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Rail to Rooftops: Investor focus sharpens on Northwest Indiana By Brandi Smith
The Franklin @11th Street Station
M
ichigan City is no longer a quiet outpost on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is quickly becoming one of the most closely watched commercial real estate markets in Northwest Indiana, fueled by transit investment, residential growth and a steady pipeline of industrial development. “The market is robust,” said Clarence L. Hulse, Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation Michigan City. “We’re getting a lot of interest in the marketplace due to increased residential activity, technology projects like data centers and strong activity in office and
retail. I believe we’ll continue to see growth over the next three to five years.”
said the city is experiencing a wave of new units that will support future retail, office and service demand.
Michigan City’s surge reflects a broader shift across Northwest Indiana, where industrial demand, logistics activity and advanced manufacturing investment continue to reshape the commercial landscape. What sets Michigan City apart is the convergence of infrastructure, housing and economic development happening at the same time.
“In Michigan City alone, we have about 1,000 units under construction and another 1,000 in the pipeline over the next five years,” Hulse said. “Downtown, we have roughly 500 units being built right now with a goal of 1,000 units within three years.”
One of the clearest signals of Michigan City’s trajectory is the scale of residential development now underway. Hulse
NW INDIANA (continued on page 10)