Michigan City (Gary, Hope: real estate, rentals, hotels)

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

I don't know.

I just drove through the downtown (a couple blocks east of the Lighhouse Mall) ... and I had the same reaction I always did/do ... "what a waste".

Maybe that area isn't considered "downtown" or maybe I'm not looking close enough, but I've always thought what a stinkin' pity it is that a large majority of those storefronts are empty. It's like a very mini-Memphis. There is such HUGE potential there - and from the tone of the article it seems as if they're making progress - but it has always saddened me.

That and the South Shore tracks right down the middle of a residential street.

Agree 100%. I don't frequent the area, but I go a few times a year... normally to Lighthouse Mall. Went again this year and haven't really seem much progress either. Maybe a few stores have filled up, but doesn't seem to be enough to make it look like a great booming and redeveloping area. The potential is there with the downtown structure and the lakefront so closeby, but it just looks so run down. The schools are well below average, incomes in the town are as well. There's not much of a draw to the town right now in my opinion.

To me, the most practical route to take would be to really try to make it more of a destination, beachy type of town with more B&Bs, a quaint downtown with shops/cafes, and so on. Not saying that would be an easy transformation, but it would be the direction I would try to lead the town in if I were on the counsel. It's too far from Chicago to draw those who work in the city to live there, and the same can probably be said about those who work in South Bend (about an hour away). So, what does that leave as the main/only draw? The waterfront! Take advantage of it!

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

I just drove through the downtown (a couple blocks east of the Lighhouse Mall) ... and I had the same reaction I always did/do ... "what a waste".

Maybe that area isn't considered "downtown" or maybe I'm not looking close enough, but I've always thought what a stinkin' pity it is that a large majority of those storefronts are empty. It's like a very mini-Memphis. There is such HUGE potential there - and from the tone of the article it seems as if they're making progress - but it has always saddened me.
That and the South Shore tracks right down the middle of a residential street.

Originally Posted by svillechris

Agree 100%. I don't frequent the area, but I go a few times a year... normally to Lighthouse Mall. Went again this year and haven't really seem much progress either. Maybe a few stores have filled up, but doesn't seem to be enough to make it look like a great booming and redeveloping area. The potential is there with the downtown structure and the lakefront so closeby, but it just looks so run down. The schools are well below average, incomes in the town are as well. There's not much of a draw to the town right now in my opinion.

To me, the most practical route to take would be to really try to make it more of a destination, beachy type of town with more B&Bs, a quaint downtown with shops/cafes, and so on. Not saying that would be an easy transformation, but it would be the direction I would try to lead the town in if I were on the counsel. It's too far from Chicago to draw those who work in the city to live there, and the same can probably be said about those who work in South Bend (about an hour away). So, what does that leave as the main/only draw? The waterfront! Take advantage of it!

Talk was, when the Blue Chip Casino arrived, it would revitalize the area. It didn't. MC's downtown
(which must have been really something long ago) has many vacant store fronts. Sad to see and wish
it would make a comeback. Light house outlet mall brings in people and there are a few nice places to
eat. I think the South Shore (and I think it's cool that it still runs through town) the proximity to
Chicago and Michigan and the lake itself would help MC rebound but that probably won't happen for
years.
The new casino in New Buffalo hit MC's Blue Chip. Also, New Buffalo's little downtown strip has
an abandoned and unfinished condo unit and some restaurants that closed. btw, have to add
that Redamaks burgers are nothing to brag about, actually they are overpriced and taste mediocre.
You can find better places heading north on Red Arrow hwy.

[CCrest182]

Some images from Google Maps on some side streets in the tow portray to me that it looks like it's sort of in decline. The crime rate is somewhat high (but not alarmingly), and it looks like there's some potential. But I don't think that it's to the point where I'd say it's a place I'd want to live. The good think though is that white flight hasn't hit. It's only seen a 5% drop in white people in a ten year span (from 69% in 2000, to 64% in 2010). It does appear to be a "poorer" town, definitely not middle class, solidly blue collar. I think I'd say it's declining in a very slow Fashion. Don't know what it will look like in 20 years, but it probably won't be that much better.

I also believe New Buffalo takes away much tourist and vacation spot "charm" to the city, but that can change. There obviously is more booming in NB than MC, as well lots of notable restaurants like The Stray Dog, Redemaks, Red Arrow Roadhouse, etc.

[Big Play]

Michigan City is FAR from Chicago, no doubt about it. And it's a highly blue collar town that's seen it's best days pass long ago.

However, there are 2 things going for it.

1) Lakefront location with beaches
2) Train to Chicago

Some skilled marketing paired with very smart development/investment could do wonders for that city. It could remake itself as a legit local getaway for Chicagoans. There has to be potential, considering that SW Michigan seems to draw people from Chicago

[baileyvpotter]

I think MC will make a comeback - but it probably will take several years. I was told by two employees at one restaurant
(who live in MC) that there is one guy who owns several of the buildings downtown. If that is true, is he holding on to
them and waiting for the coming hoard of buyers?

[PILMAN]

My opinion is that the area seemed kind of run down, there were some nice areas like near the beach but there were many rough areas as well. It seemed like a lot of the houses were in urban decay, not many jobs and far from chicago. There were tons of factories all over the beach and behind houses which was unattractive.

[baileyvpotter]

That could be said about several neighborhoods in Chicago at one time also. Michigan City, Indiana with it's lower
taxes, proximity to a major metropolitan city, neighborhoods that are ripe for revitalization and gentrification &
its location to the Lake Michigan has every possibility to reinvent itself. It also needs to attract more businesses
and corporations (the buildings and property are there)...bring that and people will come.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

That could be said about several neighborhoods in Chicago at one time also. Michigan City, Indiana with it's lower
taxes, proximity to a major metropolitan city, neighborhoods that are ripe for revitalization and gentrification &
its location to the Lake Michigan has every possibility to reinvent itself. It also needs to attract more businesses
and corporations (the buildings and property are there)...bring that and people will come.

The heavy industry has taken a heavy toll on Michigan City. I agree about its assets but frankly the industry is a blight on the town. People often think the huge cooling plant is a nuclear power plant. This will always be a handicap for the city much like the many plants along the lakeshore are blights for other NWI cities. The downtown area is cute and I love Washington Park. And the rail line is a plus. But again, it has a lot of ugliness that stifles the understated natural beauty of the area. And it's the reason why wealthy Chicagoans largely skip Michigan City to flock to New Buffalo and points north along the Lake Michigan coast.

[DocPit45]

I moved from MC to SC last September. Only reason I moved is that I was tired of the Midwestern winters. Other than that, I liked MC. For years, I owned a condo at Lakepoint Tower in Chicago and a "weekend home" in the Old Edgewood area of MC, on Valentine Ct, just off the intersection of Franklin and Coolspring. When I retired, I sold the condo and moved to MC.

IMO: Pros: pretty and quiet neighborhood, lots of trees, every house different, 10 minutes S up Franklin for big box shopping, 10 minutes N on Franklin to the beach (which is beautiful and free), low cost of living. Certainly not the variety of restaurants and entertainment venues that I had in Chicago, but also no traffic jams, parking problems, and I never experienced any problem with crime. If you take your pleasure from outdoor pursuits, especially the beach, it's fine. If you like more sophisticated entertainment options, look elsewhere.

Cons: From 2001, when I bought the house, to 2014, when I sold it, I don't think the house appreciated at all. Great bargains for buyers. Not much ROI when you're ready to sell.

Regarding all the vacant stores: Huh? I saw very little of that along the main drag, Franklin. MC certainly is not a boom town. But I never had the impression that it had a depressed downtown area (entire length of Franklin St). If it weren't for the winters, I would have stayed in MC.

BTW: At least as of Sept, 2014, you could buy a very nice house in MC in Old Edgewood for $200K-$220K. You're a 7-8 min drive (2 miles) to the beach. That same house right near the beach or in New Buffalo would cost $400K-$500K.

[Northwest Indiana]

Michigan City artist colony near completion

Hopefully this spurs more activity in the downtown area. Many think that with the outlet mall being literally right next to downtown, it has eroded any hope of the downtown area coming back. However, call me crazy, but even though many of the people coming to the outlets are there to save on taxes and get outlet prices, some of these people have a ton of cash to spend (and lose at the casino) and Michigan City should capitalize on that with developing the downtown area with more nightlife. I'm also talking boutique hotels, etc. It can be a local get-a-a-way destination area for nightlife. Turning a day-trip to the outlets into a weekend trip has the potential to seriously boost MC's economy. A huge factor is also the fact that while MC's crime rate is not the lowest, it is also not something that is scaring shoppers and tourists away as the case is with Gary. Personally, I would like to see more upscale storefronts in the downtown area.