Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission President Rob Thorgren on collaborationing with the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation

Since it was first formed in 1993, the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission (RDC) has worked to advance the City of Valparaiso through the planning and execution of development projects throughout the community. It uses grant funding and tax increment funds to support these projects. The RDC often works hand-in-hand with the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation (VEDC) on numerous projects throughout the city. The VEDC addresses the city’s business-related issues and promotes economic growth in Valparaiso by fostering key community partnerships and supporting investment in the city.

Rob Thorgren, president of the RDC and of Thorgren Tool & Molding, Inc., has helmed the RDC for the past 10 years. He has seen firsthand how Valparaiso has benefited from the partnership between the RDC and VEDC.

“The RDC’s purpose is essentially to remove blight, create jobs, and increase the city’s tax base,” Thorgren said. “The VEDC often vets projects before they are even brought to the RDC. They make sure that every project they bring to us is one that fits what Valpo needs at the moment. The VEDC is made up of volunteers who come from all different walks of life, and they are each committed to doing what’s best for Valpo as a whole.”

The two entities have collaborated on a number of significant redevelopment projects throughout Valparaiso over the years. These include the high-end St. Paul Square housing development and the luxurious Vale View apartments. One of the most prominent projects the two organizations collaborated on was the transformation of the derelict American Factory into Journeyman Distillery’s Valparaiso location, which has become a highly sought-after entertainment venue in the two short years since it opened.

“Valpo is fortunate to have so many opportunities for collaboration,” Thorgren said. “When the VEDC vets projects and assists either the city or the RDC in ushering them through, these community-enhancing projects can be executed much faster. The more entities reviewing and discussing proposed projects, the more perspectives are brought into the conversation. That results in a better outcome for the city as a whole.“

Thorgren Tool & Molding, the company that Thorgren has run for almost 30 years, was founded in 1946 by Thorgren’s great-grandfather and his two sons. The business has now been passed down through four generations and may soon pass to the fifth. Throughout its nearly 80-year history, this Valpo-grown business has remained committed to producing top-quality air-movement products to customers in the local community and beyond.

Thorgren can also appreciate the VEDC’s value to the community from the perspective of Valparaiso’s native and a local business owner.

“We at Thorgren Tooling and Molding have always known that Valpo has a lot of potential, and we find it exciting,” Thorgren said. “The VEDC has always wanted what’s best for Valpo as a whole, so it’s not even a question of whether we would support it or not. We are proud to be a member of the VEDC and to support its work.”

“The VEDC greatly appreciates and values our independent partnership with Rob and the Redevelopment Commission, and we thank them for the work they perform on behalf of our City,” said Dale Clapp, VEDC board chair. “In addition, we are grateful for Rob’s personal commitment to Valparaiso, as he has been, and continues to be, a dedicated and committed leader to civic engagement.”

For more information on the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation, please visit ci.valparaiso.in.us.