Possible Changes For Terre Haute Redevelopment
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe committee searching for a new director of the Terre Haute Department of Redevelopment has offered a different recommendation. The committee says the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp. should assume management of the department.
The search committee will make its official recommendation at the next meeting of the City of Terre Haute Redevelopment Commission on April 20. It had been tasked with finding a successor to Cliff Lambert, who retired in late January as director of the department. THEDC President Steve Witt has served as interim director since that time.
"There is a good deal of overlap between economic development and community redevelopment," said Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett. "Since Steve Witt assumed the interim director’s role in early February, the transition has been seamless. We think it makes perfect sense to formalize and continue this relationship with the THEDC. By combining our economic development and redevelopment efforts, our overall work product will be streamlined and cost effective, thus making our community a more attractive place to live, while bolstering our business attraction and retention opportunities."
The THEDC also manages the Vigo County Department of Redevelopment. Search committee chair Brian Conley, who is also a member of the redevelopment commission, said it is an exciting time for the commission.
"We will now be coordinating our economic development efforts with Vigo County and the THEDC," said Conley. "The commission has taken this bold step to move the City of Terre Haute forward at a time when we will be doing more with less funding."
The THEDC’s Board of Directors has approved the move. If approved by the redevelopment commission, the new initiative would formally begin May 2.