Healthy investments flow from Port of Indiana’s water connections. Rick Heimann chuckled to himself while pointing to a mountainous pile of scrap metal near the entrance of his massive workplace, the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. He recalled a snide comment from a visitor who suggested that piles of scrap metal “junk” are not the best …
Cooperative economic-development efforts are bearing fruit. by Laurie Wink Recent ribbon cuttings at manufacturing facilities across the region are signaling an economic renaissance in what was once considered the rustbelt. Key economic development professionals, business leaders and elected officials at local, state and federal levels are joining forces–across affiliations and party lines–to promote the region …
The heart of the city is ground zero for revitalization these days. by Laurie Wink America’s downtowns were once vibrant hubs for business and entertainment. The advent of our car-centric culture–fueled by creation of the nationwide highway system–led to suburban sprawl and shopping centers. The historic cores of cities fell out of favor and languished. …
Alliance brings together Chicago region. The relationship between Northwest Indiana and the Greater Chicago area has often been described as a love-hate relationship. We love the proximity and the jobs provided for Hoosiers, but the state line has often seemed to be a barrier to collaboration. A landmark study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation …
Northwest Indiana offers a host of attractive attributes. by Michael Puente On paper, Northwest Indiana has a lot going for it that other parts of Indiana simply don’t have. That includes easy access to major highways, a well-trained workforce, an extensive rail system, regional airport and close proximity to the nation’s third-largest city: Chicago. “We’ve …
What does it take to qualify, and how is the region preparing workers? by Laurie Wink Northwest Indiana’s economic development is closely aligned with availability of a qualified, motivated workforce. Success is a matter of fitting the right people into the right slots. But as anyone knows who’s tried to complete a complex jigsaw puzzle, …
Meetings and conventions in Northern Indiana in 2015. by Shari Held 2015 is shaping up to be a banner year for the tourism and event industry and Northwest Indiana is reaping its fair share of the business. “Naturally we are thrilled to see an upturn in the tourism and event industry,” says Carolyne Wallace, director …
Construction industry is expecting a strong 2015. by Phil Britt Construction in Northwest Indiana is expected to continue to be strong in 2015, according to executives from major building companies in the area. All have significant projects that are in various phases of completion and have strong orders on the books for 2015 and the …
History and progress put at the center of it all. by Michael Puente The city of Crown Point has always been the center of all things government-related in Lake County. The Lake County Sheriff’s office is there, as well as all other county departments in the massive Lake County Government Complex at 93rd and Main …
Indiana should surpass the nation in GDP and income growth. by Michael J. Hicks, Ph.D. As 2014 wrapped up, economic growth for the first three quarters was 2.3 percent. This is close to the 2 percent growth I predicted a year earlier. Growth in the third quarter showed a marked improvement from the 1.2 percent …
