Fishers is growing. It’s a fact that is often discussed, both inside and outside our community.
While Fishers began as a slow-growing suburb of Indianapolis, we are now one of Indiana’s fastest-growing cities. Our award-winning schools, affordable homes, diverse recreational opportunities and budding entrepreneurial culture have made Fishers an attractive community for people from every walk of life.
In the last decade, our population more than doubled. Now, in 2015 we have nearly 85,000 residents. Continued growth is inevitable. A forecasting and sustainability analysis we commissioned in 2014 projected a growth rate of 1.5 percent annually through 2030.
As Mayor, it’s my job to ensure Fishers’ growth is maintained in a thoughtful way.
What does smart growth look like? The most recognizable example taking shape before our residents’ eyes is the Nickel Plate District redevelopment. By working to develop a walkable, connected destination for entertaining, shopping and dining in the heart of Fishers, we’ve successfully increased the commercial tax base and created a live-work-play triumvirate.
While the ever-growing number of residents will surely enjoy the amenities of the Nickel Plate District, it is one part of a multi-pronged economic development strategy that will draw innovative businesses and creative, entrepreneurial talent to our city; ultimately, strengthening the fiscal sustainability of our community. The redevelopment efforts are still underway and already the strategy has proven successful.
Meyer Najem, a thriving construction business with an 87 year history in Fishers, relocated their headquarters to the Nickel Plate District, constructing a state-of-the art 40,000 square foot facility. We partnered with Meyer Najem to master lease the second floor of that building, providing leased office space to local entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Memory Ventures CEO, Anderson Schoenrock, caught wind of the emerging entrepreneurial culture in Fishers and will soon relocate his company to Fishers from Los Angeles to be a part of it. He’s among the first round of tenants to lease space in Meyer Najem’s second floor office suite.
The Nickel Plate District Redevelopment has already begun to create a sense of place in our downtown area. We hosted well over 100,000 patrons at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater last season for concerts, festivals, community events and farmers markets.
I’m very proud of the success we’re having with new business in the Nickel Plate District, but our work has only just begun. In the coming months, we will continue, and further, the smart growth conversation. I look forward to engaging our community in this discussion.
In the meantime, as the Nickel Plate District projects reach their completion the activity therein will increase.
The Depot at Nickel Plate will be completed this April, with space still for additional retail tenants. Already, the Depot will host Brixx Pizza and women’s fashion boutique Dottie Couture, which had a successful grand opening just a few weeks ago.
The old KFC site on Lantern Road will soon become “The Edge”, a three-story multi-use development that will house Community Health Network medical offices with additional space for retail, office suites and restaurants. The development will also add free public parking on nights and weekends in the facility’s garage. “The Edge” is slated to be complete in fall 2015.
Part of The Switch project will also be complete in fall 2015. Another Broken Egg Café was just announced as the first retail tenant and there’s space for additional restaurants, retail and office suites.
The Central Green will add public green space that will surely be enjoyed by those living, working and playing in the Nickel Plate District during the spring and summer months.
A thriving local business scene is essential to smart growth and we’re committed to not only working to attract new businesses but to support, retain and grow our existing businesses. And you can help, too. Our businesses – new and old -- need your support. We encourage you to Shop Fishers every chance you get.
All of our development efforts, in the Nickel Plate District and throughout the city, are aimed at ensuring that Fishers remains a thriving community with continued opportunities for economic growth and development. Together, we’ll see a smart, vibrant entrepreneurial community take shape before our eyes.