Urban Indiana

Bill to undo Mile Square property tax passes House with support from Speaker Todd Huston

The Indiana House approved legislation Tuesday that would take away the city of Indianapolis' ability to impose a fee on downtown property owners to help pay for the operating costs of a homeless shelter and various improvements in the city's Mile Square, a mechanism authorized by the Legislature just a year ago.

The Republican-controlled House voted 64-29, mostly along party lines, to send House Bill 1199, authored by Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis, to the Senate.

The bill would repeal a law the Republican-dominated Legislature approved last year in the waning hours of the legislative session that gave Indianapolis city government the authority to create an economic enhancement district, which the Democrat-controlled City-County Council voted to approve in December.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/bill-to-undo-mile-square-passes-house-with-support-from-speaker

Westfield revisits plans for Monon Trail tunnel at busy 161st Street

Westfield is renewing plans for an underpass that would allow Monon Trail users to cross under East 161st Street, three years after former members of the City Council voted to pause the tunnel project.

The underpass, less than a half-mile west of U.S. 31, would replace a $122,000 signalized crosswalk—called a HAWK system—that was installed in 2021 after the Westfield City Council balked at spending the money needed to build the tunnel project. The council had spent nearly a year debating whether to resume work on the tunnel or implement another approach.

Westfield Director of Public Works John Nail told the Westfield City Council on Monday that Mayor Scott Willis instructed him to move forward with the tunnel project. The city resumed working with Indianapolis-based United Consulting Engineers to design and plan the tunnel.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/westfield-revisits-plans-for-monon-trail-tunnel-at-busy-161st-street

City to spend $2.1M on trail to connect justice campus to downtown

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works plans to build a $2.1 million trail along Southeastern Avenue to connect the Twin Aire neighborhood and the city's Community Justice Campus with downtown.

Construction of the multi-use trail began this week and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. It will stretch for just over one mile—about 5,452 feet—along the north side of Southeastern Avenue from Washington Street to Leeds Avenue, near Rural Street.

"This trail will serve as a critical route for people who walk or bike into Downtown from neighborhoods on the near-southeast side," Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a media release. "But it also looks ahead to provide easy pedestrian access to developments at Twin Aire Shopping Plaza and the old drive-in. Combined, these efforts are giving more choice and freedom of movement to neighbors on the southeast side."

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/trail-set-to-connect-twin-aire-to-downtown

Developers planning 188-unit apartment project in Whitestown

Two Indianapolis-based developers plan to build a 188-unit apartment complex near Interstate 65 in Whitestown.

Brown Capital Group LLC and Strategic Capital Partners LLC are preparing to develop a multifamily project called The Grove at 5875 Perry Worth Road, northwest of I-65's Exit 130, according to a news release.

The 277,000-square-foot development would consist of three buildings and a clubhouse with one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 790 square feet to 1,415 square feet. Monthly rents would range from $1,400 to $2,100.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/developers-planning-188-unit-apartment-project-in-whitestown

Developer, neighbors reach last-minute deal on $61M apartments project north of Broad Ripple

A Carmel-based development firm struck an 11th-hour deal on Monday with neighbors of an event venue just north of Broad Ripple to allow for the advancement of a proposed $61 million apartment project.

The agreement between J.C. Hart Co. and residents of the Oxbow Estates and Spirit Lake condominiums cleared the way for the City-County Council to unanimously approve a rezoning of the former Willows Event Center property at 6729 Westfield Blvd.

Under terms of the deal, the Elements project will include 168 apartments—a reduction from the proposal of 192 apartments and 16 town houses that was approved in December by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission. The project no longer includes condos or town houses, with a park now set to occupy two acres of the eight-acre property.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/developer-neighbors-reach-last-minute-deal-on-willows-redevelopment

Butler University planning apartment-style student housing for upperclassmen, grad students

Butler University is pursuing a plan to build apartment-style housing on its campus to accommodate juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni.

While the university has not finalized details of such a project—including total units, location, design or cost—it is in conversation with multiple developers about building the housing. University officials hopes to secure board of trustees approval for the project by the end of the year.

It likely would be built in phases, with the first completed by summer 2026, according to a media release from the university on Tuesday.

"Although students aren't required to live on campus during their senior year, we consistently hear from many students and families expressing a desire to do so," Frank E. Ross, III, Butler's Vice President of Student Affairs, said in the release. "There simply isn't enough housing in the neighborhoods surrounding campus to accommodate everyone, and they are mostly older homes that don't offer modern living amenities that students desire."

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/butler-planning-more-student-housing-on-or-near-midtown-campus

Calumet Specialty Products to move HQ to Indy's Stutz campus

One of the state's largest public companies is moving its headquarters from the west side of Indianapolis to downtown.

Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP has signed a lease for 52,000 square feet across three buildings on The Stutz campus at 1060 N. Capitol Ave. It plans to move the 200 employees from the company's current west-side home to the new offices.

Specific terms of the lease were not disclosed. According to the Indiana Commercial Real Estate Exchange, the base asking rent for office space in The Stutz is $30 per square foot per year.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/calumet-specialty-products-to-move-hq-to-stutz-campus-downtown

Bloomington tech center to be named 'The Forge'

Bloomington not-for-profit business accelerator The Mill has announced that the city's new tech center will be named "The Forge," paying homage to manufacturing and the collaboration to be had there.

The facility is currently under construction after ground was broken in October.

"In its modern context, the name signifies the cultivation of relationships within the realms of commerce, whether between businesses and enterprises, commerce and education and/or technology and production," Executive Director Pat East said in his monthly newsletter Thursday.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/bloomington-tech-center-to-be-named-the-forge

New Purdue airport terminal to be named after Amelia Earhart

A new terminal at the Purdue University Airport will be named after the first female aviator to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean who was also a Purdue instructor and previously flew out of the airport.

The naming of the Amelia Earhart Terminal was confirmed by trustees Friday. Construction on the terminal will begin in June with planned completion in 2025.

The 10,000-square-foot terminal will include a waiting area, baggage claim, restrooms and ticketing and passenger screening. Airport hangar T-1 will be demolished to be replaced with a short-term parking lot.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/new-purdue-airport-terminal-to-be-named-after-amelia-earhart

Downtown projects aim to continue business, resident attraction in Hammond

The city of Hammond is looking to completely overhaul its downtown with the goal of making it a go-to destination instead of another drive-through city in Lake County.

Hammond leaders have been working for years with East Coast urban planning design firm Speck Dempsey LLC on a plan that starts with redesigning its streets, starting with the city's core by replacing the five-lane Hohman Avenue with two-lane road to make it more pedestrian friendly.

The $9 million project comes along several housing projects, including the $28 million renovation of the Bank Calumet building into a mixed-use development, which will primarily include apartments.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/downtown-projects-aim-to-continue-business-resident-attraction-in-hammond