Since Portage became a city in 1967, there has not been a downtown that Portage can look to in order to spur development of small businesses and residential use. In the coming years, the dreams of many may come true. Portage will have a downtown.
Obviously, I am not old enough to remember a Portage where Willowcreek was a two-lane road, or a Portage where the High School was located at the corner of Central and Willowcreek. I am old enough, however, to remember that Portage has never had the traditional "downtown" that people would expect to find in a small, mid-western city. Our city has never been, nor ever will be, Chesteron at the corner of Broadway and Calumet or Valparaiso on Lincolnway.
Portage is a young, relatively new city compared to our Porter County neighbors. While Portage is celebrating its 48th birthday this year, Hebron is celebrating its 125th. Portage was built as an industrial city. It was built to be a community of steelworkers from the mills. It is no wonder why our “downtown” does not exist.
For the past 20 years, when someone asks "where is Portage’s downtown?" It has been a hard question to answer. Hopefully, there will be an easy answer to that question in Portage’s future.
I am supportive of a plan that will come before the City’s Economic Development Commission, City Council and Redevelopment Commission in the coming weeks and months to build The Promenade at Founders Square. Let me tell you why.
Reason number one; it will create jobs. Whether it is construction prior to opening or one of the many positions that will be created by complex itself or businesses located in or around it that have been proposed.
Reason number two; it is what Portage needs. This project is the perfect opportunity to create a downtown development that will spur economic activity in the Central Avenue Business District. And, according to the AARP, Portage scores a 55 out of 100 on their livability index because we do not provide an adequate mix of property options for residents.
Reason number three; this is the first time that one developer has come to the city with a plan to develop every parcel of land surrounding Founder’s Square Park. Previously, it has been a piece-meal plan that had no cohesive look or purpose.
Reason number four; is Holladay Properties. If it were not Holladay Properties who is the company brining this project to the City, I would have many more concerns that I do now with this project. Holladay has been a great partner for our city for over 15 years. They have helped to create thousands of new jobs in AmeriPlex at the Port as well as generate millions in property taxes compared to the mere thousands before the complex was built.
There are many more great reasons to support this project; there is just not enough space to list them all.
While I have my concerns, including the parking situation that may arise in downtown from building up this area. Also, the fact that, most, if not all, of these units in the complex will be apartments, albeit, high-end according to Holladay Properties, concerns me. However, I feel that the benefits will ultimately be a boom to Portage’s economy and the other concerns can be addressed in the near future.
This project is the culmination of the hard-work of many including those at Holladay Properties, current and past city administrations and input from Portage residents. This project deserves to be debated and I encourage the public to voice your support, concerns or opposition.
Collin Czilli is the Vice-President of the Portage Economic Development Commission and the Democratic candidate for Portage City Council in the 5th District. The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer.