This initiative seeks to develop a new model for neighborhood rebirth. One that builds new without getting rid of the old. And one where everyone, new neighbor or longtime resident, rich or poor, black or white, are welcome and have equal contributions to neighborhood life and opportunities.

 

The ideas have been around for decades in adopted neighborhood plans, in the hard work of neighborhood organizations, and through the work of community development corporations. Recently, two other initiatives have provided renewed momentum to implementing these ideas.

First, the Indianapolis Green Commission, an advisory group of community stakeholders promoting a greener, more sustainable community, proposed an idea of adopting a place in Indianapolis where innovative infrastructure and development could be demonstrated and modeled.

Next, the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority, a regional governmental entity charged with building a rapid transit system, announced plans to take steps forward on a light rail transit line between downtown Indianapolis and Noblesville with a possible stop at 22nd Street along the Monon.

A handful of neighborhood and community stakeholders saw the stars aligning and saw an opportunity to build on the groundwork laid by those neighborhood plans and organizations and put together an initiative to weave these and other opportunities together.

 

Principles & Goals

The Steering Committee has identified 8 principles, with supporting goals, that define the initiative and guide the process.

• Sustainability refers to the long-term viability of a community from ecological, social, and economic perspectives.
• Transit must be approached as a long term investment in the future of our region that leverages private investment to sustainably renew communities.
• Economic vitality and opportunity at the neighborhood level is critical to the economic viability of the region.
• Mobility (the ability of a person to travel from one place to another) is more fundamental than transportation (the act of travelling).
• Cultural and socioeconomic integration promotes increased levels of social capital, fosters the exchange of ideas, and stimulates the innovation required for our community to remain competitive.
• Neighborhoods must be complete, providing residents with all necessary components of daily life, as well as flexible, accommodating changes in economic and household conditions.
• Ecological quality must be improved by redevelopment activities and through increased connections between residents and natural systems.
• Energy sources and systems must be renewable, distributed, and neighborhood-based.

Learn more about the principles and goals.

 

While we're focusing on one model district, there's a bigger picture.

For too long we've discarded one neighborhood or business district to build another, leaving neighborhoods to slowly decay both physically and socially. We pay the costs every day...crime fighting and social services for those left behind, finite infrastructure resources spread ever more thin resulting in poor service everywhere, increasing fuel and time costs for families who move farther and farther away, and increasing congestion and environmental degredation. Learn more about our big picture philosophy.

 

What are the Outcomes and When Will All This Happen?

The ultimate outcome desired for is a new model for neighborhood rebirth. One that is ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable.

Tangibly, there will be an illustrative vision plan, sketches and renderings, a collection of best practices from around the world, and ideas for policies and ordinances that might need changed to accomplish this sustainable neighborhood renewal. This will benefit the neighborhood by getting ahead of the curve and being prepared for investment when a transit station might be built. The last thing anyone wants is for an unprepared neighborhood to be gobbled up without voice by inappropriate development and further want to encourage the reinforcement of the existing neighborhood through innovative public policy. And like current neighborhood plans, it will allow neighborhood organizations, private investors, and community development corporations to coordinate activities and get the most bang for everyone’s buck.

This is a long-term vision. Abandoned industry and vacant lots didn’t creep up in the neighborhoods overnight, and they won’t be cleaned up and rebuilt overnight. The outcome from the SDAT process will include short, medium, and long-term strategies.

 

 

What We're NOT Talking About

• This initiative is about sustaining. Not bulldozing. Not moving people out.
• It’s about protecting the assets while addressing the issues and opportunities. Not about forcing a cookie cutter down onto neighborhoods with a strong heritage.
• It’s about exploring innovative ways to implement ideas the neighborhoods have long put forth in neighborhood plans and visioning processes. It builds off successes and lessons learned from other neighborhood revitalizations to create a new model.
• It’s not about doing this for city government or for a developer. There is no master developer maneuvering behind the scenes.
• And it’s important to be clear—this is a visioning process to get ahead of the development curve. There is no pot of money sitting at the end of the rainbow to transform the visions into reality. It will take time and both the public and private sectors working together to achieve results.