Laserfiche WebLink
Over the course of the next 25 years, the Ireland Road Commercial <br />Corridor experienced limited growth due to the lack of available vacant <br />land and the development of the Scottsdale residential subdivision <br />immediately adjacent to the Scottsdale Mall. The Erskine Plaza <br />development was built in 1989 and a variety of smaller, single retail box <br />users developed throughout the corridor spanning from Ironwood to <br />Michigan along Ireland Road. In the late 1990s, another wave of limited <br />development occurred along the corridor with the development of three <br />outlots on the Mallsite, the redevelopment of the Brite -Way site <br />(southwest corner of St. Joseph and Ireland,) and the development of the <br />Kerasotes Theater site (See Map 4). <br />As part of the "boom" of development in the late 1990s, an annexation <br />petition was filed with the City to annex 196 acres into the south side of <br />the City. A 60 acre project area, located south of Kern Road on US 31 <br />South, was to proposed to be developed as a new commercial node for <br />the south side. The site was to be anchored by a Wal -Mart, a hotel and <br />other freestanding commercial uses. The annex plan met with opposition <br />from the surrounding property owners and a 1 year court battle ensued . <br />When the legal fight was over and the property was finally annexed, Wal- <br />Mart opted not to develop at that site. <br />s. <br />With the exodus of anchor and in -line tenants from Scottsdale Mall, the <br />loss of the new Wal -Mart development opportunity, and the continued <br />growth of the Grape Road and Main Street Commercial Corridors on the <br />north side of Mishawaka, the south side appeared destined for a <br />continued decline in its commercial sector. The mall site and the <br />surrounding commercial areas meets most of the requirements attributed <br />to the "greyfield" planning classification and the outlook looked bleak. <br />In the early part of 2002, several developers presented redevelopment <br />plans for a variety of sites within this development area. The state of the <br />mall appears much more sure as a development group appears prepared <br />to purchase the mall site in late 2002 and begin its redevelopment plan of <br />the site in 2003. The planned designation of a sale tax increment finance <br />district for a part of the Erskine Hills Sub -Area, the first such designation <br />within the State of Indiana, will aid in the redevelopment of the mall site. <br />Other factors will play a part in the redevelopment and revitalization of this <br />area and help to make the Erskine Hills Shopping District, the South <br />Gateway area and the Michigan & Main Street Commercial Corridor a <br />renewed community asset and help to strengthen the south side as a <br />great place to live, work, play and shop. <br />10 <br />