East Chicago Comprehensive Plan

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the East Chicago Comprehensive Plan has been revised and adopted by the Plan Commission and officially approved by the Common Council in December 2008.  The plan was last formally reviewed in June 1996. 

The Department of Planning / Economic & Business Development staff, The Lakota Group, S.B. Friedman & Company, BauerLatoza Studio, RQAW, Huff & Huff have worked extremely hard to provide draft documents, focus groups, and workshops for the community.  Without their partnership, input, and support the Comprehensive Plan would not have been completed. 

I would like to thank Department Heads and City Staff; Indiana Harbor Development team (Hispanic Housing Development Corporation and the Community Builders, Inc.); members of the Common Council, Plan Commission, and Park Board; and representatives from BP and Arcelor Mittal, two of the City’s largest employers for being part of the East Chicago planning process.  All of your support was greatly appreciated. 

A special thanks to the East Chicago community and residents who have participated in the focus groups and community workshops to make this plan.  The community helped create the future vision of East Chicago based on improving the quality of life by captivating the City’s positive attributes and lead development to the City.  Using this Plan as a guide, the community will move forward with a synchronized effort to revitalize the community using the community vision, goals, and objectives, future land use plan and transportation network into consideration. 

It is my hope that the East Chicago Comprehensive Plan will serve as a catalyst for the growth of the City.  The Comprehensive Plan is available for view in its entirety at the Department of Planning / Economic & Business Development, Suite 109, 4444 Railroad Avenue or at the link above.

Again, thank you all for your efforts in helping the Department of Planning / Economic & Business Development reach the future vision of East Chicago.

Dwayne A. Williams