Investment is vital to re-energizing our neighborhoods, attracting jobs and raising the quality of life for everyone. In today’s tough economic times, it would be easy to make this investment in other, more affluent areas of town.
Mayor Greg Ballard, however, is continuing his policy of fostering the investment of millions of dollars in our city’s urban core.
With his recent announcement of a $22 million facelift for Bush Stadium, a $3 million streetscape for Indiana Avenue, and new technology district (“16 Downtown Technology District”) near the Riverside neighborhood, the mayor is following through on his promise to leave no neighborhood behind in his efforts to revitalize our city.
Not far from our headquarters, the Sam H. Jones Indianapolis Urban League Center, Bush Stadium has sat empty and derelict for years. Under the plan announced, a developer will transform the stadium from a repository of “cash for clunkers” into a 118-unit apartment complex that will retain the historic façade and field, pay tribute to its rich, diverse history and offer affordable, modern urban living. Additionally, a new 132-unit apartment complex will be built on the Bush Stadium site.
The Indiana Avenue streetscape is funded by the mayor’s RebuildIndy plan. RebuildIndy is an unprecedented investment in our city’s infrastructure. Because of RebuildIndy, city government is building and repairing streets, sidewalks and bridges at a rate not before seen in our capital.
Perhaps even more crucial, however, is RebuildIndy’s impact on economic development in Indianapolis. Because Mayor Ballard is addressing long-neglected infrastructure needs, our city’s neighborhoods will be more attractive than ever to businesses that are looking for the right place to locate and a hardworking, educated workforce.
The 16 Downtown Technology District will make Indianapolis a player in the worldwide, 21st-century economy. By bringing high-paying jobs in fields like life sciences, biotechnology and clean energy, we can become a global leader in the crucial technology industries.
Companies located in the district can take advantage of our world-renowned educational institutions, our superb medical facilities and our location at the crossroads of America. And where is all this happening? Right near the heart of the historic Riverside neighborhood.
With a population that is 85 percent African-American and has an unemployment rate of more than 11 percent, the time has come for the Riverside community to be the focus of a rejuvenation unlike any the Near Westside has ever seen.
It has been my honor to know people like Peggy Gamlin for years, and I know the respect the people in Riverside have for their neighborhood. They are understandably proud of its heritage and its contribution to our city’s culture.
With these strategic investments, the economic renaissance of Riverside and the Near Westside has begun. Mayor Ballard’s investment in this neighborhood and his drive to create jobs and improve the economic health and condition of our community should be applauded.
Joseph A. Slash
President and CEO
Indianapolis Urban League
