By Amanda Haverstick, The News-Dispatch
LaPORTE - Have fun finding a parking space in downtown LaPorte during the day.
Lincolnway, the hub of the city, sees no shortage of traffic, and finding a place to park along the street can be challenging.
At Lincolnway and Pine Lake Avenue is the LaPorte County Courthouse, Sheriff's Department and county jail. Nearby is LaPorte Hospital. In between and across the street are banks, law firms, furniture stores, antique shops, restaurants, bars and specialty shops.
“Our downtown has a lot of businesses that draw people throughout the county - the County Complex, LaPorte Hospital, financial institutions and law offices,” LaPorte Mayor Leigh Morris said. “It's able to make downtown LaPorte a destination.”
While LaPorte's main anchors are just steps away, Michigan City's magnets are blocks away from the immediate downtown.
“Historically, the exodus of the major anchors in our downtown changed the character of our downtown,” Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie said. “(LaPorte's) two main anchors also sit right in the middle of their downtown. It creates traffic to support some of the other (businesses). Our attractions like that are spread out.”
Morris said LaPorte's downtown, which was home to retail anchors similar to Michigan City's, has seen changes during the years.
“There were different retailers than there are today (such as) Levine's, J.C. Penney's - old-line type stores,” Morris said. “Today, it's a much smaller, specialty kinds of retailing.”
The businesses in LaPorte's downtown, Morris said, have remained because of what they offer.
“Many of them are unique,” Morris said. “Another (reason) is just the successful management and promotion.”
The city of LaPorte began an $11 million downtown beautification plan in 1997, starting with replacing curbs and sidewalks. Benches and planters were added.
Now, Morris said, the city is taking the downtown to the next stage. The City Council hired consulting firm HyettPalma in June 2005 to develop a downtown revitalization plan that's scheduled to be completed this year.
“How do you get a return on that investment?” Morris asked. “That's what we're concentrating on now.”
Geographically, the Maple City's downtown sits at a crossroads, something that could be a blessing or a curse.
“We have some major congestion problems with handling, adequately, the traffic flow,” Morris said. “LaPorte is one of the few Indiana communities where major highways converge.”
One area along the east end of Lincolnway that's been successful are the varying Hispanic businesses. These enterprises, Morris said, have created a strong niche.
At the west end of Lincolnway, Maple Lane Mall, Morris said, will be revamped and renamed LaPorte Town Square. The mall's new owners have bought additional land to add retail space. And, he said, LaPorte has explored residential possibilities in the downtown.
“Many downtown buildings have apartments,” he said. “Few have apartments that are occupied.”
About 10 years ago, the Rumely Hotel was restored and converted into a 40-unit housing complex for low- to moderate-income seniors. In 2005, a couple of San Diego developers created several upscale lofts above Louie's Cafe at 920 Lincolnway - a former fire station.
Oberlie, too, would like to see the upper levels of buildings along Franklin Street used as residences.
“That presence will create a commercial market,” Oberlie said. “The downtown we knew was formed of independent merchants who lived above their stores. That leads to the (idea of an) artisan community as one direction we could pursue.”
One challenge LaPorte has faced, much like Michigan City, is the closing of factories. Layoffs and job losses in LaPorte started around 1983. That trend, though, is turning around.
In 2005, American Licorice moved into one of the former Whirlpool Corp. buildings. The company has about 65 employees, with plans to have 170 employees by the end of 2007.
“Most of the jobs we lost have been replaced,” Morris said. “We're looking at focusing future recruitment efforts in a little different way.”
Morris said the city is working on getting technical jobs. LaPorte, he said, has an aggressive effort for recruitment and retention of businesses.
“In LaPorte, it's alive and well and growing,” Morris said. “Virtually all of our manufacturing is in a growth mode.”
Businesses, Morris said, like the fact that the city's resources are handy.
“They love it here,” he said. “It's a really good community for their people to live.”
Like Michigan City, LaPorte also has its hands full dealing with blighted areas. One such spot is the former Allis-Chalmers property at Pine Lake and Truesdell avenues, which closed in the 1980s.
A brownfield site, the goal is to turn the 150-acre eyesore into a new development called NewPorte Landing. Once the city acquires all the land, the first phase concentrates on commercial and retail space, with three large anchor stores and several smaller structures planned.
“It will include a combination of commercial, retail, residential and recreational development,” Morris said.