Portage officials aren't giving up on getting county/city building in its downtown
NWI Times
September 06, 2017
PORTAGE — Officials here aren't giving up on convincing their county counterparts to construct a new city/county building on five acres downtown.
City Council President Mark Oprisko, D-at-large, said Tuesday night the two sides have to get past "internal bickering" and do what's best for the residents.
Mayor James Snyder has been trying to convince members of the Porter County Council and Commissioners to join the city and construct a new building on Central Avenue since he took office more than five years ago.
That idea seemed dashed about two weeks ago when the county bodies initiated a multi-million dollar bond issue which would include money to renovate the North Porter County Annex on Willowcreek Road south of U.S. 6. The county vote came despite a last-minute effort by the city to produce a cost-benefit analysis to county officials on why it would be better for the groups to join in constructing a new building that would serve the county and serve as a new city hall.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the issue was brought up again.
Oprisko said he has a meeting with Porter County Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center, next week.
"We plead with the county to put aside all political, personal differences and think of all the citizens," said Andy Maletta, the city's economic development director.
Maletta said the city's plan to construct a building on five acres between the city's police and fire station on Central Avenue would save the county money in the long run by sharing services with the city. He also said the location would drive traffic to the city's newly developed downtown and that the location would not only better serve residents of Portage, but Chesterton, Porter and Burns Harbor as well.
In addition, by constructing the joint building, said Maletta, it would open up the land now housing the county building and city hall for additional economic development.
Dan Botich, senior economic development professional of SEH, presented the cost-benefits analysis Tuesday night. The analysis looked at three scenarios, including renovating the county and city building, each entity constructing separate new buildings and entering the joint venture.
"It determines if the investment is sound, feasible and justified. It does not take into account the political decisions," said Botich.
The analysis determined it would be cost beneficial to the county to enter the joint project by spending less than the projected $10 million to renovate the present building.
However, said Botich, more importantly, it would open up the 13 acres on Willowcreek Road, the city hall site and surrounding area to additional development opportunities, spurring economic development and bringing more tax dollars into both the county and city.
The city has pledge a $9 million to $12 million investment, including purchasing the present county building, donating the five-acre site, constructing a parking garage and committing $5 million for construction of the new building.
"We know the odds of getting this done are against us," said Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, asking how the building would ensure continued economic development in the city's downtown.
Botich said it is a matter of demographics, using the building as an anchor and drawing not only employees of the county, but visitors to the new building to the downtown and to nearby retail and commercial businesses.
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