Cities pursue creative efforts for revitalization.
by Rick A. Richards
Northwest Indiana downtowns were once retail hubs. But with the development of regional shopping malls and strip shopping centers over the past two generations, downtowns across the region have changed.
Left behind are empty storefronts and vacant parking lots. In recent years, however, those downtown eyesores have become opportunities for some communities.
In Valparaiso, which survived the shift of retail from the downtown better than most communities, a transformation is taking place at the west edge of downtown with Central Park Plaza.
Matt Murphy, director of economic development for Valparaiso, says the city's goal is to turn downtown into a “top priority for visitors.”
Valparaiso has used a facade development program operated by Indiana's Main Street Association to improve the look of existing businesses (one of the most striking is Martin Binder Jewelers at Franklin and Lincolnway), installed new sidewalks and decorative lighting, and in a unique move, applied to the state for 10 special liquor licenses that can be used only by restaurants in the downtown historic district.
Murphy said seven permits are in use at Bistro 157, Pikk's Tavern, Don Quijote, Silver Spoon, Bon Femme Cafe, Margarita's and Paparazzi's. The city owns the liquor license and restaurants can't transfer to another location outside of downtown.
“We've seen some success with it,” said Murphy. “It has helped bring people downtown.”
By far, though, the biggest development downtown is creation of Central Park Plaza, a large open space accented by a band shell and a splash pad.
Matt Gariup, an owner of Gariup Construction of Gary, is the general contractor for the project. “It's deeply rewarding to see other people enjoying your work,” says Gariup. “We've done all the sidewalks in the downtown for Valparaiso, and I think doing projects like this helps create interest in the area and brings people downtown.”
Murphy agrees. “Downtowns are fragile things and communities need to invest in them.” Murphy, a Valparaiso native who began working for the city in 2007, says, “When I was a kid, there wasn't the atmosphere downtown that there is now. They didn't have the nightlife we have today. It's a lot more vibrant now than it used to be. We think it's a great downtown. It's a great place to bring the family. There are restaurants and shops. It's what you have to do in order to compete with the shopping centers and malls. It's sort of like creating a new thing.”
In Griffith, Councilman Rick Ryfa has made revitalizing downtown a priority and has been working with the Indiana Main Street Association to improve the appearance of downtown.
Qualifying communities can join the Indiana Main Street Association in order to become eligible for grants to make facade improvements to downtown buildings, says Anne Bell, a spokesman for Indiana Main Street.
Ryfa took office in 2008 and in 2009, Griffith joined Indiana Main Street. “It's been an evolving process for our downtown,” says Ryfa. “We want to improve the whole downtown. Parts of it were getting a little blighted and we had a lot of abandoned stores.”
As a result, work is being done on some downtown buildings, says Garry Mang, owner of Two Uncles Construction. “We've completed two facade projects, the Venture Inn in the 300 block of Broad Street, and Varsity Sport Shop in the 100 block,” says Mang. “It's great to be a part of the project to revitalize downtown. I like it because I was born and raised here and I really like what the town has planned for the downtown.”
Ryfa says the appearance of downtown Griffith presented an opportunity to change the community. “We've got a lot of specialty stores, ethnic food stores and things like that,” says Ryfa. “The key to a successful downtown is to provide great services. “There are a lot of things that need changing. The downtown, after all, is the gateway into town.”
While facades are being spruced up, the town also is redoing Broad Street, installing sidewalks and decorative lighting.
Mark Grimmer, a vice president of Grimmer Construction, says the effort to create a new streetscape in Griffith – a new road, gutters, curbs and sidewalks – was on schedule until a strike by Local 150 of the Operating Engineers shut down construction projects across Northwest Indiana. “We hope to get back to work soon because the businesses in downtown Griffith deserve to have the work completed so people can get to them,” says Grimmer.
“We're always prepared to be involved in a revitalization project like this. It's great working here because Griffith is so involved in the project,” says Grimmer. “We did something similar a few years in Highland and that helped pump new life into their downtown.”
Ryfa says the project includes new sewer and sanitary lines, and in the end there will be more places to park along the street.
At the edge of downtown, the former Franklin School is being converted to a community center and Griffith is working with the YMCA on a management contract for the building. In an empty former furniture store, Ryfa says, a billiard hall is going in.
While Ryfa is the front man for the project, he says nothing could have happened without the help of the town's Redevelopment Commission and the Downtown Revitalization Committee.
In Highland, Cecile Petro, director of development, says the town is getting temporary use of some of the vacant storefronts through a Pop Up Gallery program.
“It's something where artists can display their work for a short time, maybe just a few days. It helps the artist and interested buyers or tenants can get a look at a potential building. It's also a creative networking event,” says Petro.
At the first such event in April, some 50 people attended, and Petro says it was a success. “The owner of the building got a lot of marketing contacts from it,” she says.
“We're also involved in a facade improvement program.” Unlike the state's effort, however, this program is privately funded. Petro says the town has $100,000 left from a downtown project and the money is being used by downtown businesses for small projects – about $10,000 each – to improve the appearance of their building.
“We sent out 14 applications for the program, but so far, only one has been returned,” says Petro. She says the town is interested in the Main Street Program, but for several years, the community didn't qualify. Because of a recent change in eligibility passed by the General Assembly, Highland now qualifies. “What we're looking for downtown is to see property values increase. We want to get people involved who can see what the area will look like in the future, not what it looks like now.
“We would like to have more retail move in, maybe in a niche market that the big box stores don't provide,” says Petro. “The key is to get several businesses to come downtown and to work together. If just one business makes the move, it can't make it alone.”
In recent years, downtown South Bend has seen what can only be called a transformation. With a combination of city-backed projects and private development, buildings have been transformed and facades upgraded. The result of that work came home in a resounding way on June 17 when South Bend was named an All-America City, one of only 10 in the nation.
“Being an All-America City is a great testimony to South Bend's progress as a transformative community with a collaborative spirit that addresses and solves challenges,” says Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. “This designation recognizes our great quality of life in revitalized neighborhoods, our commitment to embrace diversity by letting nothing divide us and our desire – modeled by our youth – to go the extra degree to become even better.” Luecke says the hope is the All-America designation will boost the city's effort to recruit new business to the city.
Downtown transformation began a few years ago when the former Central High School was renovated into downtown apartments. Conversion of former industrial building along the East Race into the Stephenson Mill apartments brought even more residents downtown. American Trust Place, a former bank, has been renovated into condos, offices and retail shops.
On June 20, it was announced that the downtown Marriott Hotel will leave its site attached to the Century Center downtown, but while its leaving, it will be replaced by Hilton's Doubletree brand.
Downtown South Bend is aggressively marketing empty storefronts to encourage businesses to consider downtown as a place to do business. Mikki Dobski, communications and special projects director for the city, says “pop-up shops” that open on a seasonal basis have been helpful.
Six of them joined existing businesses during the holiday season at the end of last year, increasing foot traffic downtown. “The temporary shops was an idea for the holiday season and they actually stayed longer than we had hoped and we are very pleased that we did get one to sign on to stay.”
Another downtown landmark is the Morris Performing Arts Center, which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its remodeling this year. Morris is ranked in the top 50 in the world among entertainment venues and attracts thousands of people to the downtown, says Dobski.
Global Access Point has located in the former Union Station and has become a hub for digital information and high-speed communications, says Dobski. It is across the street from Coveleski Stadium, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation as it marks its 25th anniversary.
“When this work is complete, it will make Coveleski a true downtown park with a walking trail and other features,” says Dobski. “It will be available to the public for much more than 70 home games.”
Many other projects are also bringing vitality to downtown – WNIT Center for Public Media has opened in the former WSBT studio; attorneys Lewis & Wilkin and architects Fanning Howey have moved to downtown; restaurants such as Sangria's, CJ's Pub, Main Street Coffee House, Pedro's and Bruno's Pizza have opened; and last October, the new Transpo public transportation center opened, becoming the nation's first LEED platinum-certified transit facility.
In Michigan City, an effort has just begun to turn its downtown into an art district. Already there are half a dozen private art galleries that have opened, but in April city officials contacted Minneapolis-based artspace to come to the city.
Artspace, says Wendy Holmes, a spokeswoman for the organization, has completed 28 projects in 13 states. In Michigan City, artspace is looking at developing an empty downtown building into a mix of residential, commercial and studio space for artists.
One building being looked at is the Warren Building, a seven-story office building that has been a part of the downtown for more than 70 years. The building has been shuttered for at least two decades and Mayor Chuck Oberlie sees a revitalized Warren Building as key to a rejuvenated downtown.
Says Holmes, “We're a non-profit developer that manages permanent space for artists. We were contacted several years ago by Michigan City to do a predevelopment plan.”
“The focus is economic development and we do it by creating an arts district,” says Holmes. “I would say the overarching reason Michigan City wants this is to create new development for the city.”
The key to the project is obtaining state tax credits, and the application for the program for the next round of funding is in November. If that step is successful, says Holmes, artspace could be up and running within three to five years.
City Councilman Richard Murphy sees artspace as an ideal fit for downtown development. “The potential is for 30 or 40 artists to live and work in downtown,” says Murphy. “With artspace, we've surveyed a number of artists in the area, and their responses have surpassed what we need to meet the guidelines for a project like this.”
In addition to the artspace project, Murphy says work is continuing on upgrading the Michigan Boulevard corridor that leads to downtown. “It's our eastern gateway to the city. We're doing streetscape and creating a new park near downtown, Charles Westcott Memorial Park. Ultimately, that park will connect with a planned riverwalk that is still several years away. This is the biggest thing in downtown and if we can get it off the ground, it's going to make a huge difference.”
