fear-mongering if ever there was one. They derive nearly orgasmic pleasure from fueling negative perceptions toward our town, and even when they do bless us all by moving away, continue to post their unsolicited garbage talk in the Anvil Chorus and in forums like this one.

If only this were facebook where I could like this... 'like' is probably an understatement, anyway...

Bravo...

[MCRogers1974]

Work to make it better or shut up and quietly get out.

[taxthedeer]

Don't be a negative Nelly, be a positive Pete.

[Tim]

Yep - no development at all.

[indianamaniac]

To be fair, this probably could've been a productive thread had it not been for the final four sentences of Eric's original post.

He raises valid points and concerns. However, instead of presenting potential solutions, he feels the need to rag on what is likely Michigan City's highest taxpayer (which on an aside, is also among LaPorte County's largest employers), compares us with a regular candidate for "Murder Capital of the World," and encourages us to participate in the act that has been the ultimate reason behind our downfall as a community - the mass exodus of our most valuable assets: our people.

I suppose it is most disheartening that this comes from someone who once ran for office, and during that time he cited everything that Michigan City had going for it. If you need a reminder, let your spouse's post remind you of how you supposedly once felt...

http://www.wearemc.us/forum_new/display_to...amp;TopicID=547

It's entirely up to you Eric whether you want to uproot your family and leave a community that you've lived in most all of your life. The community has MANY problems and they are problems that have been been growing for decades. They won't be easily fixed, but they certainly won't be fixed if people keep running from the problems.

It's unfortunate that you seem to have lost faith. Not sure about you, but I'm pretty set on sticking around and keeping up the fight for a community that I care so much about.

[Southsider2k12]

I sat and thought about this thread for a few days before I responded. I get the need to vent and be frustrated with the way things are going around these parts. I wanted to bash my own head in while listening to some of the primary election results.

My philosophy has become to support and promote the things that are good, and speak out against the things that are a detriment. I don't feel deserting the ship is the right thing to do. I have had plenty of opportunities to do so, but it just feels like the easy way out and the wrong thing to do.

[eric.hanke]

Yep - no development at all.

How many studies did this take? The building has been sitting vacant for as long as I can remember. It's about damn time!



In the same time it's going to take Michigan City to develop this single property, Valparaiso will develop an entire shipping complex, Chesterton and LaPorte will build complete new subdivisions, and New Buffalo will have expanded their casino.

[Southsider2k12]

How many studies did this take? The building has been sitting vacant for as long as I can remember. It's about damn time!



In the same time it's going to take Michigan City to develop this single property, Valparaiso will develop an entire shipping complex, Chesterton and LaPorte will build complete new subdivisions, and New Buffalo will have expanded their casino.

Development takes money. For the City to develop private property involves a whole of extra steps. I do have to say this was a pretty damned inventive way to go about it. But at the end of the day you just can't take people's private property to force development, that is unless you want to spend a decade in court.

[Tim]

How many studies did this take?

Who cares? Is there something you can do to change the past? No. The positive point is it's now happening,

so, your "no movement on any front" claim is simply untrue.

[mc46360]

Very well put!!!! I too am totally disgusted with this entire county and am trying my hardest to get the hell out of here as soon as possible

This county has no future whatsoever, all anybody does is talk talk talk about what they are going to do, but nothing ever gets done, or everybody throws a fit about every new business that wants to locate here. Nothing but a bunch of closed minded people.

And the politicians are for the most part incompetent as well, this county is the laughing stock of the State of Indiana:lol:

[mc46360]

Yep - no development at all.

What you see in this photo is probably all that will be done to the Warren building. That place will never be worth using again, get real

[Tim]

What you see in this photo is probably all that will be done to the Warren building. That place will never be worth using again, get real

Yes - I'm sure the money will be spent to just refurbish the front, and then it will be abandoned.

(laughs)

[taxthedeer]

What you see in this photo is probably all that will be done to the Warren building. That place will never be worth using again, get real

It was my understanding that Michigan City failed downstate in Indianapolis to procure to the tax credit funding necessary for the Warren Building/Artspace project to move forward back in February. Michigan City will not be eligible to apply for that same tax credit funding again until February 2013.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...8c783351409.txt

A slight setback: On its first try, Artspace fails to make the cut for tax credits

By Tim Moran
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, February 24, 2012 5:08 PM CST
INDIANAPOLIS — The Michigan City Artspace project will have to wait at least one more year to get under way after the project was not selected as one of 14 approved for tax credits by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Thursday morning.

With the IHCDA listing the reason for denial being “market demand,” improvements on the city’s Warren Building will have to wait at least another year after an updated application is sent for consideration a second time.

“It was a highly competitive process,” said Emily Duncan, a spokeswoman for the IHCDA. “We are excited about the projects that are going through – (Thursday) we allocated $12 million for those projects.”

The Artspace project was one of 53 applications not approved for the tax credits that Michigan City Redevelopment Commission President Ken Behrendt previously stated was necessary before the commission turns the property over to the Minneapolis-based group that works on housing artists in similar communities nationwide.

“We knew it wasn’t a sure thing but we were trying to buck the trend,” said Behrendt, who was in Indianapolis alongside former Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie when the credits were announced. “When they announced there were 67 applicants, I did prep myself for what was to come.”

Duncan said the 67 applications the IHCDA received had requested a total of $58 million in credits.

“We based it on a scoring blueprint, and the higher scores were accepted,” she said, noting that the Artspace project received a 130.5 tally, which was nearly 10 points fewer than the “Historic Rushton Apartments” project in South Bend that was accepted with a 139 score.

On the local level, reactions varied from extreme disappointment to optimism that next year’s Artspace application will be approved and the project will eventually take shape.

“We are disappointed,” said Carolyn Saxton, executive director for the Lubeznik Center for the Arts. “But we know this is not the end and that it is not unusual for these requests to be denied the first time.”

At-Large Councilman Tim Bietry echoed the thought.

“We were disappointed – but it isn’t anything we did not anticipate,” he said. “Artspace has done projects in 30 different states and many of them were rejected the first time as well. Generally when they file the next year, they are approved.”

But even though second-time approval is the norm, Bietry did say the city will work with Artspace “even harder” on next year’s application.

If the credits had been approved, many art galleries and businesses on Franklin Square (between Fourth and Ninth streets) would be looking forward to the Warren Building artists quickly being welcomed into what already is an artist haven – especially on the first Friday of every month.

Marilynne Besse, one of the owners of Prince Galleries, also was disappointed after hearing Thursday’s outcome.

“We were looking forward to them starting work this spring,” she said while looking across the street at the Warren Building – which will, at one point, house a colony of 30 or more artists in Artspace.

“It’s sad news,” she said.

Angela Samila, who owns Revive Consignments, a clothing store in the heart of the Uptown Arts District, said she was “hugely disappointed.”

“This area has been looking forward to it,” she said. “But we look forward to prospering anyway and hoping it happens soon.”

First Ward Councilman Richard Murphy, who introduced a council ordinance in 2011 in support of the idea championed by the Redevelopment Commission, said despite Thursday’s denial, Artspace in Michigan City is “no doubt the best project in the state when it comes to dollar for dollar economic growth.”

“We were prepared for either a celebration or getting right back to work and that’s what we’ll do,” he said.

Behrendt and Bietry said they both plan to meet with the Artspace developer and a member of the IHCDA to “decipher where we came up short.”

Bietry alluded to the possibility of a workshop between the city and Artspace this spring on how best to move forward.

“We hope many of the Franklin Street artists and members of the public are there,” he said.

[ChickenCityRoller]

In life there are talkers and do'ers. What are you gonna do?

[Ang]

What can you do? This community (Not just 'City, but the whole county) is in bad shape, and while I can't confirm or deny that we are the laughing stock of the state, I wouldn't be suprised if we are. The good ol' boy system doesn't work and hopefully we have seen the end of that era. But, there were some important points made above....The good ol' boys don't want new development here and they are the ones crying the loudest and so the only ones heard. Whether it be a new rail system or a strip club, or a sporting goods store, things get shot down repeatedly. I'm surprised this Kohl's thing is going through, or seems to be anyway. (The jury is still out on whether the store will actually be built here, when demolition starts, then I'll feel more comfortable about it)
People want to improve our area, but there is nothing we can do. The Politicians (WE elected) don't seem to want to do anything more than snipe about each other, much less take steps to fix our economy. The Governor doesn't care about us....someone at some point offended him and I believe he has turned his back on us.

So, what are we do to? I realize complaining isn't the answer, and at first I was a little put out by this thread, but at this point complaining is all we can do. Granted, the complaining falls on deaf ears, but it's all we have.

[ChickenCityRoller]

what can you do? For starters, you can pack your bags and leave instead of typing out a manifesto of sorts.
I think the state has shunned us because a lot of the problems we have are due to the politicians we continue to elect, over and over and over... I swear, people don't know you can do a short vote on the ballet and they seemingly vote for who has the most yard signs. You sleep in the bed you make.

[Ang]

Well, I wouldn't actually call that a manifesto, but whatever..... And, I'm sure you remember, I returned here from another state just a couple years ago. I chose to come back because a place is what you make of it. Telling me to pack my bags and leave wasn't very nice. Especially because I wasn't really complaining. I was just stating things the way they are. I asked you what can we (not just me, but the community) do because you're one saying "do." Do you have any suggestions? What are you doing?