Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Cressy & Everett, a South Bend real estate development firm, is continuing to make significant investments in a major logistics project in La Porte County that could be presented this spring.
The news was shared with the newly renamed La Porte County Logistics Task Force, formerly the Intermodal Task Force, by chair Dave Christian at a Monday meeting. Christian read from e-mail messages he exchanged with Cressy & Everett representatives.
The firm was unwilling to discuss the amount invested so far, but said considerable time and resources have been and continue to be committed to developing a proposal. Once a proposal is submitted, a recommendation from the task force and county decision would be expected in two to three months, according to information received by Christian.
"It shows they're still interested in this county in looking at a multi-modal facility," Christian said.
County Commission President Bill Hager requested, on behalf of himself and commissioners Barb Huston and Mike Bohacek, that the task force be renamed to more accurately reflect the type of project likely to be proposed. Hager said the commissioners recommend moving ahead with a proposed bus trip to the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill.
"We would rather you be ahead of it before they give us a proposal, and know what we would be getting into," Hager said.
At today's County Commission meeting, Christian will ask for $3,000 to fund two bus loads of La Porte County officials, city and town officials to visit with representatives of CenterPoint and the town of Elwood.
CenterPoint Properties said Thursday it plans to build a $2 million intermodal rail facility and an industrial park on 3,850 acres near Joliet, Ill. The site is expected to connect agricultural producers, manufacturers and distributors with major transportation arteries at one location.
That is the kind of project La Porte County could be considering, according to Matt Reardon, La Porte County economic development director.
Reardon said the task force name change to "logistics" is a way to indicate the project would likely include more than a railyard.
Christian said a recent presentation by transportation planning expert Michael Gallis highlighted Northwest Indiana's strategic advantage as a logistics center because of proximity to Chicago, one of three major markets in the country. Task force members were given CDs of the Gallis presentation as background.
The bus trip to Elwood is tentatively planned for the last week of February. It will be coordinated by John Regetz, director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp.
Task force member Hugh Glasgow asked that a period of time be given at each meeting for public comment. Task force members discussed the idea then voted 7-7 on a motion in favor of public comment. Discussion continued until the group voted unanimously in favor of a motion by Ken Purze to establish public comment guidelines at the beginning of the next meeting and allow comment before the end of that meeting.
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