Holly Bolton

In February, a ULI Advisory Services panel visited Indianapolis to recommend redevelopment possibilities for sites near a planned bus rapid transit station in the Irvington neighborhood. Located approximately five miles (8 km) east of downtown Indianapolis, panelists referred to Irvington as “surban,” a cross between suburban and urban, saying that the area could add needed density with up to 440 apartments and townhomes in the area.
Indianapolis has been leveraging active-transportation investments—primarily walking and biking—for both placemaking purposes and enhancing real estate values. Providing some inspirational examples for small-scale developers working in urban areas, the city’s story includes a collaborative spirit among the private, public, and philanthropic sectors; development enhanced by miles of trails; and soon, the construction of a bus rapid transit system. Drawing on those themes, ULI’s 13th Small-Scale Development Forum included panel discussions and project tours of Indianapolis and its northern suburb of Carmel.
With more than $3.6 billion in investment taking place in its downtown alone, Indianapolis has been on the radar of many out-of-state investors. At a recent ULI Indiana event, panelists described the investment appeal of secondary cities.
In April, ULI Advisory Services presented recommended redevelopment possibilities for the 24-acre (9.7 ha) site of Bloomington Hospital—a campus in Bloomington, Indiana, that will move its operations in 2020.
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