Officials preparing for Ohio River development in southwest Indiana
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAfter decades of turning their backs on the water, communities and regions around the state are now embracing rivers and lakes as a way to generate investment and jobs, improve quality of life and also attract talent.
The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, or E-REP, is a key player in a process along the Ohio River with major developments that have been talked about for a long time.
E-REP CEO—and former Evansville Mayor—Lloyd Winnecke says officials in the past didn’t know how to fully take advantage of the riverfront in southwest Indiana.
In an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Winnecke said a public input process on future riverfront development is wrapping up.
“We were able to engage some of our READI 1.0 funding to engage Sasaki, which is a world class planner and architectural firm to help us figure out how we can really activate the Ohio River but not just in downtown Evansville; we really are looking at this from a regional perspective,” Winnecke said. “Sasaki is looking at how to activate the Ohio River from Mount Vernon to Newburgh, which is about a 50-mile stretch.”
Winnecke said they expect to see results from the Boston-based firm in early March, which should include 3D modeling and renderings of ideas he said could transform the region.
The former three-term mayor said the region will have the opportunity to create development opportunities over the next two decades that haven’t been seen before.
“I foresee mixed use developments along the riverfront in downtown Evansville. I see the traffic patterns in downtown Evansville along Riverside Drive changing, perhaps, dramatically,” he said. “We’re looking at how Newburgh can be a greater Ohio River destination spot, how Mount Vernon can activate theirs, and then connect that 50-mile span.”
Being a quality of place initiative, the efforts along the riverfront will be key to talent attraction, Winnecke said. He noted as companies are looking to expand or relocate, quality of place are big concerns.
Winnecke said he is excited about the prospects of southwest Indiana’s economy. He cites the continued growth of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Gibson County as a key example with its recent production launch for a new Lexus SUV.
He also noted an ongoing partnership with the Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon, which recently completed $1.2 million in infrastructure upgrades, and also has approximately 600 acres available for potential development.
Work is also continuing on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project, which Winnecke said is the last piece that allows businesses to better transport raw materials and finish product more efficiently across the country.
“Indiana recently awarded more than $200 million worth of contracts to begin construction this year of their approach work on the Indiana side,” he said. “The design work for the new bridge itself will begin in 2025, with construction began set to begin and 2027 and a completion date of 2031. INDOT has applied for a large federal grant. If awarded, we certainly hope that the timeline would be able to be accelerated.”