Indianapolis 'Smart Growth' paying off for blighted neighborhood 8.31.11

WTHR

Residents in an area of the city that has been overlooked for years are starting to see encouraging changes.

Houses are being renovated and apartments are going up just north of downtown between College Ave. and Andrew J. Brown and 16th and 25th streets.

Darnell Dawson likes the progress. He grew up in the area and watched it go from a good place to live to not so nice.

"It depreciated a lot. We started getting bad elements in," said Dawson.

Years later, he's back in his old stomping ground fixing up his late aunt's house for a new tenant.

"Me personally, I'm doing my share here," he said. "I'm see [the neighborhood] come back."

Pastor William Bumphus with Faith Center Church is renovating a long-vacant building not too far away. He also has taken note of the changes taking place.

"The illegal activity is slowing down. We have new construction down 16th across the Monon, new buildings and new houses going up," said Bumphus.

Chelsea Humble agrees. "We are seeing a lot of development all at once."

Humble is program director of Indy's Smart Growth District. It's one of the first in the country - a collaboration between the city, community groups and several federal agencies.

Its goal is to help clean up and revitalize old contaminated industrial areas. Not long ago, the program helped secure funds to clean up an old brown fields site at 25th and the Monon, where a new dog park is planned.

But it's also about helping the community map out land use and opportunities for redevelopment.

Stephanie Cwik is a hydrologist with the EPA. "The emphasis is on transit development, housing, while keeping the character of the neighborhood," she said.

At the centerpiece of Indy's Smart Growth District is the Monon Trail, with light rail expected to eventually run along the southern portion of it.

While the Smart Growth District is looking at long-term plans - ten years down the road - new development is already occurring independent of it.

"We think that's the natural momentum and that's a good sign it will continue," said Humble.

National Apartments at 22nd and the Monon opened in July. It has 62 studio, one- and two-bedroom units.

Sherry Watts and her 10-year-old daughter Jada Brown moved in Wednesday.

"I was a little scared at first. I've been here all my life and it's not been a good area, but good things are going on," she said.

The apartment is right next to the Project School, a well-known charter school which Jada likes, especially the Passions Program.

"I'm in yoga," she said. "You can also take singing, dance and different languages."

Watts' mother, Frankie Black, is also moving in the new apartment building.

"The main thing I like is seeing the improvements in the area and all the people and seeing the area integrated. I'm happy with the way things have changed," she said. "It makes for a better downtown."

Humble said the goal is "density to support retail."

She also said they want development to occur "naturally," while maintaining the historic flavor of the area. Unlike other revitalization efforts, she said, much of the smart growth district is being driven by the people who live in the area.

http://www.wthr.com/story/15371459/indianapolis-smart-growth-paying-off-for-blighted-neighborhood