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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.
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.