VALPARAISO — As Valparaiso continues to invest in and grow its downtown, some local residents fear all the new development may come at a steep cost.
"Our neighborhood really puts a lot of value in character and to see new developments going up kind of all around, is concerning in that I don't want to see the charm that I am here for disappear into the multitude of brick buildings that all look the same," Central Neighborhood resident Ellen Kapitan said.
About 30 residents of Valparaiso's Central Neighborhood crowded into a Valparaiso Public Library meeting room, Monday night, to hear from Valparaiso Planning and Transit Director Beth Shrader and to give feedback on the city's latest downtown vision plan.
Released in February, 'Elevate Valpo' hopes to lay out a road map for future development in the city. The plan identifies several areas of focus, including a broad range of housing in the downtown core. The plan states that "Valparaiso's burgeoning retail base and culinary district will hinge on critical mass of people living downtown."
New projects like The Linc apartment complex proposed for the north side of Lincolnway between Michigan Avenue and Morgan Boulevard, hope to fill the city's housing need. Elevate Valpo also laid out locations for more housing developments, including the land where Bridgepoint Church currently sits at 105 Washington St.
For years Bridgepoint's brick building held the Valparaiso YMCA. Elevate Valpo proposes using the land for four-story housing with a parking structure across the street.
“We see that somebody’s going to redevelop it [Bridgepoint] ... it is underutilized,” Shrader said.
While any construction in the Bridgepoint area will ultimately be driven by private developers, Shrader said Elevate Valpo will help the city "make a statement about what we want to see instead of developers saying 'this is what we will do.'"
While a four-story complex may be in line with downtown businesses, Kapitan said a structure of that size would not fit in with the surrounding neighborhood, which consists largely of single-family homes.
Many residents also shared concerns about more residents crowding the downtown area. A parking garage may accommodate any additional parking needs, however more residents means more cars on the road, worsening downtown congestion. Some attendees also said more density and more cars would decrease the area's walkability.
"Traffic will be an ongoing concern and none of this is going to happen overnight, it is going to happen slowly ... and the city will keep listening and keep responding," Shrader said. “These are the same concerns that I hear from all of the neighborhoods in the city when there is new development proposed."
Some residents also asked that future housing developments be affordable, so that the people who currently live and work in Valparaiso are not priced out.
"There is this notion that Valpo needs to be transformed," Councilman Robert Cotton, D-2, said. "I think the people see that vision as something that is not for us [residents], but rather for somebody who doesn't even have a clue about Valpo yet."
Shrader said she will continue to take comments on the plan, altering it accordingly before seeking approval from the council. Residents can submit public comment on Elevate Valpo by emailing planningdepartment@valpo.us through March 18.
© Copyright 2024, nwitimes.com, Munster, IN