5 Elkhart County projects get $14.5 million from Indiana Regional Cities

But first, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. must sign off on a series of recommendations approved on Tuesday by the Regional Cities of Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority. That body is in charge of doling out $42 million allotted to the region for Regional Cities.

The recommendations approved on Tuesday must be ratified by the state economic development agency before the money will dispersed.

The Elkhart County projects are:

1. $9 million to the Elkhart Health, Fitness, Aquatics and Community Center: The estimated $55 million project includes building a 160,000-square-foot community center that includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the site of a former YMCA along the St. Joseph River north of East Jackson Boulevard.

2. $2.7 million to the Market District SE: Retail and Multifamily redevelopment: The estimated $30 million project involves redeveloping the existing Easy Shopping Place in the 500 block of East Jackson Boulevard into a gateway into the east side of Elkhart's downtown area, including housing and new retail space. A new Martin's Super Market would anchor the project.