Mayor: $40 million project and train station are driving downtown interest; hospital RFP responses due Oct. 6

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said he expects to announce a near‑final downtown development worth about $40,000,000 that would deliver roughly 150 new housing units, which he suggested would attract additional retail downtown. "I could tell you right now, we're working on a 150 new units in Downtown Hammond... $40,000,000 deal," he said, while noting some details are still under negotiation and cannot yet be publicly released.

He also highlighted the under‑construction downtown train station and an RFP for the former hospital site owned by the city, with proposals due Oct. 6. The mayor said the hospital RFP responses will be vetted and follow‑up public announcements made once development agreements are finalized.