Studies & Plans

As the City of New Haven continues to experience record levels of growth and investment, the need for thoughtful planning and data-driven decision-making has never been greater. Increased development activity, population growth, and regional visitation are placing new demands on infrastructure, services, and amenities. In response, the City’s Economic Development Department has proactively commissioned a series of studies and planning initiatives to better understand market conditions, guide future development, and ensure New Haven remains well-positioned for long-term success.

These efforts reflect New Haven’s expanding role within Northeast Indiana, where affordable living, strong regional connectivity, and growing commercial activity continue to attract residents, businesses, and visitors from across the country.

Retail Market Study

To better understand local and regional retail demand, the City of New Haven contracted Retail Strategies, a national retail consulting firm that specializes in data-driven market analysis and retail recruitment. The Retail Market Study provides key insights into consumer behavior, spending patterns, and opportunities to strengthen the City’s retail landscape.

The study analyzes:

  • Community demographics
  • Daytime population trends
  • Retail gap and leakage analysis
  • Four targeted retail focus categories

This analysis serves as a strategic tool to guide retail recruitment efforts and align future development with the needs of residents, workers, and visitors.

Hotel Study

To evaluate the potential for lodging development within the City, New Haven commissioned a Hotel Study conducted by Core Distinction Group, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in hospitality, tourism, and economic impact analysis. The study assesses New Haven’s ability to support a hotel based on market demand, visitation patterns, and regional trends.

Key components of the study include:

  • Recommended hotel segment
  • Recommended hotel size
  • Estimated economic impact on the City of New Haven
  • Market demand analysis
  • Proposed property location considerations
  • Construction and operational cost estimates
  • Potential revenue projections

The findings provide valuable insight into how a hotel development could support tourism, business travel, and overall economic growth.

Safe Streets for All Plan

The City of New Haven is currently developing a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Plan in partnership with RQAW | DCCM, an Indiana-based planning and engineering firm with extensive experience in transportation safety, infrastructure planning, and community engagement. This plan focuses on improving roadway safety for all users including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, by identifying strategies to reduce serious injuries and fatalities.

Set to be completed in 2026, the SS4A Plan will evaluate crash data, roadway conditions, and existing transportation networks to identify safety challenges and priority areas. Through technical analysis and public input, the plan will establish actionable recommendations and implementation strategies that promote safer, more accessible streets throughout the city. Completion of the plan will position New Haven to pursue future state and federal transportation safety funding.

Lincoln Highway Corridor Plan

The City of New Haven is working with HWC Engineering to develop a Lincoln Highway Corridor Plan that evaluates land use, access, and transportation needs to guide future improvements and development. Set to be completed in 2026, the plan will provide a strategic framework to support safe travel, coordinated investment, and long-term economic vitality along the corridor, and will deliver recommendations focused on roadway safety, multimodal connectivity, streetscape enhancements, and redevelopment opportunities that align with New Haven’s long-term goals.

As the City of New Haven continues to experience record development, the need for new development and more resources to support the community increases. Demand is at an all-time high which required the Economic Development Department to conduct both retail and hotel studies. New Haven has found that visitation and shopping has increased within the region significantly and New Haven is part of the boom happening in Northeast Indiana. Affordable living has attracted residents and visitors across the country with a large quantity coming from the West.

In an effort to be proactive and remain up to date on the potential that the City holds, the Hotel and Retail Studies were contracted out. New Haven is uniquely situated as a hub for tourism activities, and to have a robust tourism program, the City needs places for people to stay and shop.