In my previous column, I looked at the two approaches to economic development in NWI: the East Chicago and the Munster Plans. As was suggested, only the Munster plan is really economic development, while the East Chicago plan is an immediate band aid that helps to get local Democrats elected for further pilfering of the public treasury.
The critical factor in attracting new business into NWI is the quality of life and the quality of life has to be improved beyond the basics of low crime and good public education. Those are necessary but not sufficient conditions.
The only Regional Development Authority program of any value to bring new economic energy into NWI is Congressman Visclosky’s Marquette Plan. Its basic purpose is to create a public zone all along the southern lake front in NWI. This is important because coupled with our proximity to Chicago that combination is our sole competitive advantage.
But just having public access to the lake is meaningless. It is useful to look at the influence of former Hammond Mayor Duane Dedelow and take a page out of his play book to see what an economic development plan would look like. Former Mayor Dedelow, with all the criticism against him (and I am responsible for my fair share) is frankly the one other individual – in addition to Don Powers – who attempted a comprehensive 21st Century economic development plan that had the potential to transform NWI economically.
Dedelow had an economic development plan for downtown Hammond, and other areas, such as Lost Marsh Golf Course. One must presume that he recognized the only way to develop NWI economically is to attract and encourage a new class of people that currently do not and will not reside in NWI without real social and cultural environment changes occurring. This was to be accomplished by making Hammond attractive to creative people who were being dispossessed by skyrocketing housing prices in Chicago. This was a plan that in combination with the Federal Courthouse and the medical developments at St. Margaret’s Hospital could have worked. The problem was, beside that he lost the election to economic neophytes, funding never reached a critical mass, the lack of support from higher education, and the lack of ultimate political will on the part of the Democrats to give this approach a chance.
How does this apply to the Marquette Plan? This program must be the top priority for funding and development by the RDA. In addition, the RDA must develop a continuous public boardwalk from the Illinois State Line to the beginning of Miller in Gary. Without it the only thing we have is proximity to Chicago, an advantage all the suburbs of Chicago have. This boardwalk must neither be primarily a tourist attraction or an access for the masses to the “water”; but as a way of improving social and cultural conditions in NWI by combining the lakefront with upscale boutique stores, restaurants, music venues, and art galleries. In addition to making sure it is accessible to walking, bicycles and jogging.
In other words the lake front must be completely transformed by following, in general, the model that was never given a chance in downtown Hammond. This is a plan for all of northern Lake County and would be a massive lifestyle transformation of NWI.
Planes, railroads and buses are not 21st Century economic development. The RDA must implement alternative economic development plans (a topic for the next column), rather than their current corporate welfare programs. Pre-1960 economic development ideas will not bring NWI out of the poverty, unemployment, and general lack of forward movement.
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