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People-Oriented Development
Smart Land Use
The City is committed to continuing to develop Indianapolis with an eye on urban environments and smart land use. One key example of smart land use in action is Fall Creek Place.
Fall Creek Place involves the transformation of a blighted inner-city neighborhood into a healthy, mixed-income and diverse community. It includes more than 26 city blocks over 160 acres, and upon completion will provide nearly 400 new homeownership opportunities through both new construction and rehabilitation of vacant homes, with 51 percent of homes targeted to households earning at or below 80 percent of the median income for the City. Future components of Fall Creek Place will include a neighborhood retail center and construction of nine "live/work" loft-style condominiums - a flexible residential alternative with a commercial storefront on the ground floor, and a residential unit above. Since construction began in 2001, 286 households have moved into Fall Creek Place.
Fall Creek Place has received national acclaim for its smart land use strategies:
- The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Professional Builder magazine awarded Indianapolis's Fall Creek Place the 2004 Best in American Living Award (BALA) for Best Smart Growth Community.
- Fall Creek Place was named one of 19 worldwide finalists from the Urban Land Institute for its Awards for Excellence program.
- In 2003, Fall Creek Place received national recognition from the American Planning Association for Excellence in Implementing Smart Growth, and also received the Homeownership Zone award from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for its use of leveraging private dollars with public monies.
- Since the development commenced in 2001, Fall Creek Place has been featured in seven national publications.
Neighborhood Revitalization
In addition to adopting green efforts in individual households, many Indianapolis neighborhoods are also making environmental issues a priority.
Across the City, neighborhood associations, homeowners associations and community block groups are organizing playground clean-ups, tree plantings and trash pickups.
Brownfields
A Brownfield is commonly defined as an "abandoned, idled, or underutilized property where redevelopment is in part inhibited by actual or perceived environmental contamination."
The City's Brownfields Redevelopment Program provides technical assistance for the redevelopment of brownfield sites to promote economic growth, community development, and neighborhood revitalization.
In the past, developers were hesitant to redevelop brownfields because of the liability they would face and the expenses associated with cleanup. But more and more, developers are discovering the wealth of assistance available for these projects. In addition, these blighted properties are often in prime locations for business.
Although redevelopment may be difficult, the benefits outweigh the risks. Brownfield redevelopment promotes a healthier environment, job creation, a reduction in urban sprawl, increased tax revenue, business growth, housing creation, safer communities, a reduced human health risk, and the removal of blight.
The City's Brownfields Program boasts numerous success stories. One of the most noteworthy is the property at 5420 East 38th Street. This site was an abandoned car wash facility when the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library took ownership in 2000. The goal of the project was to remove contaminated soil from the property, build the East Thirty-Eighth Street Library, and maintain the forested wetland in the northwest corner of the property. The wetland is now used to teach children the importance of our natural resources.
The Brownfields Program offers financial assistance for redevelopment in the form of grants or loans through the Indy/LISC Neighborhood Brownfield Initiative.
To learn more about Brownfields, click here.
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