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> "Gateway" plan passes Council 9-0
Southsider2k12
post Oct 23 2014, 11:45 AM
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...67e866e480.html

QUOTE
Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

MICHIGAN CITY | Michigan City is furthering its downtown revitalization efforts with a strategic plan containing $22 million of upgrades and improvements in the next three years.

The main focus, perhaps, is making U.S. 12 and Franklin Street the city's main intersection like it was decades ago when the downtown was thriving.

To do that, the plan calls for a reconfiguring of Franklin Street north of U.S. 12 to provide motorists with a straight route to the lake instead of the curvy one that now exists.

South of U.S. 12, some of the one-way streets will be turned into two way streets to make it easier particularly for visitors to find the lakefront and the still relatively new Uptown Arts District.

The street realignment along with pedestrian walkways and a host of visual improvements in the plan, like adding a public plaza near the library, will create a sense of connection between the lakefront and uptown arts district.

The two areas currently are separated physically by U.S. 12 but also psychologically from having one way streets that force motorists to turn and head a block to the west or east to reach Franklin Street running through the arts district or the lakefront.

"Five years out you won't recognize this place if we're able to carry out this plan as we've actually drawn it up," said Craig Phillips, the city planner.

Bridge upgrades are among the other improvements outlined in the downtown strategic plan, including the bridge on U.S. 12 next to Blue Chip Casino that will have a walkway added with other changes to provide users with more of a scenic view of the lakefront.

The city council Tuesday night unanimously adopted the Lake Michigan Gateway Plan, which calls for much of the work to be paid for with dollars captured from within a tax increment financing district.

Improvements drive up property values, which generates extra tax revenue that will be used to pay for the work.

The upcoming investment is on top of tens of millions of dollars spent in recent years to beautify and replace aging infrastructure on both Franklin Street and U.S 35 also leading to the casino and lakefront.

Mayor Ron Meer said the goal is to attract investors in addition to the ones that have already sparked noticeable change in the downtown area.

"You're going to hear about Michigan City, Indiana. It's going to be a transformed community," said City Councilman Richard Murphy.
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Groucho
post Oct 24 2014, 07:12 AM
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QUOTE(Southsider2k12 @ Oct 23 2014, 11:45 AM) *



Considering the recent school funding issues, does Michigan City, have the money to pull this off? Budgets are tight everywhere. How are they going to finance this?
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Southsider2k12
post Oct 24 2014, 08:50 AM
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QUOTE(Groucho @ Oct 24 2014, 08:12 AM) *

Considering the recent school funding issues, does Michigan City, have the money to pull this off? Budgets are tight everywhere. How are they going to finance this?


The two things aren't at all connected.

The funds being spent on this project exist solely for ideas exactly like this. These funds can't be moved to schools, or daily operations, or raises for employees. They are specifically Redevelopment funds. This is the money that has historically gone to build new fire stations, rebuilt Franklin Street, and now is going to Michigan Boulevard. These dollars would be spent on something else similar.

Again, the dollars are already there. These are Redevelopment dollars coming in from the Casino taxes we get by law, and by law they must go to redevelopment projects. The City itself shouldn't have to finance a penny of this. Currently $22 million over a 3 year period is committed to this. The number could go as high as $70 million over the next 10ish years according to the study that accompanied this plan.
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Ang
post Oct 24 2014, 02:35 PM
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I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of Pine and Washington being two-way streets.
How are they going to manage the traffic on the lake side of the police station? I think that would be a perfect spot for a round-about.
Do they plan to raze the police station once the new one is built? And when are they going to start building the new police station?
Anyone know?

My whole life those roads have been how they are....it's going to feel like a different town when they're done with all that. unsure.gif


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Southsider2k12
post Oct 24 2014, 02:55 PM
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QUOTE(Ang @ Oct 24 2014, 03:35 PM) *

I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of Pine and Washington being two-way streets.
How are they going to manage the traffic on the lake side of the police station? I think that would be a perfect spot for a round-about.
Do they plan to raze the police station once the new one is built? And when are they going to start building the new police station?
Anyone know?

My whole life those roads have been how they are....it's going to feel like a different town when they're done with all that. unsure.gif


That whole area from City Hall to the Police station will all be gone, and something new will be there.
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Groucho
post Oct 26 2014, 10:25 AM
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QUOTE(Southsider2k12 @ Oct 24 2014, 08:50 AM) *

The two things aren't at all connected.

The funds being spent on this project exist solely for ideas exactly like this. These funds can't be moved to schools, or daily operations, or raises for employees. They are specifically Redevelopment funds. This is the money that has historically gone to build new fire stations, rebuilt Franklin Street, and now is going to Michigan Boulevard. These dollars would be spent on something else similar.

Again, the dollars are already there. These are Redevelopment dollars coming in from the Casino taxes we get by law, and by law they must go to redevelopment projects. The City itself shouldn't have to finance a penny of this. Currently $22 million over a 3 year period is committed to this. The number could go as high as $70 million over the next 10ish years according to the study that accompanied this plan.


Thanks for that update and information. Then it sounds like a good plan. As to those who say they can't imagine what it will be like, I certainly can. I remember when Franklin street ran as straight as an arrow to the bridge. I am not sure what the other traffic patterns will be like but I do remember that.
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Ang
post Oct 28 2014, 10:45 AM
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QUOTE(Groucho @ Oct 26 2014, 11:25 AM) *

Thanks for that update and information. Then it sounds like a good plan. As to those who say they can't imagine what it will be like, I certainly can. I remember when Franklin street ran as straight as an arrow to the bridge. I am not sure what the other traffic patterns will be like but I do remember that.

Not me. My earliest memory is when the square was there, with the fountains, and planters, and such. As a kid, I thought that was a neat place and loved to walk through there with my mom...we lived on 8th and Pine (by the library before it moved) and would take walks in the square a lot. I would throw pennies in the fountain and make wishes (that, to my recollection, never came true).
Here we are, roughtly 40 years later, and I think what a pain in the butt it must have been when traffic ended at 9th St. and you had to park on a cross street and walk to any business on North Franklin.
And while i'm not against making Pine and Washington two-way streets, I still can't seem to wrap my mind around the concept.


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