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 peoplefirst 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. 117 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01 HAMMOND AND THE LAKESHORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, IN
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