Urban Indiana

That's a VERY large site.  Glad to see it moving along!

A view of the construction site today from the Pan Am Tower. As you can see, the ice skating rink has been completely demolished and cleared.

Hilton Signia Construction Site - 2024.04.10 by MCC_Indianapolis, on Flickr

Great News, Roberts Park is finally getting stuff down to it after 10-12 years of failed planning. Saw they started construction the last couple of weeks.

I'm surprised Evansville doesn't have a Raising Cane's.

More Dollar Generals are coming into town towards the North side. Really wish we get an Raising Canes here soon.

Westfield planning $6.8M, 20-acre expansion of Simon Moon Park, adding lake and nature preserve

A $6.8 million expansion project at Simon Moon Park in Westfield is expected to bring educational and recreational upgrades to the park that will include transforming two former wastewater lagoons into a recreational lake.

The city announced Tuesday that the first phase of construction is scheduled to begin in April. The park at 3044 E. 171st St. will be expanded from 5.8 acres to 25.3 acres when the two-phase construction project is complete.

First-phase upgrades to the park will include a parking lot expansion, fishing piers, boardwalks, a bridge and a reengineered sledding hill. Plans for the second phase include a new playground, an outdoor education classroom and an additional shelter. A timeline for the second phase has not been determined.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/westfield-planning-6-8m-20-acre-expansion-of-simon-moon-park-adding-lake-and-nature-preserve

M/I Homes of Indiana planning project with 190 townhomes in Noblesville

An Indianapolis-based homebuilder has submitted plans to build a community of 190 for-sale townhomes on the east side of Noblesville.

M/I Homes of Indiana is looking to build the development, called Townes on 238, on 26.7 acres north of Greenfield Road/State Road 238, east of Promise Road and south of East 156th Street. The development would be about 2-1/2 miles from Ruoff Music Center.

The developer is asking the Noblesville City Council to rezone the property from R1 Residential District to the Townes on 238 Planned Unit Development.

Jon Dobosiewicz, an attorney with the Carmel-based law firm Nelson & Frankenberger, told the city council on Tuesday night that the two- and three-story townhomes would range from 1,500 square feet to 2,050 square feet with a price range of $290,000 to $350,000.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/m-i-homes-of-indiana-planning-project-with-190-townhouses-in-noblesville

Kilwins confectionary and ice cream shop to open in Fishers

Fast-growing confectionary and ice cream retail chain Kilwins has chosen Fishers for its second Indianapolis-area shop, the Petoskey, Michigan-based company announced Thursday.

Kilwins Chocolates Franchise Inc. said the Fishers shop is expected to open this fall at The Yard at Fishers District. The shop occupy 1,200 square feet in a 33,000-square-foot multi-tenant building under construction at 11594 Whistle Drive, just south of East 116th Street.

The shop will be operated by franchisees Adam and Kirstyn Kallick of Fishers.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/kilwins-confectionary-ice-cream-shop-to-open-this-year-in-fishers

Regional collaboration aims to lift city centers

Main Street is the center of the action. It's where people gather and where business takes place.

A cooperative of central Indiana communities wants to expand the impact of Main Street via walkable districts to attract residents and boost innovative development. Think the Arts & Design District and Midtown in Carmel, the Nickel Plate District in Fishers, or Mass Ave and the Bottleworks District in Indianapolis.

The Central Indiana Regional Development Authority is putting Main Street front and center in its bid for a piece of the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s second round of Indiana Regional Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grants totaling $500 million.

CIRDA plans to submit a $75 million grant application by the IEDC's Feb. 23 deadline with the theme "Main Street Matters," to invest in walkable and connected districts to link arts, culture and recreation.

The IEDC will announce READI 2.0 recipients in April and begin working with regions in May to identify specific economic development and quality-of-place projects.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/regional-collaboration-aims-to-lift-city-centers

Bill that targets Blue Line clears Indiana Senate, casting doubt on planned bus route

Despite pleas from Democratic lawmakers, the Republican-controlled Indiana Senate voted to advance legislation Monday that public transit advocates say would kill the planned Blue Line bus rapid transit route in Indianapolis.

The Republican-controlled chamber voted 35-14 along mostly party lines to send Senate Bill 52 to the House, where House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, has indicated he is willing to hear the legislation.

Five Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats in opposing the bill. They were Sens. Ron Alting, Eric Bassler, Vaneta Becker, Travis Holdman and Kyle Walker.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/blue-line-bill-passes-senate-chamber-putting-planned-bus-route-in-jeopardy