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Economic Development Corp. Michigan City recently released a new strategic action plan meant to foster more development, innovation and opportunity.
The economic development agency partnered with the city, the business community, community leaders and Ascendant Global Consulting to craft the plan. The plan sets goals through 2040 to build on the city's recent momentum, including a nascent building boom downtown that is raising up several new high-rises.
“Our vision is rooted in our city’s history and current path while not shying away from the challenges and issues our community members face,” said EDCMC Executive Director Clarence Hulse. “The framework is based on months of interviews, discussions, roundtables, surveys, analysis and connections with a cross-section of our community and businesses— all with an eye toward collaboration and unity.”
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The new strategic action plans sets forth goals for economic inclusion, workforce development, placemaking, storytelling and economic modernization.
“The ideas are aggressive and visionary as any strategic plan needs to be in order to truly trigger the growth we are envisioning,” Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said. “The city’s leadership team is committed to a long-term productive collaboration as we take on implementing this long-term plan for action.”
The plan includes actionable steps and benchmarks to measure progress.
“By having arenas to focus on with outlined steps, we are striving to create workable paths for all of these important goals,” said EDCMC Board President Bill Hackney. “You have to see where you are headed in order to find the ideal way to get there.”
The plan's recommendations include compiling more data to address disparities, giving residents diverse options for career paths and providing services like childcare and transportation that ensures the workforce can get to work. It also encourages programs and training opportunities that would advance economic development.
“Our Strategic Plan is a living document similar to our Vibrant Michigan City economic inclusion playbook that is a starting point to not only engage with our community and partners, but also to tackle our challenges and track our progress,” Hulse said.
Ascendant Global Consulting Partner and Economic Development Expert Rodrick Miller said the plan is meant to be a roadmap for the future.
“The most effective strategic plans offer opportunities for a broad swath of residents, have ambitious objectives, hold public and private partners accountable, and are buttressed by a long-term commitment to execution and shared investment,” Miller said. “They raise expectations for what a community can become, spur private investment, and articulate a unique value. The results are prosperity for residents, quality jobs and economic opportunity. For community members a strategic plan done well raises confidence in their leaders' focus on progress, offers hope, provides clarity and articulates a shared future they can support. And of course, it yields real change and opportunity.”
For more information, visit www.edcmc.com/about.
A look back at Northwest Indiana businesses that closed in 2023
A look back at Region businesses that closed in 2023
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Beer Geeks, one of the Region's first, most beloved and most influential craft beer bars, closed after more than a decade and is being reimagined as a new concept.
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88-year-old White Castle in Whiting, one of Chicago area's first, coming down to be replaced with new restaurant
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The landmark 88-year-old castle-shaped White Castle in Whiting is coming down to be replaced with a newer, larger, more modern White Castle restaurant.
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A longtime staple in downtown Crown Point poured its last drink.
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The longtime Westforth Sports gun shop is closing.
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88-year-old Whiting White Castle will end up on display in museums in Illinois and Indiana
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The 88-year-old Whiting White Castlewill be remembered with displays at museums in two different states.
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For years, the "millionaire's club" met every morning in the corner booth of the historic 88-year-old White Castle at Indianapolis Boulevard and 119th Street in downtown Whiting. The landmark restaurant served its final slider Tuesday.
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One of Northwest Indiana's most popular and enduring hobby shops is looking for a buyer after the longtime owner died.
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Calumet Fisheries temporarily closed after failing health inspection
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A Calumet Region institution, Calumet Fisheries on the far South Side of Chicago, is temporarily closed after failing a city health inspection.
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Calumet Fisheries suffers fire shortly after reopening after health inspection closure
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Just days after reopeningafter city health inspectors shut it down, Calumet Fisheries suffered a major fire.
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Pepe's Mexican Restaurant is no mas in Valparaiso after 43 years
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Beer Geeks in Highland rebranded as B-Side Bar & Lounge and then closed within a few months.
Business
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Bed Bath and Beyond to close Valparaiso store and multiple Chicagoland locations, leaving just one Region location left
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Troubled retailerBed Bath and Beyond will permanently close its Valparaiso location as it shutters more stores nationwide as it looks to restructure and shrink its footprint to save the struggling business.
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Peoples Bank closes downtown Hammond branch
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Peoples Bank has shuttered its branch in downtown Hammond.
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Viking Artisan Ales to close Merrillville taproom
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Viking Artisan Ales will soon pour its last craft beer at its Merrillville taproom.
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Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is closing after 15 years at one of Northwest Indiana's most prominent highway interchanges.
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Walmart closing Homewood store
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Walmart is closing its big-box store in Homewood.
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Chicago Auto Show returns with smaller footprint, no Camp Jeep track
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The Chicago Auto Show, the nation's largest auto show, returns to McCormick Place Saturday, running through Feb. 19.
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Munster-based Land O'Frost laying off 215 workers in Chicago
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Munster-based Land O'Frost, the packaged lunchmeat giant, is laying off 215 workers in Chicago and shuttering a plant it acquired two years ago.
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Ginuwine will trot out hits like "Pony" at Festival of the Lakes.
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