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x Develop an attractive and economically viable entrance to the Central <br />Business District on South Michigan Street. <br />x Improve the physical environment of the sub-area through clean-up of <br />vacant lots, removal of dead trees and brush, and public improvements to <br />streets, curbs, sidewalks and lighting. <br />x Where necessary, improve appearance of existing buildings in the sub-area <br />through building rehabilitation and clean-up of foi7ner industrial sites. <br />This could include removal of old conveyor systems, fornler accessory <br />structures and materials stored outside. <br />k Provide adequate road access to new development. This may require <br />construction of a new road system within the northern section of the main <br />plant complex or in the area of the former Studebaker foundry. <br />C RUM V[LL:~GE INDUSTRIAL. PARK <br />The Rum Village Industrial Park is an area of4lZ acres that is primarily ~%oned "~ <br />-Heavy Industrial." (See Map ~.) This is an area of great development potential, but it <br />also has several substantial ban-iers to private sector development. <br />The area has been zoned "E" -Heavy hldustrial for many years. However, <br />industrial development has been very sporadic with little private investment for long <br />periods of time. Lack of roadway access and utilities coupled with unstable soil <br />conditions has deterred normal development and occupancy of land that otherwise is <br />situated in an excellent location for industrial development. Transforming development <br />potential into reality will require substantial public involvement and investment. <br />The strengths of this sub-area include the transportation network, large site <br />possibilities, and major infrastnicture adjacent to the development area. With the <br />extension of the U.S. 3 I Expressway to the Indiana Toll Road (and farther into Michigan) <br />and the extension eastward into Elkhart County, the opportunity for industrial expansion <br />has been given a strong push. The Rum Village Industrial Park is situated along the U.S. <br />31 Expressway and permits ready access to markets in all directions. In addition, the <br />sub-area is served by several rail lines and offers an opportunity for heavy industrial users <br />or users needing access to rail service. This area is one of the few sites remaining within <br />the community that would allow such rail access and heavy industrial development and <br />processes. <br />The Rum Villagc Industrial Park is similar to the Shtdebaker Corridor in that one <br />major physical impediment exists that prevents the private sector from developing this <br />sub-area. In the Shidebaker Corridor, the impediment is man-made the large, obsolete , <br />multi-story buildings are not readily adaptable for modern industrial processes or material <br />handling. In the Rum Village Industrial Park the physical impediment is natural the <br />• <br />t3I)llB01 47~6224v4 x-72 <br />