GARY MILLER A station area surrounded by national parklands and along a commercial corridor could see new opportunities for mixed-use/commercial development and industrial repositioning. Introduction
Station Area | County Comparison
The Gary Miller TDD, as part of the Double Track project, includes a new station and parking area that could transition to joint development. This TDD benefits from the INDOT US 12/ US 20 project; this project vacates portions of US 12 (Dunes Highway) and makes complete street improvements to US 20 (Melton Road), thus enabling rail improvements and a small degree of newly developable property. The City of Gary has recently made complete street improvements to Lake Street. This area already has great walkability and small businesses supported by increased ridership and investment in this area. City leadership has demonstrated a willingness to think creatively about Miller through the recent completion of a new comprehensive plan and TOD form-based zoning. Much of the station area has some degree of consolidation of property ownership (City of Gary, Gary Housing Authority, schools, and other governmental agencies) that could be utilized to encourage further investment. Significant road and rail infrastructure investments will improve this area’s development potential and increase demand for various land uses.
Population Change
City Economic Development Goals: • Market rate housing (4,000 units) • Retail development • Commercial development • Lake front development • Light industrial • Industrial • Airport development
30 • Northwest Indiana Transit Development Districts
Relevant Planning: RDA TDD boundaries (ongoing), Comprehensive Plan (2019), Lakefront District Form-based Code (2016), Collective Impact Plan (2016), NWIN RDA Comprehensive Strategic Plan (2016), Lakefront District Plan (2015) Zoning Ordinance Overview: Gary, Miller has a form-based code overlay (adopted in 2016) that focuses on enabling TOD. This ordinance includes a TOD framework for the station area (much of the TDD boundary) focused on mixed-use walkable development at the station, commercial development on US 20, neighborhood commercial development on Lake Street, and limited multi-family and missing middle residential. This document reads as draft code, and it is not clear on what changes the City of Gary has made to the code since the draft was prepared in 2016. On the city’s website, the TOD overlay appears to be the zoning for this area. This overlay appears to be complete and functional for the community. It is anticipated that some modifications will be needed to optimize the development of new uses not contemplated within this code, employment uses, and other changes to support development.
City of Gary Comprehensive Plan (2008)
Public Engagement: To kick off the study of the Gary Miller TDD station area, a community bus tour and leadership work session were held in March 2020. An “On-Your-Own Gallery” made information available to the public to access and review in February 2021. In February 2021, a virtual public engagement session was held via Zoom video conferencing and Facebook Live, and 32 community members attended the session. The session was also posted to Facebook, which received 115 hits. Materials from this engagement session were also posted to the project website. What do you think are the top three economic development opportunities for the future Gary Miller station area and TDD?
1
More businesses, restaurants, and things to do
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Efficient access to the South Shore rail into Chicago
Attracting new people to my community, to work, live, and visit
A neighborhoodcentered place around this station
Gary Lakefront District Plan (2016)
US 12/20 Complete Streets Project (2019)
Proposed boundaries presented to the public with public and community leadership input.
South Shore Double Track • 31
Land Use Existing land use patterns can inform opportunities for future investment that is compatible and complementary for the community. Major community anchors for the Gary Miller station area include the Lake Street Business District, Indiana Dunes National Park, and many small neighborhood parks. Major commercial corridors exist along portions of US 20 and along North Lake Street near the station. Residential areas surround the station area to the north and occupy a large portion of lakefront land. Industrial uses in this area are further east towards I-94. Vacant, Underutilized, and Publicly-owned Land
Dun
wy es H
20 90
N Lake St
Due Diligence: Floodplain
Dun
wy es H
20 90
Due Diligence: TIF District
N Lake St
Due Diligence The analysis required for creating the boundary focused on floodplains and flood zones; land use patterns, including community anchors (destinations such as schools, parks, city halls, churches, etc.), commercial areas and corridors, residential neighborhoods near these places of activity, agricultural or preserved land, industrial land, and vacant or underutilized and publicly-owned land; TIF Districts and Opportunity Zone boundaries; and previous planned areas or other areas of interest identified by the city. Locating land uses and destinations in the station area provides a sense of where generators of economic activity, community gathering, and employment opportunities currently exist in the community. Locating vacant or underutilized and publicly-owned land and other areas of interest helps identify sites that may have a low barrier to redevelopment or have already been considered for redevelopment by the city and suggest where future development and investment could occur.
N Lake St
Boundary Strategy
Dun
wy es H
20
Multiple properties around the station are vacant or underutilized, including properties with frontage on US 20 and US 12. Some of these vacant or underutilized properties are also publicly owned.
90
Land Use: Community Anchors, Commercial, Residential, and Industrial N Lake St
City Plans and Areas of Interest Previously planned areas include the station area, the North Lake Street corridor, and properties between US 12 and US 20. Improved public access and amenities where Lake Street leads to Lake Michigan have also been considered in previous plans.
Dun
wy es H
20 90
N Lake St
Vacant and Publicly-owned
Dun
20 90
Station
Residential
Vacant / Underutilized
Flood
Commercial
Publicly-owned
TIF District
Industrial
Previously Planned
Anchors
Agricultural
Areas of Interest
32 • Northwest Indiana Transit Development Districts
City Plans and Areas of Interest
wy es H
N Grand Blvd
N Lake St
E 3rd Ave Gary Miller Station
Dune
y
s Hw
12
90
Dune
r Ave Mille
s Hw
y
65
Melton Rd
20
E 10th Ave
20
GARY LAKE STATION
Clay St
90
E 15th Ave 90
TOTAL ACRES: 317.8 ACRES Boundary Summary The resulting TDD boundary for the Gary Miller TDD station area focuses on three future investment strategies: Corridor, Infill Development, and Industrial Repositioning. The most significant opportunity for this area includes publicly-owned properties nearest the Miller Station and along the Lake Street corridor. Significant incentives outside of the TDD— including state and federal tax credits, Opportunity Zone Fundings, and other sources—could further catalyze development in this area. State and local investments in US 20 and the vacation of US 12 coupled with a new Miller station can signal that the Miller area of Gary is primed for investment.
CORRIDOR
INFILL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REPOSITIONING
South Shore Double Track
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