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Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller
Fascinating. This development is near the new "downtown" of the Region. After the collapse of Gary, the intersection of I-65 and Route 30 had become the de facto downtown for the residents of Lake and Porter counties. For the longest time, Dean White's Southlake Shopping Mall was the big draw, at the southeast corner of that intersection. I had a vision that White Lodging would turn the Radisson and Star Plaza property into a more viable central business district with mid-rise office buildings with first-floor retail and food mixed with hotels and mixed-use developments. Centeir Bank built a good-sized headquarters just south of this plot, although it is a bit of an island in its own parking lot. It's a shame more mid-rise offices haven't added to this area to turn it into a more proper business district. As it is, the area is just lousy with strip malls on an epic scale.
This "Farm" is a very suburban development. I am intrigued by the idea of agri-tourism. Fair Oaks Farms, further south along the Interstate, has done good business with that model. I just wish they decided to do this south of the mall. And asking the state and local governments to cover a third of the cost of the project? That's pathetic and the local municipalities should balk at the idea. But they won't, which is sad.
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Having grown up in the Region, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I always hated going to Merrillville because it is the just a
massive auto sewer. I'm not sure that this development will change any of that.
Compare to Valparaiso, 20 min east, which has invested a lot in the last ~10 years to build a
vibrant, walkable downtown with active public spaces and a thriving restaurant scene.
Maybe I'm biased based on my own experience, but Valpo feels much more like the "destination" downtown when I go back. Merrillville remains a place you go to buy stuff and then leave.