Vote for the best projects to revitalize Gary, Northwest Indiana

November 16, 2010
14 comments

UPDATE: Voting is now closed, and the survey results have been tallied. Many thanks to the 650-plus people who voted in the online survey.

The Gary and Region Investment Project (GRIP) is a regional initiative to reinvest in Northwest Indiana’s urban core, led by the Metropolitan Planning Council and The Times Media Company. GRIP launched Oct. 27, 2010, with the “GRIP the Future” event, at the Genesis Center, in Gary, Ind., at which 200 attendees helped shape the initiative's direction by voting for the development projects and investments they think will do the most to stabilize and transform Gary and Northwest Indiana's economy.

Now it's your turn to vote between now and Dec. 5, 2010. Your input will be used to identify the highest-priority projects, which will then be evaluated to determine their benefits to Northwest Indiana urban core and the region as a whole. In 2011, GRIP will partner with communities and development experts to get the most beneficial priority projects off and running. Before you vote, you may want to read about the projects currently on the list, by reviewing pages 5 through 18 of the GRIP Participant's Guide.

Help us ensure GRIP is well informed by the people it will affect most! Please take the survey (you may vote only once) and share this link with your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and fellow congregants.

<a href="http://polldaddy.com/s/E94016F1A8EDCE96">View Survey</a>

Keywords

gary, Gary and Region Investment Project, GRIP, northwest Indiana, The Times

Comments

1. Lee Botts from Gary on November 17, 2010

Challenging the conventional wisdom about publicly financed projects is a valuable function of the news media under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Times should do even more of it.
2. Melvin Thompson on November 21, 2010

Inexplicably, economic prosperity has leapfrogged these infrastructure-rich, urban communites inland for decades. Time for Gary to reap its rightful share and invariably lead this region out of its malaise. It will happen. No disrespect to U.S. Cellular, but GRIP is The Belief Project. Vote!
3. John Vinzant from Gary on November 22, 2010

I hope readers will understand that the NICTD (South Shore RR) Transportation Oriented Development project is NOT THE I-65 STATION project, rather it is development of the Lake Street and/or Broadway corridor(s) in Gary.
4. Labelle McCrimmons-Hammersmith from gary on November 23, 2010

I'm with John Wisnut on understanding the location of the proposed project. Let's get away from the Interstate thing and move more toward the Lake Street/Broadway location. With the real estate caps going in and what-have-you, we need to get some of this G-Money where the honey flows ! Bring it on Sedgewick ! PUT YOUR MONEY, WHERE'S YOUR MOUTH ?
5. melcontent.wordpress.com on November 24, 2010

Thank you, Mr. Vinzant!
6. Sandy O'Brien from Hobart on November 29, 2010

When voting for economic development, we should be considering that it could be taken as a vote for propping up old dirty industrial processes that should be modernized, and recruiting new dirty industry. This kind of thinking only puts the communities that host the industry and Northwest Indiana further behind. Moving ahead to the cleaner, greener, more environmentally friendly economy would put us in a more globally competitive position. Which way do you think the Northwest Indiana Forum and its main clients, the big three industrial polluters on the Lakefront, want to go?
7. Randolph Davison Jr. on November 29, 2010

Im Randolph Davison Jr and Im working a few projects in Gary Right now my group has the Ivanhoe Project rebuild and Im working on the first phase of the Horace Mann Historical District we need to hook up very important the we merge together and make this happen. and by the way Im running for Mayor .
8. RLP on December 1, 2010

SAVE US FROM TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT!
9. Anne Paradise on December 3, 2010

Could we PLEASE knock down the burned-out and derelict buildings all over the city? They are unsightly health hazards and certainly aggravate the "broken window" syndrome of urban decay. I know they often are the property of absentee ownerts, but is there some statute of limitations? Eminent domain?
10. Leon T. Smith from Gary, IN on December 3, 2010

We must be aware that the sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities and stormwater management be updated to support these new projects.
11. Howard L Darby on December 4, 2010

We need Streets and roads road repairs in Gary.
12. Barry Rapoport from Gary, IN on December 5, 2010

We would benefit from oral history and writing projects that employed professional writers, videographers, interviewers, and librarians to capture the feeling of these times through the eyes of the ordinary. Much of what we know about the 1930's came from a National Writer's Project funded by the WPA.
13. Nat McKnight on December 5, 2010

I urge the MPC to strongly consider The TOD plan for Miller train station at Lake St. The concept is in alignment with all modern land use protocol.
It creates rooftops, uses the existing infrastructure. Promotes use of existing public transportation. Provides for a vibrant gateway to the lakefront / Marquette Park and enhances existing economic investments.
14. Jailma from UXWRBctX on June 21, 2012

You mean the top 10 ranked Purdue class that aelrady is ranked ahead of MSU, or the 2013 class behind them that's also shaking out to be pretty good? Nothing against MSU and their track record, but don't be so quick to discount Purdue and Matt Painter. (Agree with you about KY and IU though.)