City riverfront canal project: $48M
MUNCIE — The city wants to spend nearly $50 million on a downtown riverfront development project that Mayor Dennis Tyler says could have a “game-changing” effect on Muncie.
The most detailed look at the White River project yet came this week when state economic development officials released the East Central Indiana bid for $84 million in state funding for Regional Development Authority projects.
Several projects for Muncie and other cities are included in the area’s RDA proposal, but the riverfront development project is by far the largest, most ambitious and most costly.
It includes a pedestrian bridge over White River as well as four-story-tall buildings — with commercial space on the first floor and residential above — along the stretch of the river west of the Fallen Heroes bridge.
In a recent interview with The Star Press, Tyler said the project could be transformative.
“Riverfront development could truly be a game changer for our community,” Tyler said.
Elements of the plan have previously been reported by The Star Press, including Tyler working with an unspecified developer on potential riverfront development; a possible pedestrian bridge over the river; and the canal project itself, part of a $10 million downtown stormwater control project of the Muncie Sanitary District.
But the 136-page Advance East Central Indiana submission released this week by the state — along with proposals from other regions seeking funding — gives the most detail so far.
In the category of funding for creating “destination communities,” the White River Canal District is characterized as “providing quality urban style housing options that do not exist in the central city by building off of existing river and greenway and adding a walkable mix of lifestyle service businesses that is attractive to young professionals and Baby Boomers.”
The budget for the project included in the submission to the state is listed as $47.8 million, with anticipated funding sources being tax increment financing (TIF) and private funding. The first of three phases could see construction begin in 2016, the city said.
Features of the district could include “new restaurants and other lifestyle services businesses, such as salon, fitness, cafe, yoga studio, bike shop.”
Tyler told The Star Press that the bulk of the development was planned for the stretch of riverbank on the downtown side of White River between the Fallen Heroes Bridge and the Washington Street bridge.
The drawing released by the city indicates several existing buildings between city hall and the river would be removed and replaced by the new development. That would mean the city would have to buy several existing properties.
Other projects included in the Advance proposal to the state include $18.8 million for the Innovation Center at the Flagship/Purdue Innovation Center in Anderson, $2.6 million for the Cintas makers hub in downtown Muncie, $450,000 for the 1400 Plaza public space in downtown New Castle, $349,000 for the Creagor Avenue Greenway in Portland, $100,000 for the Robert Indiana Arts and Cultural Campus in New Castle, $255,000 for Safe Routes to School in Portland, an unspecified dollar amount for the Wigwam project in Anderson, an unspecified amount for the Arts and Cultural Trail in Muncie, $4.4 million for downtown Daleville redevelopment and $10 million for the Kitselman Energy Park and trail connector at the former Indiana Steel and Wire plant in Muncie. The proposal also includes other Madison County projects.
Some Delaware County officials have said they believe it’s unlikely the city will win state funding.
Tyler said the riverfront project — which he said would create hundreds of construction jobs and about 100 permanent jobs — is one the city would want to take on even if it didn’t get funding from the state, and that it was important for the city to be part of the effort.
“It was important to show we could form the partnership and important for us to show we could put together projects,” he said.
Contact Keith Roysdon at 765-213-5828 and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.