On the evening of Monday, December 9, the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) hosted Mayor of La Porte Tom Dermody’s fifth state of the city address at the La Porte Civic Auditorium. City officials, local business owners, and elected representatives were present for this event. Organizations like Howmet Aerospace, Horizon Bank, Northwest Health, Purdue University Northwest, and Larson Danielson were listed as 2024 sponsors.
Dermody takes a unique approach when it comes to delivering his state of the city addresses, holding them at the end of the year rather than at the beginning.
“State of the city addresses are important events for every community,” Dermody said. “I like to do it at the end of the year during the holiday season so we can recap everything that has happened and thank everybody for the great work they have done throughout the year. It’s all about going out with a bang. As you look back over 2024, you see great things like the $1.5 billion in investment that is coming to La Porte, the housing development projects, and the infrastructure cleanup. We're setting that high standard for our residents and are always seeking to elevate their quality of life. There are only more good things to come and we'll be ready to go in January of 2025.”
Among the many topics Dermody touched on in his address was the ongoing improvement of La Porte’s water and wastewater infrastructure, some sections of which are over a century old. Dermody thanked Indiana First Congressional District Representative Frank Mrvan and his team for their assistance in securing a grant of over $1 million for the infrastructure restoration. Dermody also recounted the advancements La Porte has made in law enforcement, addiction support, neighborhood cleanliness, and road conditions.
Bert Cook, executive director of LEAP, always enjoys the opportunity to engage with the community at the state-of-the-city addresses.
“The state-of-the-city address is easily one of my favorite events that we put on,” Cook said. “It's exciting for us because we get a chance to gather with all the local business leaders and celebrate all of the successes of the past year. It lets us disseminate the positive message that La Porte is on the rise. Our community has experienced success in the past, and we look forward to continued success in the future.”
In his address, Dermody outlined how he and his team have been working with the Indiana Department of Transportation on a plan to create Lincoln Walk, a system that will serve to make downtown La Porte more walkable. He discussed other construction projects that are taking place throughout La Porte, including the Advantix Lake Pointe Project, the Full Tilt Family Fun Center, and the Bella Laro Senior Living center. Dermody also mentioned a very exciting construction project that was set in motion this year: the new $1 billion Microsoft data center that will be built in La Porte. This project will prove to be an historic one indeed, as it will make La Porte the first city in Indiana to have a Microsoft data center.
Dermody is quite pleased with La Porte’s successes this past year and looks forward to what the year to come will bring.
“I love La Porte,” Dermody said. “This is my hometown, and it has been an honor to serve La Porte and its people as mayor. Our team and our other elected officials truly care, and I hope this state of the city address shows our residents that. Hopefully, they’ll see that we’re working really hard to make our community the best that it can be. We do this because our residents deserve the best. We have great momentum going into 2025, and we’ll keep maximizing the dollars that we receive to make sure that La Porte is in a great place in the future.”
For more information on LEAP’s services and upcoming events, please visit laportepartnership.com.