The demolition of the former Elkhart courthouse could pave the way for more “livable” development downtown. That’s the hope of Mayor Rod Roberson.
“We are hopeful that we’re going to have a lot of interest in it, when we put it out for RFP, looking for residential livability relationships,” Roberson said Thursday, following the ribbon cutting of The Delta development.
The courthouse was closed, when Elkhart County consolidated its court facilities in a new building near Goshen. The property was given to the city, and the county council and commissioners formally voted to contribute a million dollars toward the cost of demolition.
Roberson said the building will come down in the next 30 days.
He said the city helped prepare the area for redevelopment by narrowing streets and converting them to two-way traffic. “We know that we need to make sure that those streetscapes speak to the livability,” Roberson added.
He said walkable infrastructure is a big focus for redevelopment efforts in multiple parts of the city.
