Business View Magazine - October 2018

172 173 ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA different categories. Currently, the county has 60- plus buildings of over 30,000 sq. ft. each, avail- able (the largest is 425,000 sf). In addition, there are close to 20 properties from 13 acres to 173 acres, and parcels in five industrial parks. Trans- portation-wise, Elkhart lies in the path between Chicago and the East Coast and is well served by major highways and railroads. Its railroad switch- ing yards are the world’s second largest freight classification yards and the I-80-90 has four exits accessing the County. Elkhart’s location near the beautiful St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers, a multitude of lakes, and Lake Michigan’s beaches (only an hour away) is a definite draw for residents and visitors looking to indulge in water activi- ties, while hiking trails, golf courses, botanical gardens, and a plethora of parks sat- isfy those who want to relax and connect with nature. Natasha Kauffman, Elkhart County Redevelop- ment Program Coordinator, describes the County as “a mix of urban and rural, in the sense that it encom- passes two major cities –Elkhart City and Goshen, the County seat. Folks who grew up here knew farming, mostly vegeta- NATASHA KAUFFMAN REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT A GLANCE ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA WHAT: ‘RV Capital of the World’: population over 200,000 WHERE: 20 miles east of South Bend, Indiana WEBSITE: www.elkhart county.com bles and cattle, and a strong presence of industrial factories, all of which are still relevant in the area. Those things set Elkhart County in a unique situation. Being closely tied to the RV in- dustry, it has seen a lot of flux. The County took a hard hit in the 2008 recession and was the first stop on President Obama’s Mid-West speaking tour. Elkhart was also one of the first Coun- ties to pick up after the economy became strong.” The focus is now on mitigating that economic roller-coaster ride by expanding out from the pre-existing businesses in new directions. One prime example is a company that, before 2008, only made windshields for RVs. It still does, but it has since diversified into creating glass products for skyscrapers, homes, and other construction purposes. That division now accounts for over 50 percent of its business. The RV industry continues to be a major driver in the area, so peaks and lows are bound to happen, but the hope is it won’t have such a dramatic impact on the community as in the past. With the redevelopment that follows that trend of industri-