Hammond and the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, IN

Where Vision, Collaboration, and Opportunity Converge

Downtown Revitalization, Manufacturing Investment, and Workforce Alignment Position This Municipality as a Midwest Growth Hub

In Northwest Indiana, the City of Hammond is quietly redefining what modern municipal and economic development can look like when public leadership, private enterprise, and community institutions move in lockstep. Long known as a historic industrial city shaped by steel, rail, and lakefront commerce, Hammond is now entering a new chapter—one focused on people-first development, mixed-use revitalization, and sustainable business growth.

At the center of that momentum is a tightly woven partnership between city leadership, the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, financial institutions, developers, and regional employers. Together, they are advancing a holistic approach to growth—one that recognizes economic development is not just about buildings and incentives, but about workforce, quality of life, and long-term community confidence.

A City Built for Connection

Hammond’s geographic position alone makes it compelling. Bordering Illinois and minutes from Chicago, the city offers immediate access to major interstates, rail infrastructure, and Lake Michigan while maintaining a cost structure and lifestyle that remain accessible for families and employers alike. With a population nearing 80,000, Hammond is one of Northwest Indiana’s largest cities, yet it retains a distinctly neighborhood-driven character.

For Anne Alesia, Executive Director of Planning and Development for the City of Hammond, that balance is intentional. Her role bridges municipal planning with economic opportunity, helping new businesses find locations, assisting existing companies with expansion, and working closely with the Chamber to amplify visibility and momentum.

“We’ve learned that growth happens when people feel supported,” Alesia explains. “When businesses succeed, they create jobs, those jobs bring residents, and residents support restaurants, shops, and services. It creates a cycle that strengthens quality of life across the city.”

That philosophy has guided Hammond’s approach to redevelopment, particularly in its downtown core.

Reimagining Downtown Through People, Not Just Projects

For decades, Hammond’s downtown struggled to gain traction despite repeated efforts to attract retail and office users. Businesses came and went, largely because there were not enough people living in the area to sustain them. That changed when the city made a decisive shift in strategy.

With guidance from nationally recognized urban planner Jeff Speck, Hammond embraced a people-first vision centered on walkability, residential density, and street-level vibrancy. Instead of asking what businesses might fill downtown, the city asked who could live there.

The answer came quickly. The redevelopment of a former nine-story bank building into market-rate residential units became a catalytic moment. Within just two months of opening, the building reached full occupancy, welcoming nearly 150 residents into a downtown that had not seen that level of residential life in generations. More than half of those residents moved from outside Indiana, with many relocating from states well beyond Illinois—drawn by value, accessibility, and lifestyle.

That success has reshaped the downtown narrative. With people now living in the heart of the city, demand for restaurants, cafés, gathering spaces, and neighborhood services is rising organically.

The city has reinforced this momentum through significant public investment. More than $10 million is currently being deployed to redesign Hammond Avenue, the city’s main downtown corridor. Once a four-lane thoroughfare dominated by fast-moving traffic, the street has been transformed through a “road diet” into a calmer, more pedestrian-friendly environment. Diagonal parking, widened sidewalks, tree canopies, and slower traffic now create a boulevard that encourages strolling, dining, and lingering.

Mixed-Use Development and Private Investment

Private developers have responded quickly to the city’s signal. 219 Developments and Bauer Construction, represented in the discussion by Rob Ferrino, have played key roles in recent projects, including serving as contractors on the downtown bank redevelopment. Ferrino, who has spent more than three decades in community development across multiple states, sees Hammond as uniquely positioned.

“This is the first true market-rate residential development downtown in fifty years,” he notes. “It worked because the city believed in it, the state supported it, and the developer was willing to move first. Now the proof is there.”

That proof has unlocked additional interest. Vacant parcels and underutilized buildings are now attracting attention for future mixed-use projects. Workforce housing—high-quality units at attainable rents—has become a particular focus, ensuring that teachers, first responders, manufacturing workers, and young professionals can live close to where they work.

A Business Climate Built on Partnership

Beyond downtown, Hammond’s broader economic development strategy is anchored in collaboration. Rather than offering a rigid incentive package, the city evaluates each project individually, aligning tax increment financing, abatements, façade programs, land assembly, and state and federal tools such as New Markets Tax Credits to create tailored solutions.

That flexibility has proven powerful. Major investments have followed, including the relocation and expansion of Meats by Linz, a fourth-generation premium meat company that invested more than $50 million in Hammond and created approximately 500 high-paying jobs. The company’s decision was influenced not only by incentives, but by Indiana’s overall business climate—workers’ compensation costs, utility rates, insurance, and regulatory predictability.

Other manufacturers have followed suit. Crane manufacturer U.S. Go Cranes is investing $25 million and creating 100 jobs. Longtime Hammond company Davies Coatings is preparing a $15 million expansion tied to national infrastructure projects. Advanced manufacturers such as Revolut Machine are producing precision components for Space Force and Starlink, with expansion plans underway.

“These are not speculative projects,” Ferrino emphasizes. “These are companies that are investing long-term and creating real careers.”

The Lakeshore Chamber as Connector and Catalyst

As President and CEO of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Kelly Tallon plays a central role in translating this momentum into sustained business growth. The Chamber acts as both connector and advocate—supporting existing businesses, welcoming new employers, and convening leaders across education, finance, and workforce development.

One of the Chamber’s priorities has been cultivating young professionals and retaining local talent. Through networking initiatives, partnerships with Purdue Northwest and Ivy Tech, and collaboration with regional career centers, the Chamber helps students and graduates see a future for themselves in Northwest Indiana.

“Our goal is to show people they don’t have to leave to thrive,” Tallon explains. “Whether it’s a four-year degree, a skilled trade, or an entrepreneurial path, there’s opportunity here.”

That effort is reinforced by Hammond’s Area Career Center, which serves students from seven surrounding school districts and partners directly with employers to offer internships and hands-on training in fields ranging from construction trades to culinary arts.

Financial Leadership and Community Trust

Financial institutions are equally engaged. Old National Bank, represented by Community Lending Market Executive Monica Rubio, works closely with developers, manufacturers, and municipal partners to structure complex capital stacks and support long-term investment.

“What makes Hammond stand out is the collaborative spirit,” Rubio says. “Banks, developers, the city, and the Chamber are all pulling in the same direction. That’s rare, and it’s powerful.”

This collaboration extends beyond business. Hammond’s commitment to quality of life—through housing programs, education initiatives, and public safety support—has helped attract families and professionals from across the country. Programs like the city’s long-standing College Bound initiative, which helps local students graduate debt-free, reinforce the message that Hammond invests in its people at every stage of life.

Looking Ahead: Momentum with Intention

As Hammond looks toward the next two years, priorities are clear. Downtown activation will continue as new residential projects come online and commercial amenities follow. Manufacturing and advanced industry recruitment will remain central, with a focus on job quality rather than sheer volume. Workforce housing, talent retention, and infrastructure investment will support that growth.

For the Lakeshore Chamber, success will be measured in ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, and filled storefronts—but also in deeper outcomes: jobs that support families, neighborhoods that feel alive, and a city that residents are proud to call home.

“Hammond is open for business,” Alesia says, “but more importantly, Hammond is building a community where business and people can grow together.”

In a region often overlooked in broader economic narratives, Hammond is proving that vision, collaboration, and consistency can transform a city—not overnight, but sustainably, and for the long term.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Hammond and the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce

What: A thriving and commercially-focused city that works hand in hand to foster growth for the municipality and top services for its valued residents

Where: Northwest Indiana, USA

Website: www.lakeshorechamber.com & www.gohammond.in.gov