11th Street station groundbreaking part of city's 'Renaissance period'

 Another piece of Michigan City’s “Renaissance” is on the horizon as ground was broken on The Franklin at 11th Street Station.

On Thursday morning, at 11th and Franklin streets, local dignitaries along with developer Flaherty & Collins broke ground on what will become The Franklin at 11th Street Station, a luxury transit-oriented development being built in conjunction with the South Shore Line’s Double Track project.

“With Michigan City going through this, what we call a Renaissance period, it is going to be like no other ... this is only the beginning of something great,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch during Thursday’s groundbreaking.

According to Flaherty & Collins, the $101 million investment will encompass 1.5 acres of land located at the corner of 11th and Franklin streets, will provide 220 market-rate apartment residences, 5,600 square feet of commercial space and 549 parking garage spaces.

Flaherty & Collins expect to welcome their first residential and commercial tenants in 2025.

Various layouts for the 12-story multi-family apartments, according to the developer, include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom floor plans. Units will have 1 GB of internet service, modern finishes, LED lighting, steel appliances, full-sized washers and dryers, and private balconies in several layout options.

Flaherty & Collins Chief Executive Officer David Flaherty said this was the first high rise transit-oriented development to come to the state of Indiana.

Hundreds of construction and permanent jobs, Flaherty said, would come to Michigan City through this property, as well.

Flaherty then thanked those who came and the partnerships of Nelson Deuitch, Planning Director Skyler York, and attorneys Alan Sirinek and Adam Collins for their help. He also acknowledged the efforts of Horizon Bank, Merchants Bank and First Financial Bank for helping them acquire loans and other finances for this project, among others.

“It takes everybody to come together,” Flaherty said.

“There’s a lot of challenges that comes with a deal like this and it takes a real team effort,” he said.

Calling the development a “living environment,” Flaherty said Michigan City would become a place for young professionals and empty nesters to come to, adding that they would gravitate toward high-end amenities and an easy lifestyle the station would offer to them.

“This will really go a long way to pave the way for future developments along the West Lake and the South Shore line here,” Flaherty said.

Nelson Deuitch said with multiple projects coming, Michigan City would be a hub for the entirety of Northern Indiana in the spirit of a previous train station founded in the same spot in 1927 as a multi-modal regional hub. She then thanked the administration of former mayor Ron Meer, whom she said started the process of bringing the project to the city in 2016.

“This represents a major step in improving access to public transit and bolstering our local economy. It allows the city an opportunity to grow, not only on the north end but also in Midtown and throughout the city,” Nelson Deuitch said.

The city, said Nelson Deuitch, took a risk in the development because they wanted to have more than just a parking garage for train riders to park.

She added that the Federal Transit Administration and Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) gave the city multiple incentives, with the latter giving the city about $300 million.

“As Indiana looks to the future of mobility, we must continue to invest in existing infrastructure,” said IEDC Chief of Staff Vincent Ash in a statement.

“Indiana’s infrastructure is already some of the best and most robust in the nation, and the double-tracking of the South Shore Line will only strengthen one of our greatest assets while also revitalizing and bringing new investment along the route,” Ash added.

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-1st, said the station would benefit not just Michigan City, but all of Northwest Indiana.

The Double Track project, he said, spurred about $100 million in private investment to the city, which would allow the city to continue to climb in development to potentially become one of the highest retail markets in the country.

Mrvan acknowledged that building the station is an effort between local, state and federal officials along with private investors to bring opportunities to the city.

“That’s what we want to aspire to in Northwest Indiana – collaboration, hope and aspiration,” Mrvan said.

“If we can do that, continue to create jobs and wealth, that’s a good thing,” he added.

Michigan City Councilman Greg Coulter added that bringing 500 people to Michigan City would make the downtown more vibrant, as they would have more money to spend at stores and restaurants conveniently located close to apartments.

He added that the Michigan City Historical Review Board was excited for the project as the terra cotta facade of the original station will be incorporated into the new development.

“To preserve some of that history ... it’s not coming back if you get rid of it. So, it’s awesome to be able to incorporate that into the project,” Coulter said.