Plans are coming together for the Region's next round of transit development districts (TDDs). They're kind of similar to TIF districts, but in this case, they capture the incremental growth in income and property tax revenue near train stations, so that money can be spent on improvements in that district.
Aaron Kowalski is with MKSK, a consultant working with the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA). "The goal of TDD is to enable transit oriented development and economic development within the districts and allow for the communities to compete at a deeper level with the Chicago suburbs," Kowalski said Thursday during the first of the RDA's two public hearings on transit development districts for the Gary Metro Center, Dune Park and future South Hammond stations.
The three proposed maps look very different. Kowalski said that's because each one was designed to complement each specific community's economic growth path.
"In some communities, it is revitalizing a downtown area, such as in Gary," Kowalski explained. "In some communities, it's just good quality walkable development, such as in South Hammond or in Porter."
The Gary Metro Center district is the most straightforward, consisting of the walkable downtown core along 5th Avenue and Broadway.
The South Hammond district is more complex. It includes the area around the new station at 173rd, but there are also more isolated sections farther north along Hohman Avenue, near Columbia and 165th, and the former Gavit High School on 175th.
Hammond Chief of Staff Phil Taillon said the city hopes to boost residential development. "We also think this station, specifically, is going to be used, probably, by Purdue Northwest," Taillon added. "They're probably going to have some better access to their school, specifically, from this station, so we're kind of keeping that in mind, as we set the boundaries, as well."
But South Hammond resident and business owner Nathan Reeder said he'd also like to see more development along 173rd and the I-80/94/Calumet interchange. "The only thing over there right now is a haunted house that's open a few weeks a year, and it's quite a few acres that seems like it good be developed into multifamily housing," Reeder told RDA board members.
The Dune Park district is even more spread out from its actual train station. Kowalski said that's because it excludes the parkland around the station itself and instead focuses on land the town of Porter wants to develop near the U.S. 20/State Road 49 interchange.
"It'll also allow for this area to serve as and to continue to be built as a gateway to the state and national park, and there's already projects in the hopper with the town for some tourism- and hospitality-based businesses that would be within the TDD boundary," Kowalski explained.
But he said more tweaks will likely be made before the next hearing on October 12. The RDA board will then vote on the districts, before they go to the State Budget Committee for final approval.
