LAPORTE — Success in key areas this year and an ambitious agenda for 2022 have put LaPorte well on the path to becoming the place to be.
That was the primary message from LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody during his State of the City address Dec. 2 at the Civic Auditorium.
The housing market has been updated and improved and new construction is moving along.
He pointed to the nearly finished construction of 200 resort-type apartments at NewPorte Landing and almost completed renovation of the once-condemned Monroe Street Apartments downtown as examples of what’s happening to draw more people and businesses to the city.
He wants to boost the city's population, currently at about 23,000, by one-third.
“If we’re going to be 30,000 people by 2030, we have to have enough housing of all types,” he said.
People are also reading…
His playbook for growth includes aggressive code enforcement, which started when he took office nearly two years ago.
As a result, Dermody said, a number of single-family homes have been improved and dilapidated structures razed for redevelopment.
Dermody said great strides were also made in the ongoing struggle to improve the condition of city streets.
He said the city has about $2 million each year for laying new pavement. The cost to repair all streets at once is estimated at $30 million.
In the meantime, he said more resources are being placed on maintaining existing pavement in his drive for a “pothole free LaPorte.”
“Our street department filled 2,300 potholes this year, so far, and we will continue to work, weather allowing, every day to fill those potholes,” Dermody said.
His line of attack for a more vibrant city includes job growth and more investment downtown.
Dermody sees job opportunities from a recently constructed 150,000 square foot speculative industrial building at the Thomas Rose Industrial Park.
Patrick Industries has already agreed to occupy 25% of the building while much of the remaining space will be taken by another still unidentified company that just signed a lease.
To further progress downtown, Dermody said he’s pushing hard for state and federal dollars to construct an estimated $100 million north-south corridor around the city to remove heavy trucks rumbling through the central business district.
He said fewer trucks downtown will entice more people to patronize shops and restaurants and the special events now being scheduled in greater numbers.
Dermody said he has already let federal and state officials know that financial help is needed to build the corridor and he’ll keep pushing to make that happen.
“We don’t care if it’s a Republican or a Democrat. We’re going to work with everybody to make sure they understand our corridor is the No. 1 priority for all of them and they need to help."