ELKHART (March 23, 2017) – On Wednesday, Mayor Tim Neese and State Rep. Doug Miller (R-Elkhart) joined forces at the Statehouse to advance efforts aimed at revitalizing Elkhart’s aging industrial clusters.
The two met with House and Senate leadership to discuss House Bill 1155, authored by Miller, to allow the city of Elkhart to establish a community revitalization enhancement district (CRED). The two areas being considered encompass nearly 8,000 acres of land on the east and west sides of the city’s downtown. Within these business clusters, there are approximately 1,700 acres in need of redevelopment.
“Despite our low unemployment rate, the city’s industrial clusters have shown visible signs of disinvestment over the past 25 years,” Neese said. “As a result, we have experienced population loss during the recession, declining home values and an increasing inventory of older, obsolete industrial properties that have overwhelmed local resources. The establishment of a CRED district would help us to re-invigorate these still important but declining business parks and re-establish the city of Elkhart as a vital and growing 21st century industrial center.”
A CRED would allow the city to capture a portion of state taxes from any new investment within the defined district. Those additional funds could then be used to focus on workforce training initiatives, workforce housing, property and intersection reconfiguration, telecommunications upgrades and water/sewer extensions.
“CRED would be a wonderful mechanism to encourage reinvestment in existing vacant or dark structures, revitalize and update infrastructure, while retaining those individuals commuting to Elkhart daily for work by enhancing the walkability and livability of the downtown community,” Miller said. “In conjunction with plans for housing, retail and recreation already on the table or in progress, CRED has the potential to reinforce Elkhart’s bright future.”
The development of an Elkhart CRED would complement the city’s current River District revitalization efforts, which include public/private partnerships to bring a world-class fitness and aquatics center as well as 200 market-rate apartments to the area along Jackson Boulevard. Plans are also in place to expand the Riverwalk along the Elkhart River.
Neese and Miller are both encouraging local business leaders to contact members of the General Assembly to express their support for this important initiative. The final day for the Legislature to adjourn is Saturday, April 22, 2017.
