GUEST COMMENTARY: Put Hammond's debt in proper perspective

Bill Dolan’s April 28 article (“Lake County municipal officials turn to lenders for urban amenities”), is a classic example of “you can make numbers say whatever you want them to.”

Commission initiates bond process for street department facility

PORTAGE | The Redevelopment Commission on Wednesday initiated the bonding process for the construction of a new street department facility.

LaPorte OKs expanding TIF district for job creation

LAPORTE | A financing mechanism is now in place to pay for developing 137 acres of farmland viewed as having the potential to create up to 1,000 new jobs in LaPorte.

Winfield commission creates new TIF district

WINFIELD | The Redevelopment Commission on Monday gave a green light to the town’s new tax increment financing district.

Valpo redevelopment group forced to cut projects

VALPARAISO | The city's Redevelopment Commission put a hold on funding for any new pathways or facade grants, will spend only about $15,000 to assist expansion of Central Park Plaza and won't fund planned streetscape work on North Calumet Avenue.

Schools to try again to be removed from TIF district

PORTAGE | Portage Township Schools will try again to carve itself out of the city's tax increment financing district.

Valpo rezoning debate headed to Dec. 17 finale

VALPARAISO | Residents of Pine Creek Subdivision appear to be caught in the undertow of the changing tide in the housing market that has shifted from an emphasis on single family homes to high-end apartments.

Hebron fire chief hopes Santa brings station addition

HEBRON | It's more than two months until Christmas, but Hebron Fire Chief Chad Franzman has his wish list ready and the town's Redevelopment Commission is hoping to play Santa Claus.

Schools going into 2013 with smaller budget

PORTAGE | Portage Township Schools officials are looking to spend less in 2013.

Schools want to recoup funds from Portage TIF district

PORTAGE | City and Portage Township Schools officials will sit down to work out how the school district can regain some of the tax money lost in tax increment financing districts.

Portage Redevelopment Commission approves expansion of TIF district

PORTAGE | The Redevelopment Commission unanimously approved the expansion of the city's Southport Allocation District, commonly referred to as the city's tax increment financing district.

Valpo approves facade grant for U.S. 30 Best Western

VALPARAISO | The revival of the former Best Western on U.S. 30 is ready to begin with a little help from the city's Redevelopment Commission.

Valpo begins developing plan for U.S. 30 corridor

VALPARAISO | Negotiations are under way with Beam, Longest and Neff on developing a plan for improving the U.S. 30 corridor through Valparaiso.

Approving TIF expansion just the start for Valpo

VALPARAISO | The city's tax increment financing district won't officially include the U.S. 30 corridor until Aug. 8, but the first customer hoping to take advantage of it already is waiting.

Valpo Plan Commission OKs special district, TIF proposals

VALPARAISO | Plans to pay for improvements on University Drive and the U.S. 30 corridor got a boost Tuesday from the city Plan Commission.

Munster council OKs preliminary tax abatement for new solar panel plant

MUNSTER | An Evanston, Ill.-based company plans to build a solar panel manufacturing facility that will employ about 90 area residents within the next year, town officials said.

Portage City Council approves tax abatement for AmeriPlex

PORTAGE | The Portage City Council last week approved a 10-year abatement for a speculative building at AmeriPlex at the Port.

Portage considers expanding TIF district with 17 scattered parcels

PORTAGE | The city is looking to expand its tax increment financing district, not so much as a tax revenue source, but to target areas for redevelopment.

Valpo to add U.S. 30, Ind. 130 to TIF district

VALPARAISO | The city is expanding its tax increment financing district to facilitate improvements to the U.S. 30 corridor and the remaining sections of Ind. 130 within the city.

Chester Inc.: Rooted in corn and steel

The huge warehouse complex along Calumet Avenue in Munster was the state-of-the-art nerve center for Simmons Mattress Co. Soon a $60 million renovation will turn it into 1 million square feet of office space and manufacturing space.