Portage is working on plans to develop an undeveloped area on the north side of the city that's "as large as the city of Whiting."
The city, the largest city in Porter County and third most populous in Northwest Indiana, is looking to bring in commercial and residential development to the Hillcrest area on the city's north side, north of Interstate 94, Mayor Austin Bonta said. It plans to extend Burns Parkway over the Burns Ditch and connect it to U.S. 12 to open the area up for development.
"We're talking a decade out in terms of development because we first have to get the accessibility," he said. "You can fit the city of Whiting into the undeveloped area on the north side of our city between Route 12 and I-94. We plan to open up that area for development, both commercial and for residential."
The city plans to bring some of that new development to the Burns Waterway, Bonta said.
"We have something in Portage, that once we create the access, it's really unique compared to most of our neighbors along this part of the Great Lake," he said. "We've got a waterway that runs through that has the ability to be a riverfront district. We've got our marinas already that are accessible through the waterway. But as time goes by, we want to see some commercial development along the lines of some hotels and some good restaurants, possibly more on the marina side with people coming from the lake into the waterway."
Portage is now working to line up capital for the project, applying for grants and funding opportunities.
"At this point it is still a top economic development priority for our city for a development," he said. "It hits so many important things. You've got the ability to connect State Road 249 to U.S. Route 12 for the purposes of better access to the train. You've also got the economic development of both residential and commercial coming in."
Bonta said it should be a year or two before the city secures the initial funding to get the project rolling.
"It's something we are actively working on with our redevelopment team," he said.
The Hillcrest area eyed for development is west of State Road 249, south of U.S. 12, north of Interstate 94 and east of Stagecoach Road. It's such a large area it likely would be divvied up among several developers, Bonta said.
"Over time, with the different properties that are up there and figuring out how to get them connected, I think that you'll in time see multiple developments coming that way," he said.
Portage is getting ready to update its comprehensive plan for the city for the first time in 15 years. It's looking to plan for the north side development based on input from residents and other stakeholders.
"When you take a look at the potential we have in Portage, we have a unique opportunity on the north side with all the undeveloped land and what's around it, from the port to the mills to the highway and the train," Bonta said. "The only thing we're missing is a helicopter pad, and we could fit an airport in there. You're really seeing a situation for residential and commercial growth to connect with our growing and improving industrial base that's already here. Tie that in with the 44 million people who drive through Portage every year. We've really got an opportunity to create something cool on the north side."
Bonta believes there's enough undeveloped land on the north side to build neighborhoods for a few thousand more residents.
"For different reasons, someone might want to live on our north side as it develops," he said. "One would be people working in the mills and people working at the port. Longshoremen and operating engineers working at the port could have a 5- or 10-minute drive to work. That's pretty incredible. You could live in the city on the north side and then come out to work at the port. I grew up only a 5-minute drive from where my dad worked at the mill and now he continues to work at NLMK. That's an exciting part."
He continued, "Then you've got the train. You've got a situation where people who commute to Chicago or commute from Chicago — that happens too — you might have a situation your mom works at the port and dad works in Chicago. They live on the north side because it allows one to commute to Chicago and another drives to the port. Then you've got these highways like I-94 where so many people are driving through. It really is the Crossroads of America. I know we say Indiana is the Crossroads of America but I would say that Portage is the Crossroads of America even more specifically."
There is some potential for some light industrial south of the waterway on the north side, but the city sees new industrial coming in more along the city's industrial corridor on Southport Road or U.S. 20 or by the port.
"Our plans for around the train are primarily residential- and commercial-based," he said.
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