The past five years have brought big changes to the South Shore Line's ridership patterns but also to private-sector development along the rail line. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) President Mike Noland says there are a ton of projects being built along the South Shore right-of-way.
During Monday's NICTD board meeting, he pointed to developments near Michigan City's 11th Street station that was recently upgraded as part of the Double Track project. “At the time, we projected Michigan City to have $600 million worth of private-sector investment over 30 years," Noland told board members. "And we’ve only been running five months, and they’re pushing up on the edge of that 30-year projection.”
Rather than building a large two-story parking garage next to the station, Noland said the railroad agreed to chip in funding toward a taller parking structure, freeing up the rest of the block for a 12-story luxury apartment building, plus retail and office space. He said the garage is now expected to open in March or April, once the façade from the old South Shore station is installed on the new building.
The railroad is also in the early stages of looking at bringing back a stop in New Carlisle, due to plans for an Amazon data center, a General Motors/Samsung electric vehicle battery plant and other possible development. “We studied the opportunity for a station in New Carlisle in 2018. None of these investments were a reality. Today, they’re a reality,” Noland said.
NICTD and St. Joseph County held a meeting with residents Wednesday to gauge interest in a new station.
The railroad is currently in the process of updating its strategic plan.
