Midtown Indianapolis Inc

MIDTOWN INDY IS A COMMUNITY SERVICE CORPORATION COMMITTED TO ADVANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF INDIANAPOLIS' MIDTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS.

TARKINGTON PARK - EFFORTS INCLUDED ONGOING PROGRAM PLANNING FOR THE PARK AND CONTINUED OPERATIONS ASSISTANCE OF THE PARK IN CONCERT WITH PARTNERS AT THE PARKS ALLIANCE OF INDIANAPOLIS AND THE MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY CENTER. HOLIDAY HOME TOUR - THE 11TH ANNUAL HOME TOUR RESUMED, AFTER A PAUSE DUE TO THE 2020 COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IN 2021. THE EVENT HIGHLIGHTED, IN CONCERT WITH HE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS' BICENTENNIAL, THE HISTORIC MANSIONS OF MIDTOWN. THE HISTORIC MANSION SCALE HOMES INCLUDED: THE PERRY HOME, THE COLE HOME, AND THE BOOTH TARKINGTON HOME. THE TOUR HIGHLIGHTED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOMES' BUILDERS, FAMILIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON INDUSTRY, LITERATURE, AND SHARED THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT THROUGH THE BENEFIT OF LOCAL DECORATORS WHO HELP PREPARE THE HOMES. AN ESTIMATED 1200 VISITORS ATTENDED THE EVENT.

IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN INSTITUTIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE MIDTOWN INITIATIVE, MIDTOWN CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH KEY INSTITUTIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AS PART OF THE MIDTOWN ANCHOR COALITION. THE MIDTOWN ANCHOR COALITION (MAC) IS COMPRISED OF SIX OF INDIANAPOLIS' OLDEST AND MOST IMPORTANT ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS TOGETHER WITH KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. MAC MEMBERS INCLUDE: BUTLER UNIVERSITY, BUTLER-TARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, CITIZENS ENERGY GROUP, CROWN HILL HERITAGE FOUNDATION, INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, AND MIDTOWN INDIANAPOLIS, INC. TOGETHER, THESE ORGANIZATIONS EMPLOY OVER 2,000 PEOPLE, OWN 1,100 ACRES OF LAND AND OVER THREE MILLION SQUARE FEET OF FACILITIES, SPEND OVER $117 MILLION ANNUALLY ON GOODS AND SERVICES, AND ATTRACT OVER 1.1 MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY. WHILE THEY SHARE A COMMON GEOGRAPHY NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS, MORE IMPORTANTLY THIS COALITION SHARES A COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING THE COLLECTIVE ASSETS OF MIDTOWN INDIANAPOLIS AS A PREMIER DESTINATION TO LIVE, WORK, VISIT, AND LEARN IN THE CENTRAL INDIANA REGION. SERVING AS THE CENTRAL CONVENER OF THE COALITION MIDTOWN WORKED TO ADVANCE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AROUND: SAFETY AND SECURITY; EDUCATION; ATTRACTION AND IDENTITY; COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT; HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD; CONNECTIVITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN 2021 INCLUDE THOSE WHICH BEGAN IN 2020 WITH THE ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETION OF THE CLARENDON ROAD REDEVELOPMENT AND THE INSTALLATION OF BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS ALONG MICHIGAN ROAD AND 38TH STREET TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO NEWFIELD'S CAMPUS AND WORK ON THE TRAIL BEGAN WITH SUPPORT FROM NEWFIELDS AND THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.MIDTOWNINDY.ORG

BUILDING ON WORK FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, MIDTOWN CONTINUED EFFORTS IN 2021 RELATED TO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND PREDEVELOPMENT AT SEVERAL KEY SITES, PRINCIPALLY THE AREA AROUND 38TH AND ILLINOIS STREET AS PART OF THE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT CORPORATION'S GREAT PLACES 2020 PROGRAM TO REVITALIZE SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY. ACTIVITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES INCLUDED ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH AREA PROPERTY OWNERS, KEY COMMUNITY SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS. THIS WORK INCLUDED ADMINISTRATION OF FAADE GRANTS FOR 3 NEW AND TWO EXISTING LOCAL AREA BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS APPLICATION ASSISTANCE FOR 2 ADDITIONAL FAADE APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION WE CONDUCTED TARGETED ENGAGEMENT RELATED TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND CONNECTING ALONG THE MAIN COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR IN THE FOCUS AREA, 38TH STREET, MERIDIAN STREET, CAPITAL AVENUE, KENWOOD, AND OTHER KEY CONNECTING STREETS WHICH FEED INTO 38TH. THIS WORK WAS DONE IN THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP FROM 2020 WITH HEALTH BY DESIGN AND THE CROWN HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOCUSING ON KEY GAPS IN KEY PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND THE PRODUCTION OF A WALKABILITY REPORT. WHILE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CURTAILED OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING IN 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PRODUCE THE FIRST ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AT TARKINGTON PARK WHICH HOSTED OVER 250 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. OTHER PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF PARKSIDE AT TARKINGTON AN AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT TO BE LOCATED AT 3901 N MERIDIAN STREET. THE PROJECT WILL REPURPOSE A VACANT FORMER OFFICE BUILDING INTO A 60 UNIT SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT WITH COMMUNITY FOCUSED COMMERCIAL SERVICES ON THE FIRST FLOOR. THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETE IN DECEMBER 2022. DUE TO THE CONTINUED IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC, THE DEMAND FOR SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE REMAINED HIGH, AND MIDTOWN INDY WORK IN CONCERT WITH LISC TO PROVIDE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING FOR 5 LOCAL MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.

2021 COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAMS WERE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON SHARING NEWS AND RESOURCES RELATED TO COVID-19, RELIEF FUNDS, EVICTION RELIEF, AND FOOD ACCESS INFORMATION. FURTHER EFFORTS FOCUSED ON HOSTING VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND TO HELP CONVEY INFORMATION ON THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE.