Unlike the heated opposition swelling in northwest Indiana, leaders in Illinois are clamoring for the Illiana bypass to be built as quickly as possible, according to The Times of Munster. A meeting called in Porter County in Indiana earlier this month to discuss the project attracted 1,000, most of whom expressed deep reservations. Yet, Illinois […]
Trustees of Ivy Tech Community College might choose a new president for the college at their meeting tomorrow, though it’s unclear whether controversy over their passing over Executive Vice President Carol D’Amico for the job will derail that timetable. The trustees are meeting in private session at 1 p.m. at the Conrad Indianapolis downtown to […]
Mann Properties’ request to develop 71 acres in Crown Hill Cemetery into residences and retail was denied this afternoon on a stinging 4-3 vote by the Metropolitan Development Commission. The decision cannot be appealed. Mann offered $5.23 million for the tract of woods and wetlands at the north end of the nation’s third-largest cemetery. Crown […]
Mann Properties won’t be allowed to develop 71 acres of Crown Hill Cemetery into homes and retail after a 4-3 decision this afternoon by the Metropolitan Development Commission. The decision to deny a rezoning request cannot be appealed. Mann offered $5.6 million for the tract of woods and wetlands at the north end of the nation’s third-largest private cemetery. Crown Hill planned […]
A who’s-who of local firms is planning bids to redevelop the Market Square Arena site with mixed-use projects that would depart
sharply from previous efforts focused on residential. New plans are expected to include retail , offices, apartment units
and condos backed by high-profile local developers that didn’t bid before.
We recently told you how revenue growth was lagging the December fiscal forecast. One prominent Republican senator tells his constituents that his colleagues are now planning for a growth rate in this fiscal year of only 2.5 percent, not the 4.2 percent to 4.5 percent they had planned on at the beginning of the session. While lawmakers will not have a new fiscal forecast for the biennium until the middle of April, they are clearly girding for a new fiscal…
A bill moving through the Indiana General Assembly could remove one of the major weapons Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
has used to preserve its market dominion. Senate Bill 114 would forbid health care providers from granting Anthem–or any
other health insurer–so-called “most favored nation” clauses.
Since the mid-1990s, cities have been trying to take advantage of a captive audience by incorporating major public art installations into airport expansion projects. Long before Indianapolis began forging an ambitious public arts plan for its midfield terminal project, airports in Miami, Denver and Washington, D.C., commissioned millions of dollars’ worth of statues, mosaics and fountains. Smaller airports, such as Austin-Bergstrom International in Texas, which is on par with Indianapolis in terms of passenger counts, also have latched onto the…
Leaders of Indianapolis’ mass transit movement don’t expect to benefit—at least not immediately—from Gov. Mitch Daniels’ giving up on his push to build the Indiana Commerce Connector toll road. “I never felt they were either/or projects, said City-County Councilor Joanne Sanders, a Democrat and vice president of the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority. “They both […]
A group that says it has lined up private financing to build a monorail linking East Chicago and Indianapolis pitched the idea to a several lawmakers Monday, according to The Times of Munster. The suspended monorail could be built on abandoned rail lines and be powered by motors that draw electricity from solar collectors and […]
Eli Lilly and Co. weighed in against a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Indiana in a letter sent to Speaker of the House B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend. Lilly joined three other major Indiana employers that have voiced opposition to the amendment. Representatives of Cummins Inc. and WellPoint Inc. testified before a […]
The names Caribbean Cove and Paradise Bay inspire thoughts of tropical destinations where sunbathers slather lotion like Hoosiers butter their corn on the cob. In reality, these types of “resorts” are spouting up throughout the Midwest, including Indiana, and require no protection from harmful ultraviolet rays whatsoever. They’re indoor water parks, a trend hoteliers are embracing to cater to families seeking a weekend getaway-and to boost occupancy during the off-season. The Indianapolis area features just one such water park so…
Last week, I was walking on the Statehouse grounds and I saw some folks with large green pins on their lapels. “What do those stand for?” I asked. “Small businesses need Electronic Gaming Devices” one wearer told me. “That’s for bars,” I commented. The reply I got was not friendly. In the newspapers and on TV during the same week, there were features about horse breeders “needing” more state subsidies from slot machines at racetracks to “keep the industry alive.”…
This week will see the final round of action by the House on Senate bills and the Senate on House bills, and then the real work of the Legislature begins. Legislation that has passed both chambers in different forms may be reshaped in a manner acceptable to both, and legislation that has passed only one chamber remains eligible for inclusion in related bills and final passage by both the House and Senate. Few people gave much credence to this year’s…
The state of Indiana (For Sale Or Lease: Ask Mitch About A Privatization Plan To Suit You And Your Budget) came up with four proposed designs for license plates, and you know, they didn’t look half bad. In fact, all four were fairly attractive. Which, of course, leaves us to ask, “How did that happen?” Let’s face it: This state hasn’t had a greatlooking license plate since … well, ever. From the minimalist plates of my youth, blue and maroon…
State and city officials have begun evaluating four groups that want to develop an acre of prime real estate along the Central Canal downtown. The property, which covers about a third of the block stretching from Ohio Street to New York Street, will feature canal-level retail-a requirement of all potential developments there. It also could be home to a hotel or condominium complex, based on plans from two local developers. Two other groups also are in the running for the…
Citizens Gas & Coke Utility has revived its pitch for a regulatory plan that would fundamentally change the way it bills customers,
helping it cover rising expenses as gas sales fall. The plan would create an expanded energy conservation program that could
include rebates for customers who buy gas-efficient furnaces and appliances.
When the state kicks off its spring tourism ad campaign April 22, it will have a little more staying power thanks to a 38-percent surge in spending. The increase, made possible by cutting back in other areas, means a total of $550,000 will be spent on TV, radio and magazine ads targeted not only at neighbors in Chicago and Cincinnati but also Hoosiers from Evansville to South Bend. “We thought it was really important to put more money into that…
Every few years about this time, I offer free job-seeking advice for collegians. Judging from the resumes deluging my company, it’s time to hum this tune again. The first line of the first song in the musical comedy “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” is “How to apply for a job.” That’s also the name of a course I’ve long proposed to colleges and universities. While more colleges are doing that, there’s a frequent flaw: waiting until the…
Bids for redevelopment of the Market Square Arena site are due at noon today. Who will file? What will they propose? Share your thoughts here, and check ibj.com and this blog for updates all day.
