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Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. 5400 West 29th Avenue Gary, Indiana 46406-3000 HRCNI.com (219) 977-7777| WWW.CROSSROADSCHAMBER.ORG WELCOME 2 The Crossroads Chamber is proud to present our 2023 Business Resource and Membership Directory. The directory is a valuable resource when consider- ing local options for your home, business, and per- sonal needs. Please continue to use the directory all year to easily find Chamber member businesses and organizations that support our communities and the Crossroads Chamber. When you use local business- es, you help strengthen our business climate. The Crossroads Chamber is dedicated to its mis- sion to be “The catalyst for business and regional growth. We do this by supporting businesses in the region, promoting economic development and a voice in public policy and civic pride.” The Chamber accomplishes this through the ac- tive involvement of its members to provide business leadership, a forum for the exchange of ideas, busi- ness-to-business opportunities, and support of com- munity events. The chamber was created to provide synergy throughout the region as one working unit for business support. We currently have members from the south side of Chicago to South Bend and as far south as Indianapolis with a wide variety of options. If you are a member of our chamber, you already know and benefit from the many events and services offered to help businesses succeed. If your business is not yet a Chamber member, I personally invite you to join the more the 600 busi- nesses that have come together to support each oth- er and build a better business community. Please feel free to reach out to the Crossroads Chamber office at 219-769-8180 for additional ser- vices we can provide your company or organization. We are passionate about assisting our business com- munity and its leaders. We want to be your business resource and are always happy to help. At Your Service, Deann Patena President/CEO WELCOMEWELCOME WWW.CROSSROADSCHAMBER.ORG |3 The Crossroads region is highly dedicated to enhanc- ing and enriching the lives of its community mem- bers. With parks, services, activities, scholarships, community centers and more, the quality of life in Crown Point, Merrillville, and Winfield / Lake of the Four Seasons is unmatched. The Crown Point Community Foundation is an excellent service for Crown Point and South Lake County Indiana residents. Established in 1990, the Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, estab- lishes permanent endowment funds through commu- nity donations that provide grants and scholarships to support a broad range of community projects and needs in its mission to enrich the quality of life. In 2021, the Foundation awarded 475 grants and schol- arships totaling over $1.4 million to local nonprofit organizations, schools, public services, and religious organizations. To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.thecpcf.org. Both Crown Point and Merrillville have parks and recreation departments that also provide many ser- vices to the community. Both maintain beautiful parks and natural areas with swimming pools, bike and walking tails, event facilities, education and athletic youth programs, senior activities and other ameni- ties. There are more than 125 miles of bike and walk- ing trails throughout Northwest Indiana and Eastern Illinois. You can find comprehensive maps of these trails at the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission’s website www.nirpc.org. Also, visit the Crown Point Parks and Recreation Department at www.crownpoint.in.gov/179/Parks- Recreation or the Merrillville Parks and Recreation De- partment at merrillville.in.gov/departments/parks_ and_recreation. For school aged residents K-12, the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana with locations in Merrill- ville and Cedar Lake, is an excellent resource. It’s the largest youth service organization in Indiana outside of the school system and has been providing a safe environment for approximately 11,000 area youth since 1954. To learn more, visit www.bgcgreaternwi. org. With the expansion of the Dean & Barbara White Southlake YMCA in Crown Point, the Crossroads YMCA organization offers something for residents of all ages. From providing a variety of youth-related ac- tivities for kids, to building self-confidence, support- ing a healthy family, and creating lifelong friends, the YMCA is a great place for individuals and families! To learn more, visit crymca.org/home. Just one block west of its vibrant downtown, Bull- dog Park in Crown Point has become a destination venue providing year-round activities for residents and guests no matter your age. With four community rooms, an open-air pavilion, fire pits, amphitheater, splash pad (summer season), and an NHL-size hock- ey rink (winter season), Bulldog Park has been a great addition to the city. The facility is the perfect venue for many community events including the Taste of Crown Point, a Summer Concert series, weekly Car Cruise, Movies in the Park, and so much more. For details, vis- it www.crownpoint.in.gov/320/Bulldog-Park. The Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra holds free summer concerts, a chorus, a youth orchestra, education, and outreach programs and a women’s association. Educational programs aim to bring activ- ities and concerts into classrooms to enhance class- room curriculum. For details, visit www.nisorchestra. org. Senior residents will find many programs and ser- vices catered just to their needs. There are several excellent assisted living and retirement communities in the area with varying levels of care to fit each res- ident’s needs. In addition, many of the organizations mentioned host programs and classes for seniors such as afternoon movies, fitness classes, dinner and entertainment nights, and art classes. Come and explore all that South Lake County Indiana has to offer! COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT CROSSROADS CHAMBER| WWW.CROSSROADSCHAMBER.ORG4 LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA: POSITIONED FOR PROSPERITY A collaborative effort to capitalize on assets, infrastructure, quality of place and proximity to Chicago US News and World Report, CNBC and Forbes ac- knowledge Indiana is top of the class plus a great place to be. And Lake County, Indiana is benefiting from the state’s business-friendly reputation and location on the right side of Chicago, Illinois. Lake County, Indiana is truly Positioned for Prosperity with a population of approximately 498,000 and over 500 square miles of land. Lake County features 19 commu- nities and unincorporated areas in urban, suburban, and rural settings. The Lake County IN Economic Alliance (LCEA), a nonpartisan, nonprofit independent organization, partners with communities and elected officials, chambers of commerce, regional and state economic development groups along with workforce develop- ment, colleges, and universities to drive the coun- ty’s coordinated effort for economic growth. With the support of a broad base of business leaders, the Crossroads, Northwest Indiana’s Chamber founded LCEA in 2013 to enhance their mission to help busi- nesses grow and prosper. LCEA’s main responsibility is to attract and retain quality jobs and capital investment across the county. “We are the Crossroads of America with access to major road, rail, air, wa- ter, fiber and power to quickly and efficiently transport products, services and information to consumers around the world. Two thirds of the US population is within a one day’s drive,” said Don Babcock, LCEA President and CEO. LCEA supports each community’s or the County’s economic development process with companies seeking a new location or to expand operations. LCEA often helps with identifying ideal buildings, land parcels or build to suit facilities. LCEA also assists with coordinating state and local incentives, public meetings/ hearings, and media relations. Many times LCEA guides projects from the initial stages to completion. A few examples of impressive projects include; Crow Hold- ings Industrial (CHI)’s recent ground breaking in Merrillville for the area’s newest 195-acre Class A Business Industrial Park, the Silos at Sanders Farm. The Silos will cost close to $250 million and include more than 2 million square feet under roof along Mississippi Street and I-65. Initial space delivery is anticipated in early 2023. CHI also brought Big Lots distribution just across I-65 at Ameri- Plex at the Crossroads (Merrillville), which includes the Purdue Technology Center. The Miss- ner Group, another national developer, is joining them in creating an 80+ acre develop- ment for advanced light man- ufacturing, food production, distribution, or e-commerce among other target industries. These developers and com- panies like Domino’s Dough Production, Amazon, Dawn Foods, and many others now know firsthand the competitive advantages of their new loca- tions in Lake County, Indiana. LCEA provides complementary site selection services, data gathering, incentive/informa- tion assistance, and project coordination for companies, consultants, and real estate professionals as they expand or locate businesses in the 19 mu- nicipalities and unincorporated areas of Lake County, Indiana. www.LCEA.us ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Digital Crossroads Colocation Data CenterWWW.CROSSROADSCHAMBER.ORG |5 “While manufacturing is still the county’s number one target industry, we continue to diversify from our legacy steel and re- fining operations to agri-business, advanced manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, e-commerce fulfillment, and call/ data centers,” noted Don Koliboski, Vice President of Economic Development for LCEA. “With health care/medical, office, retail and hospitality complimenting residential development, Lake County is in a new position for growth and opportunity.” Overall, the county and communities came together on the economic development front to ensure everyone’s well-being and prosperity. A win for one community is a win for all; it means jobs and investment for residents across the region with the an- cillary effect of dining and buying local – a great program that Crossroads Regional Chamber promotes daily. The I-65 Corridor is growing exponentially from the edge of Crown Point west to the county line. Point 65 a development plan for Class A space near major healthcare operations is at- tracting a variety of companies looking to establish a presence in the Midwest market. Further south at another major intersection on the I-65 expressway, US Cold will be constructing a state-of- the-art cold storage facility, investing over $120 million and em- ploying approximately 75 at capacity. The northern sector of I-65 is becoming a hub for foreign direct investment with the arrival of two international cosmetics companies in the City of Hobart, Orean Personal Care (from the UK) and Almyfy (from Italy). “Growth is occurring throughout Lake County and Northwest Indiana. Technology and tech related companies are part of that growth as evidenced by the arrival of Digital Crossroads, a $60 million data colocation center in north Hammond on the Indi- ana/Illinois state line,” according to Babcock. “We are pleased to have the support of The Crossroads Chamber and their 537 members from 60 zip codes across the region.” While industrial and business growth is critical to our econo- my, Babcock also noted that Lake County communities are pro- active in enhancing the quality of place in our downtowns, neigh- borhoods, and parks. Located on the south shore of Lake Michigan, Lake County has much to offer with top healthcare facilities, multiple universities including the campuses of Purdue University Northwest, Indiana University Northwest, and Ivy Tech Community College. Easy ac- cess to the City of Chicago’s amenities is a huge plus and O’Hare and Midway International Airports are only 55 and 45 miles away. Sportsplexes, festivals, community centers, and more are part of the Lake County lifestyle message to attract corporations that seek a beautiful place to work, play and reside. Lake County is making great strides toward the future. Many, many good things are happening in Lake County, Indiana and thus the county is well Positioned for Prosperity. The lower cost of doing business in Indiana has always been a major draw for investors and companies looking to serve their bottom line while catering to employees and clients. Not only is Lake County, Indiana a great area to locate and expand business operations, it is ripe for investment.| WWW.CROSSROADSCHAMBER.ORG6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTNext >