Junior Achievement space, urban microforest to advance IHD’s ‘Education Node’
Today, the Indy Health District (IHD) and its community partners, including Junior Achievement of Central Indiana (JA), The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (TCM) and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), announced the first phase of two major initiatives that will create new opportunities for local youth and expand access to purposeful public green space.
The first, a new space for Junior Achievement on IHD’s north side, will further expand opportunities and resources for young people in the local community and across Central Indiana. Adjacent to this space, Indianapolis’ first urban microforest will serve as a new public amenity through a partnership between TCM and KIB, transforming paved museum property into an innovative green space for community members to enjoy. Both projects will be located at the intersection of W. 32nd Street and N. Illinois Street.
“We are incredibly excited to partner on this investment in young people, education, health and community—an investment shaped by what we have heard from the residents who call the Indy Health District home,” said Jamal Smith, executive director of the Indy Health District. “Junior Achievement’s presence alongside The Children’s Museum, Ivy Tech and other educational partners will further strengthen this area as an emerging hub for education, youth development and opportunity. Education is deeply connected to health and longevity, and by expanding access to learning, career pathways and economic opportunity, we are investing not only in the future of our young people, but in the long-term health and vitality of our communities.”
Jennifer Burk, President and CEO of JA, also expressed enthusiasm for the project.
“The new space we are creating for K-12 Indiana students will provide innovative experiences that advance career readiness, financial literacy and workforce development,” Burk said. “Today marks an important step in bringing this project to fruition, while advancing JA’s mission and impact.”
TCM and KIB, in alignment with IHD and JA, will complement the new space with a compact, biodiverse microforest planted in a neighborhood that has historically had limited tree canopy and greenspace. Across the United States, cities are discovering that small urban forests can deliver powerful benefits for public health, biodiversity and climate resilience. This project will create hands-on learning opportunities for children and families while supporting efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of residents living within the IHD.
“Through our partnership with KIB, this innovative project directly responds to long-standing requests from our immediate neighbors for an accessible community park space,” said Jennifer Pace Robinson, President and CEO of TCM. “The microforest will be a truly unique addition to Indianapolis, featuring a densely planted ecosystem that mimics the structure of a natural woodland. We believe this space will provide environmental and social benefits for years to come, and we thank KIB for its leadership in bringing this vision to life.”
“Right now, this corner is asphalt that holds heat through the night and sends rain flooding into our streets. Soon, it will be shade. As these trees fill in, they will cool the block, hold stormwater and give birds and pollinators a place to land. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful has spent 50 years turning hard ground into places neighbors use, and building this one with The Children’s Museum, right where kids already come to learn, means the forest itself becomes the lesson,” said Jeremy Kranowitz, President & CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
The development marks a significant investment in the future of the neighborhoods within the IHD and surrounding community. Shaped by input from residents and community partners, the project creates an opportunity to bring new resources, experiences and public spaces to the District. It also aligns with IHD’s Quality of Life Plan, which is currently under development with input from residents of the Ransom Place, Historic Flanner House Homes, Meridian-Highland, Highland Vicinity and Crown Hill neighborhoods.
“This project is about more than developing a space; it’s about investing in people and neighborhoods,” said Danita Hoskin, President of Crown Hill Neighborhood Association and CEO of Harvest 2 Home Indy. “I am encouraged by the way project partners have engaged residents throughout the process, and I’m excited about the opportunities it will create for families in the Indy Health District area and my own Crown Hill neighborhood. Access to quality education, viable greenspace, and community amenities helps strengthen connections, improve health and wellness, and create a brighter future for generations to come.”
This evening, Oct. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., IHD will host a Community Validation Event at the Ivy Tech Community College Culinary and Conference Center, giving residents an opportunity to review the draft Quality of Life plan and provide feedback.
IHD and its partners filed zoning applications for the project, Oct. 15. Additional information is available at indy.gov.
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