Muncie riverfront plan detailed
MUNCIE — The city has released details of what it's asking developers to build as part of Mayor Dennis Tyler's $48-million White River Canal District.
Several buildings, including some with first-floor commercial space, restaurants and apartments, are sought by the city in three phases of development, according to the city's Request for Development Proposals, which was recently sent to commercial developers.
But Tyler told The Star Press that the call-out leaves plenty of discretion to developers.
"We're leaving it to developers to use their imagination," Tyler said.
The White River Canal District — which includes the block-long Liberty Pass canal, opened last fall as part of the Muncie Sanitary District's downtown stormwater system — is intended to be developed in three phases that would cover 10 acres where High Street and White River meet.
The redevelopment is aimed at "the lack of high-quality urban housing with modern amenities (that) often contributes to brain drain and talent attraction and retention challenges."
The request for proposals calls for a ground-breaking in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Among the elements:
- A 48-unit Phase 1 building with first-floor commercial, common space, a waterfront restaurant and frontage on a public plaza.
- A 5,000-square-foot standalone restaurant along the canal.
- In Phase 2, a 42-unit building with a 5,500 square-foot restaurant.
- A 48-unit Phase 3 building with first floor commercial.
- A building with three floors of commercial space, also in Phase 3.
- A 20-unit building with 12,000 square feet of commercial and restaurant space.
- A building with one floor of stand-alone commercial space. (The latter two buildings could be in any phase.)
- Residential buildings in all the phases are to have one level of underground parking.
"The proposed boardwalk, public plazas, pedestrian bridge (over White River) and complete streets will be funded through TIF (tax increment financing)," according to the request for proposals.
The details of the request for proposals shows the city's emphasis is not only on what the riverfront district would be, but on what is nearby. The RFP cites the new Courtyard hotel, several blocks south on High Street, as well as Tuhey Park, located where White River meets downtown, and greenway connections to Minnetrista, Ball State University and IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.
Wisconsin-based consultants Vandewalle & Associates, hired by the city in November and paid $6,000 a month, will work on the project along with a project management team to include Tyler and representatives of the city, Ball Brothers Foundation, Muncie Sanitary District, Ball State University and downtown businesses.
The city's request for funds to cover a portion of the $48-million estimated cost was not successful in last year's Indiana Regional Cities Initiative competition. Even in submitting a request for funds to cover a portion of the project, officials acknowledged that a mix of private and public — including TIF — funds would be used. Officials recently mentioned a riverfront development fund that has not yet been created in connection with the purchase, for $395,000, of the Rutter Communications building on Washington Street.
Contact Keith Roysdon at 765-213-5828 and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.