MIDTOWN INDIANAPOLIS INC

2023 COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAMS WERE FOCUSED ON SHARING NEWS AND RESOURCES, GRANT AVAILABILITY, FOOD ACCESS INFORMATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INFORMATION. MIDTOWN INDY SHARES NEWS AND INFORMATION THROUGH THREE MEDIUMS: 1) A PRINTED MAGAZINE MAILED FREE OF CHARGE SIX TIMES A YEAR TO OVER 23,000 HOMES IN THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY; 2) A BI-WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER SENT TO OVER 5,000 SUBSCRIBERS; 3) MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS INCLUDING FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM. FURTHER EFFORTS INCLUDED OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING JUNETEENTH, MOVIES IN THE PARK, IPS REBUILDING STRONGER MEETINGS, AND MANY MORE. THIS WORK WAS LARGELY IN COLLABORATION WITH MLK CENTER, CATCH THE STARS FOUNDATION, TEA'S ME COMMUNITY CAFE, KHEPRW INSTITUTE, BUTLER UNIVERSITY, CROWN HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND INDY PARKS. THESE COLLECTED PARTNERS FORMED A FRIENDS OF TARKINGTON PARK GROUP. ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS CONDUCTED BY WAY OF WORKING WITH THE KEYSTONE-MONON COMMUNITY TO CREATE A CERTIFIED PLANNING PROCESS, THANKS TO A GRANT FROM MIBOR. MIDTOWN INDY ALSO COLLABORATED WITH A GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WORKED TO FORM A FRIENDS OF TARKINGTON PARK GROUP TO ASSIST WITH PARK NEEDS, DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMING.

IN 2023, MIDTOWN EXPANDED ON PAST INITIATIVES BY FOCUSING ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AT SEVERAL CRITICAL LOCATIONS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE ONE-SQUARE-MILE AREA AROUND 38TH AND ILLINOIS STREET. THIS WORK IS PART OF THE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT CORPORATION'S GREAT PLACES 2020 PROGRAM, AIMED AT REVITALIZING TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY. EFFORTS INCLUDED CONTINUED INTERACTION WITH LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS, IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND RESIDENTS, ALONG WITH ASSOCIATED EXPENSES. ALSO, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LISC WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THROUGH FUNDS FOR A VARIETY OF PROJECT WITHIN THE ONE-SQUARE-MILE AREA. TWO NOTABLE PROJECTS INCLUDE: $75,000 TO KHEPRW INSTITUTE AS PART OF THE VACANT LOT ACQUISITION FUND FOR MINORITY URBAN FARMERS AND $13,284 TO SMALL BUSINESSES FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENTS. MIDTOWN CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR 38TH STREET CORRIDOR SAFETY FOR NON-MOTORIZED USERS. THANKS TO A LILLY ENDOWMENT/CICF CONNECTED COMMUNITIES GRANT, MORE EFFORTS FOR ACTION FROM CITY TO ASSIST WITH REDUCED VEHICLE SPEED AND IMPROVE SAFETY BASED ON A TRAFFIC AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT. WE PRODUCED THE 3RD ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AND THREE FREE MOVIE FRIDAY, BOTH TAKING PLACE AT TARKINGTON PARK AND VERY WELL ATTENDED AND LOVED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS INCLUDED ADVOCACY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIPURPOSE ATHLETIC FIELD IN HONOR OF COACH DONNELL "COACH NELL" HAMILTON AT TARKINGTON PARK TO SERVE LOCAL YOUTH TEAMS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANKS TO A $3 MILLION LILLY ENDOWMENT GRANT AND IN COLLABORATION WITH INDY PARKS PHASE TWO OF THE MASTERPLAN WAS STRATEGIZED TO INCLUDE IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS, FARMERS MARKET PAVILION, IMPROVED AND ADDITIONAL COURTS. BUILDING ON WORK FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, PARKSIDE AT TARKINGTON, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION, AND OPENED ITS DOORS TO TENANTS IN 2023. FORMERLY, A VACANT OFFICE BUILDING, NOW SERVES AS A 60-UNIT AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING COMMUNITY WITH COMMERCIAL SPACES ON THE GROUND LEVEL TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS.