Hamilton County economic development agency changes mission
The not-for-profit’s board recently approved a new mission—aimed at potential employees, rather than employers—and voted to eliminate the position of CEO and president.
Quality of Life
Groups launch planning for redevelopment of White River in Marion, Hamilton counties
Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development and Visit Hamilton County are leading the effort in partnership with other communities.
IBJ PODCAST: How is Indianapolis becoming two cities—for haves and have-nots?
Host Mason King interviews IBJ reporter Hayleigh Colombo about her series “One City, Worlds Apart,” which looks at income inequality and poverty in the city and why everyone should be concerned.
Fate of $3M downtown fund precarious despite advancing council hurdle
The petitioners advocating for the Mile Square district’s passage have just barely garnered the amount of signatures required by law to advance the proposal.
Backers gain support for $3M downtown fund
With time running out, Downtown Indy gathered enough signatures to present to the City-County Council, which ultimately will vote on the proposal to charge downtown property owners for beautification and other services.
Early hands-on experiences key to producing talented workers, experts say
Real-world opportunities can range from colleges funding internship and experiential learning programs to businesses giving young professionals room to flex their muscles and earn their wings, according to experts in Indiana workforce issues.
How well does Indy rate on Amazon’s scorecard for HQ2?
Using the criteria the internet giant set for its secondary headquarters, IBJ did some digging and reached some conclusions on the city’s fitness for the $5 billion project.
Council panel OKs $9.5M in loans to help Central State, Monon 16 neighborhoods
The projects are coming up now because the city has six months left to take advantage of more than $30 million in a federal loan guarantee program that it was awarded in 2012 by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department.
Hogsett proposes ‘cap and trade’ system allowing electronic billboards
Under the proposal, sign owners could convert existing billboards to electronic ones, as long as twice that amount of signage space is removed from the city’s urban core.
Lilly Endowment grants $5.2M to EmployIndy for youth programs
EmployIndy’s goal is to reach 6,000 young people with job-training and education programs during the next two years.
What could Amazon HQ2 bring to Indy? We asked experts to do the math.
A project of this size could actually change Indiana’s per-capita income. It could generate 30,000 spin-off jobs and produce hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue.
Bosma says Legislature might move on Amazon incentives this session
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said lawmakers could move an incentives bill “expeditiously” to attract Amazon’s proposed second headquarters, if necessary, but he wouldn’t be in favor of doing what Wisconsin did to lure Foxconn.
Indy, other cities possess 2 worlds: one violent, another prosperous
Slayings in Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis are becoming concentrated into small areas where people are dying at a pace not seen in years, if ever. Around them, much of the rest of the city is growing more peaceful, even as the total number of homicides rises.
Neighborhood effort Lift Indy launches with $4.5M investment
The Monon16 area on the near-north side is the first to be selected as part of Lift Indy, designed to deliver concentrated doses of federal community development funds.
City launches ‘Street Reach’ effort to help homeless, curb panhandling
Central to the campaign is a new full-time manager who will focus on business engagement and connecting homeless individuals to housing and addiction treatment options.
State manufacturers float relocation tax credit idea as tool to lure workers
The Indiana Manufacturers Association is also hoping the state will allow local governments to offer relocation tax incentives to build upon any that the state offers.
IEDC tailors campaign to lifestyle issues in 4 target cities
Ad placements in billboards, magazines, newspapers and internet and mobile platforms were part of a marketing plan launched in 2016 to target Chicago, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta.
Indianapolis, Fishers mayors spearhead effort to attract Amazon HQ2
Amazon’s announcement last week that its future second headquarters will create 50,000 new jobs with an average annual compensation of $100,000 have cities across the country clamoring to submit bids. But there’s a short timetable, with proposals due Oct. 19.
Northern Hamilton County hopes to cash in on tourism with new train excursions
Trains might be permanently stalled on the Nickel Plate Railroad in southern Hamilton County, but officials in the northern communities are embracing the idea of getting passenger trains moving.
City to steer $500K into grocery development in low-income areas
The Hogsett administration plans to use federal grant funding to stimulate the development of one or more grocery stores and help eliminate food deserts.