Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The state budget being considered by the Indiana Senate beginning this week includes funding for the White River State Park’s proposed expansion, which will turn a portion of the former General Motors stamping plant property into a hospitality and recreation site.
The $65 million project, first reported by IBJ in October, is expected to encompass about 7.5 acres on the river’s western bank and will include new green spaces, an amphitheater and a promenade overlooking the White River, as well as a redevelopment of a section of the site’s historic crane bay building.
The project—the first of what could be a two-phase effort over the coming years—will also create a new set of limestone stairs within the levee that will lead to a new overlook offering panoramic views of downtown Indianapolis.
Already, the White River State Park Commission has secured a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. and another $20 million from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. The remaining $15 million is included in the proposed biennial state budget approved by the house in recent weeks.
”The money in the budget shows continued support for this transformative project. The White River State Park Development Commission is grateful Gov. [Mike] Braun recognizes the Lilly grant and the importance of the park to the community and state,” White River State Park Executive Director Terry Seitz told IBJ in written remarks.
Seitz said while work is expected to start on the portion of the project adjacent to the river in the coming weeks, with final permits now in process, designs are still in the works for the remainder of the overhaul but “progressing on schedule.”
The park development commission, which manages the 250-acre park’s operations on behalf of the state, has been considering what could be done with the land since late 2020, when the Indiana Economic Development Corp. announced it would set aside at least 10 acres for the park as part of a deal to relocate Greenfield-based Elanco to the property.
The IEDC is also working with Elanco and Purdue University to develop a tech park called the OneHealth Innovation District on part of the former stamping plant site.
To make the most of the site, the state plans to reroute White River Parkway South so it runs along the western edge of the new park property, closer to the Elanco site. That will free up more land along the river for recreation.
The road will cut between the Elanco headquarters building and the former crane bay, which will be named Kahn Pavilion in honor of Detroit industrial architect Albert Kahn, who helped design the former GM facility nearly a century ago.
The bay will become an event pavilion that can host farmer’s markets, weddings, corporate gatherings and other activities.
Construction of the river-fronting portion of the project is expected to take about 12 months to build, while remaining parts of the first phase, including Kahn Pavilion, will take 14 to 18 months.
The expansion will have 65 to 85 dedicated parking spaces to accommodate daily traffic, while the undeveloped southern portion of the site—another 7.5-acre tract—could be used for overflow parking until it is developed.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Excellent news on a Monday.
Hopefully they will clean up the excessive amount of trash that is along the west side of the river. It is shocking and disgusting that the city and state have let it get so bad over there.
In the minds of our local and statewide political leaders mundane matters such as trash collection and street and road maintenance is the responsibility of the next administration.