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." |
May 22 2008, 11:32 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=48517.94
QUOTE Mixed Opinions On A Two-Way Franklin Street Officials working on new project see a ‘merry-go-round’ of public opinion. Laurie Wink The News-Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY - Tim Haas was perplexed after hearing public comments Wednesday about plans for opening Franklin Street to two-way traffic. "I didn't get a clear-cut understanding of what people wanted to do," said Haas, the owner of Haas and Associates. "I expected to have more in favor of converting to two-way." Tim Bietry, head of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, said the city "seems to be on a merry-go-round" of shifting public opinion about two-way traffic on Franklin Street. The Michigan City Redevelopment Commission hired Haas and Associates to develop options for converting traffic flow on Franklin in the downtown area from Fourth to Ninth streets. Residents turned out for an evening presentation by Haas in the Common Council Chambers on Wednesday. Mayor Chuck Oberlie threw his support behind the effort. Dan O'Brien, owner of the multi-story Warren Building, has said he would refurbish the structure if the city converted the area from one-way to two-way traffic. Project manager Cedric Green outlined five parking options to ease the flow of traffic through the downtown corridor. The company inventoried the use of available parking and found it to be adequate. "There's enough parking capacity for current use," Green said. "No matter what option is used, it never reaches 50 percent capacity." Green said some recommended changes would be to reduce the speed limit from 30 to 25, relocate hydrants, install removable planters in front of businesses and repair sidewalks. Karle Hula, owner of Maxine's Restaurant at 521 Franklin St., was more interested in talking about opening a traffic corridor extending to Lake Michigan. "Why waste money on three or four blocks if you don't have access to the lake," Hula said. Ed Lysaught, of Lysaught, Salmon & Company at 517 Franklin, said he was against change for change's sake. "Some of us grew up with parking down here and the place was a mess," Lysaught said. "Why did business owners abandon the downtown? There was no place to park." Lysaught and others pointed to the need to put up better signs to let people know how to navigate what is referred to as the loop around the North End, including the one-way Pine and Washington streets. Green said signage is definitely an issue but the city was holding off on developing signs until plans for two-way traffic were completed. Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com. |
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