Where will our next big idea come from?
by Brian Payne, President, Central Indiana Community Foundation
The first questions most people ask me about the Cultural Trail are:
“Where did the idea come from? How did it start?”
In 2001, the Cultural Development Commission was formed and Mayor Peterson appointed me as one of nine commissioners. Our charge was to develop ways to position Indianapolis nationally and globally as a cultural destination city, as well as to make Indianapolis a city of choice for the world’s best talent when looking for a place to live and work.
Our first strategy established the six cultural districts: Mass Ave, Indiana Ave., the Canal and White River State Park, the Wholesale District, Fountain Square and Broad Ripple Village. The Cultural District program promotes walkable areas of town that feature several arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment venues. These areas or districts offer both residents and visitors the opportunity to experience places and neighborhoods versus singular venues. While promoting this idea, I kept hearing from my colleagues, donors to the foundation and board members that the districts needed to be connected somehow to really work.
That spring, I joined thousands of walkers, joggers, roller-bladers, strollers and cyclists on one of the first beautiful days in April on the Monon Trail. As I strolled my young son along the trail, I thought: “Why couldn’t we build an urban version of the Monon downtown to connect the Cultural Districts?”
The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. The more I talked to young people and families moving to Indianapolis, the more I heard that the Monon Trail was one of their most valued assets in Indianapolis. Over time, after literally hundreds of conversations and generous financial support, it has become a reality. I’ll admit: it is so much more than I ever initially envisioned. As the Cultural Trail vision has grown due to the involvement and creativity of hundreds of partners and supporters, so too have our ambitions. We now know that the Cultural Trail will not only change the landscape of a city, but also the values of its people.
The real lesson from this story is that the idea of the Cultural Trail was inspired by something we already have and that already works well – the Monon Trail and our greenway trail system.
It begs the question: What else do we value so highly, already works well and could be leveraged into the next big idea for Indianapolis? Send us your thoughts.
Tags: bicycle, big ideas, community development, cultural development, greenway, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Cultural Districts, Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Monon Trail, pedestrian, trail, Urban Design
January 15th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Two immediate thoughts come to mind:
1) My friend Ben and I have had multiple conversations regarding the stretch of College between 38th and Broad Ripple Ave., and its massive amount of potential for growth and development. Despite a lack of infrastructure, it’s already happening now with some of the South Broad Ripple developments springing up at 52nd and 54th, and even now at 49th. Basically, we both see this stretch of road as Indy’s possible equivalent to Bardstown Road. Can you imagine how quickly developers would scramble to the area were this stretch developed into a complete street to better facilitate pedestrian and destination traffic, instead of a misused commuter corridor? Can you imagine a trolley line here? Or, even trolley buses, to encourage people to stop thinking of IndyGo as a last resort?
2) The White River Canal stretching west beyond College along Westfield could be so much more than it is.
January 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
I think our next big idea is already here.
The proposed Indianapolis Performing Art Center and Performing Artist/Literary Artist Affordable Housing Complex was also inspired by something we already have and that already works well…the emerging performing arts and literary arts organizations in Indianapolis. The idea came from Pauline Moffat asking me to take a walking tour of Mass Ave that was designed to evaluate additonal space in the area that may have potential to be used as Theaters for the IndyFringe Festival. As I was walking around, looking at buildings I thought “why can’t we look for space that will have an impact on all of the performing arts groups in town and do it in a way that provides affordable housing for young performng artists and literary artists.
Further, similar to the Cultural Trail, we would use millions of dollars of Federal monies to leverage the project and meet multiple community needs. Our project will create jobs for residents. Property taxes will be generated on land that is currently generating no taxes. The project will be as green as possible under current funding possibilities. The architecture will be creative and unique.
Did you know that we can build a project that includes 70 one bedroom apartments with rents and utilities ranging from $300-$650 a month with three 100 seat black box theaters and have the whole project paid using Federal tax credit programs, except for seating and lights and other theater amenities? Yes, it is true. Now, we are trying to add a 500 plus seat theater and other amenities to make it a top-notch facilitly, but the Federal guidelines allow us to treat the walls of the 500 seat theater as the building foundation and therefore the Feds will also pay of the outside walls of the additional theater…greatly reducing the costs.
And by the way,,,Imagine a Theater-plex with a central gathering place as the crowds gather on weekends to mix and mingle and then disperse to the five different performance opportunities at 8pm…all surrounding the City Market in a complex that provides affordable housing and rehearsal space to the performing arts and literary arts community…located on the Cultural Trail.
January 15th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
This is an idea that did work in our city… and it worked very well, but we destroyed it. Indianapolis used to have one of the most comprehensive transit systems in the world, but we dismantled it all for the car… The vehicle that the INDOT can’t keep up with.
I really believe the one largest crux of Indianapolis is the Mass Transit situation. IndyGo is need of a major overhaul and need to be funded 100% by the city.
Indianapolis will never be a world class city without a first rate transportation center. I know people are pushing for rail, but I think that honestly we need to have a bus system that works and people will use before we even consider installing rail (again) in this city.
If you combine a comprehensive mass transit system with what could be an amazing pedestrian/cycling sytem Indianapolis could one day be back at the top with transit system and one day we will really be world class.