Public Invited to Hopewell Groundbreaking

Mayor John Hamilton, the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission (RDC), and City of Bloomington Capital Improvements, Inc. (CBCI) invite community members to attend a groundbreaking for infrastructure that will serve the Hopewell neighborhood. This investment will set the stage for the new Bloomington neighborhood where people from all walks of life and all ages, incomes, abilities, and backgrounds can thrive. 

Adjacent to the established neighborhoods of McDoel Gardens and Prospect Hill, this location presents a rare opportunity to create from the ground up a community hub that enhances and expands the experience of living in, working in, and visiting our city. Hopewell will diversify and expand affordable housing opportunities while creating a sustainable, attractive, well designed neighborhood, available to all.

The project site is bounded by 2nd Street to the north, 1st Street to the south, Morton Street to the east, and Rogers Street to the west. The infrastructure phase will construct a north-south extension of Madison Street from 1st to 2nd Street and a new westerly portion of University Street, running east-west from Morton to Rogers Street. Along the north side of the new West University Street, the project will create a linear park with a wetland garden, tree grove, stage/lawn area, and other park amenities. The infrastructure work will support the creation of 15 parcels totaling over 3.5 acres of developable land. The targeted completion date for this phase is late 2024. 

WHO: The ceremony will include remarks by Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton, Cindy Kinnarney, President of the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission, and Mick Renneisen, President of City of Bloomington Capital Improvements, Inc. 

WHEN: Friday, July 21, 2023, starting at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: On 2nd Street, between S Rogers St. and S Morton  St.

BACKGROUND

In May 2018, the City of Bloomington entered into a purchase agreement with IU Health for the 24-acre hospital site. The legacy hospital on W 2nd Street was decommissioned and demolished by IU Health.  IU Health Bloomington opened its new University Academic Health Center at 2651 E Discovery Parkway on December 5, 2021. 

The new Hopewell neighborhood is poised to become the next great place to be–a welcoming community with affordability, sustainability, and design excellence. The Master Plan  includes 1000+ housing units, which will include multi-family with non-residential first-floor, single family, and townhomes. At least 20% of the homes will be affordable and workforce housing.

The City chose the name “Hopewell” for the neighborhood because of its long history of association with the site. The 10-room house that was on the site and became our community’s first hospital once belonged to the Hopewell family and served the community as the Hopewell House for nearly six decades. You can read more about the building’s history at bloomington.in.gov/news/2022/02/04/5101. 

After an open bidding process, the City Engineering Department awarded the $13.4 million construction contract to Milestone Contractors, LP for the infrastructure phase of the project. With funding approved by the Redevelopment Commission and the contract approved by the Board of Public Works, notice to proceed was issued in June and construction activities start in July.

In January of this year, the City activated City of Bloomington Capital Improvements, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, to advance several initiatives in the interests of the community. CBCI is instrumental in realizing the full public value of the major housing opportunities in the new downtown Hopewell neighborhood.

LOOKING FORWARD

Before the end of 2023, IU Health will transfer the remaining approximately 9.2 acres to the City of Bloomington for additional development beyond the Phase I East area. The final land transfer includes the existing parking garage and the historic Kohr Building. As each stage of this project progresses, the City will continue to release updates and reach out to neighborhoods and community organizations. People interested in receiving updates about the project can sign up at https://bton.in/j7wEN.