History, Need For Talent Drive Noblesville Building Boon
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAs Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear contemplates growth plans in the city’s downtown, he stresses the need to preserve the community’s history – but quickly adds the 10 major projects planned over the next five years may themselves make a little history. The city recently announced plans for The Levinson, a $24.3 million mixed-use project that is the first downtown apartment development in more than 100 years. It is part of the recently-released Noblesville NOW capital improvement plan, which targets 10 projects between now and 2023. "If you don’t grow, you die," said Ditslear, a four-term mayor who says talent attraction is a big issue for the city. "We compete within our county but we (also) compete with the Columbus, Ohio’s, and it’s important that central Indiana stay together and be proactive and grow."
Ditslear talked about new projects, quality of life and the biggest challenge facing his city during an interview for this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
Plans for The Levinson call for more than 80 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and more than 5,000 square feet of commercial space, which could include retail, office and restaurants.
The project also includes the first parking garage in the city’s downtown. City officials have said a lack of downtown parking has hindered efforts to attract businesses downtown.
The city will use an economic development bond to fund $16 million of the project, including $13.2 million for the public parking garage
The Levinson is the latest of several big projects in Noblesville. In June, city officials joined executives from Michigan-based Borg Warner to christen a new $28 million technical center. The 100,000 square-foot facility consolidates the company’s existing Indiana tech centers into one location.
In April, a $30 million Embassy Suites opened in the Hamilton County seat, complete with nearly 30,000-square-feet of convention and meeting space, which Ditslear says will help attract events to the city.
In July, officials unveiled the Noblesville NOW capital improvement plan, which targets priority projects including development of a mixed-use downtown development, road, trail and infrastructure improvements and a new police headquarters.
Ditslear says the projects are key to Noblesville’s future.