City announces redevelopment plan for downtown land

The City of Bloomington invited community members to participate in planning workshops Tuesday to gain feedback on redevelopment plans for recently acquired downtown property.

Stakeholders, homeowners and city employees alike walked around the old warehouse where the workshops took place, studying diagrams and posters for the project and leaving comments on Post-it notes when they saw fit.

“This has been a vision that has been designated since 2005,” Bloomington Economic and Sustainability Director Danise Alano-Martin said.

Alano-Martin has spearheaded the process on behalf of the city. A team of architects, engineers, developers and marketing experts has been hired to plan the project.

The property for the project was acquired through the state’s Certified Technology Parks program, said Craig Gossman. Gossman is the principal of MKSK, the design firm leading the consultant team. The program aims to develop the real estate into a technology-focused industrial and residential region that is well-integrated into downtown, Gossman said.

He also said redeveloping this property is important for three reasons, the first of which focuses on historic preservation.

About 100 years ago, the property was part of the Showers Brothers Furniture manufacturing facility, considered the largest furniture factory in the world at the time, Gossman said.

When it went out of business in the mid-1950s, the space became vacant and was eventually acquired by IU for several services, including printing and food services. IU decided to sell the real estate to the city and relocate its services.

“These buildings represent an industrial milestone,” he said.

Alano-Martin said the project would also aim to provide employment for skilled workers, encouraging IU graduates to stay in the city. 

“It’s a great opportunity for business and research going on at IU to transfer over to Bloomington,” she said.

Gossman said the most important benefit would be shining national attention on Bloomington as a college town focused on technology.

The plans outlined at the workshops could take 20 to 30 years to actualize, he said.
John West, a redevelopment commission member, said the plans should be ready for city approval by February.

“If the consultants get done in February, it will take months to get it through the city council,” he said.

But because of market research and community feedback the team has gathered, West said he believes city approval could be quickened.

Bloomington resident Lucy Schaich said she attended the workshop to learn about how the plans could affect her neighborhood.

“I would like to see more green space,” she said. “I’d like to see it stay publicly accessible.”

Alano-Martin said she was pleased with the workshop turnout. About 60 people attended the first session and about 20 attended the second.

“People are excited to see the plans,” she said. “Getting feedback from them is vital for us going forward.”