Transforming Our Community with a Vision For Vibrancy

Ignite growth & prosperity: Invest in a vibrant future for Michigan City, Indiana

What is Vibrant Michigan City

Vibrant Michigan City aims to ignite a more economically inclusive community through actionable steps that are rooted in research, data, public feedback, an advisory team of city leaders and expert guidance. 

The Community-Centered Economic Inclusion initiative is being led by the Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City (EDCMC), in collaboration with two national nonprofit organizations, Brookings & LISC. 

Through this united effort, a playbook will be drawn up to center on how to boost the West Side, East Side, and Midtown Corridor of Michigan City. The agenda items will be focused on economic ideas, built environment, civic ideas, and social ideas.   

What is Vibrant Michigan City

Vibrant Michigan City aims to ignite a more economically inclusive community through actionable steps that are rooted in research, data, public feedback, an advisory team of city leaders and expert guidance. 

The Community-Centered Economic Inclusion initiative is being led by the Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City (EDCMC), in collaboration with two national nonprofit organizations, Brookings & LISC. 

Through this united effort, a playbook will be drawn up to center on how to boost the West Side, East Side, and Midtown Corridor of Michigan City. The agenda items will be focused on economic ideas, built environment, civic ideas, and social ideas.  

What is Vibrant Michigan City

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Download Vibrant MC Playbook

The Vibrant MC Playbook

The Vibrant Michigan City Playbook is a comprehensive guide that presents a wide variety of projects, policies, and programs aimed at fostering a vibrant and thriving community. It encompasses the unique needs and characteristics of the three major areas of the Michigan City community: Westside, Eastside, and Mid Town.

Through this inclusive process, a set of goals and strategies emerged that not only reflect the community’s diverse perspectives but also support the unified vision of a vibrant Michigan City.

The Vibrant Michigan City Playbook serves as a dynamic roadmap for progress, combining community input, expert recommendations, and best practices. The Playbook will include a set of agendas, individual work plans that will be taken up by different lead (and local!) organizations, to help steer or spearhead each of the agenda efforts.  The agenda items will be focused on economic development, built environment, civic life, and social life.

 

News & Updates

Stay up to date with everything happening in our community and Vibrant MC!

Help Us Transform Michigan City

Get involved in Michigan City’s Vibrant Future

Our Initiative

 The Vibrant Michigan City mission is to spark a space where all members of the community are flourishing. The success of the initiative is grounded in the key players who are working together on this plan and the expertise that they all bring to the table.  

Local Initiatives Support Corporation logo

LISC Partnership

LISC team members work with residents and partners across America to make an impact on the distribution of wealth, health care and opportunities. As a community development organization, the LISC team will help put together the playbook of impactful actions and steps.

Brookings logo

Brookings Partnership

Brookings is a national “think tank” that is providing the research needed to provide insight and guidance in the Vibrant Michigan City efforts. Each participating town will develop a CCEI agenda upon completion of the year-long Learning Lab to detail how to address economic stagnation and inequity.

EDCMC logo

Economic Development Corporation

The EDCMC is addressing the issues and needs of our diverse population by serving as a liaison between Brookings, LISC, and the City of Michigan City by adopting a synergetic scope to evaluate quality of life assets and economic inclusion.

Indiana Economic Development Corporation

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation is a public private partnership and manages many initiatives, including public infrastructure assistance. The IEDC graciously awarded the EDCMC with a grant to pursue the Vibrant Michigan City initiative with the help of national non-profits, LISC, and the Brookings Institute.

Priority Area

West Side

The West Side of Michigan City faces high poverty rates and exhibits significant racial diversity. One noteworthy aspect is its proximity to the state prison, which influences the local dynamics. The West Side has experienced a population decline of 25% and suffers from a lack of essential quality-of-life assets such as banking institutions, grocery stores, public parks, and coffee shops. These challenges highlight the need for targeted efforts to uplift the West Side community and address its specific needs.

Priority Area

East Side

The East Side of Michigan City faces high poverty levels, but it has a distinct characteristic of being an industrial job hub. Despite its challenges, the East Side benefits from accessible employment opportunities with higher incomes compared to other areas. The East Side has witnessed an 11% decline in population, indicating the importance of revitalization efforts to enhance the overall quality of life for its residents.

Priority Area

Midtown

In the heart of Michigan City lies Midtown. This corridor has been identified as a priority area due to its significant resident population. While Midtown exhibits fewer job opportunities compared to the other areas, the available jobs tend to offer higher wages. This aspect presents a unique opportunity to foster economic growth within the community. By strategically addressing the challenges faced by Midtown, such as the lack of quality-of-life assets and employment diversity, the area has the potential to thrive and positively impact the overall well-being of its residents.

Vibrant MC Meetings

Advisory Committee Meeting #1

February 16th, 2023

The Vibrant Michigan City initiative launched on February 16th with a kick-off meeting of the Advisory Team, comprised of community, city, and regional stakeholders.

Advisory Committee Meeting #2

March 16th, 2023

In the second Advisory Meeting for the Vibrant Michigan City initiative, Advisory Committee members received updates from consultants Katy Renn and Josh Anderson.

Advisory Committee Meeting #3

April 16th, 2023

The third Vibrant Michigan City Advisory Committee was a deep-dive into topics that had been brought up from the committee in the first two meetings.   

Advisory Committee Meeting #4

May 16th, 2023

The fourth meeting of the Vibrant Michigan City Advisory Committee centered heavily on the West Side and how the H.O.P.E Center can be transformed to be an anchor for the Westside. 

Advisory Committee Meeting #5

June 16th, 2023

The fifth meeting of the Vibrant Michigan City initiative was the final opportunity to review the playbook draft set to be published in July.  The playbook will be put together based on the committee’s input.

Advisory Committee Meeting #6

July 20th, 2023

The sixth meeting unveiled the final playbook to the committee first and then to the public during a community event. More than 100 attendees joined the team to ask questions and hear more about the agenda items.

Resources & Downloads

Brookings Community Centered Economic Inclusion Strategic Playbook

Brookings Playbook

Community-Centered Economic Inclusion in Indiana Learning Lab graphic

Indiana CCEI Kickoff

Get Involved Today!

Help ignite growth and prosperity in Michigan City. Share your thoughts, learn about the process, and stay up-to-date.

Name*

Get Involved Today!

Help ignite growth and prospierty in Michigan City. Share your thoughts, learn about the process, and stay up-to-date.

Name*
Economic Development of Michigan City, Indiana
Subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated!

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