While city officials prepare to vote on a tax incentive package for a data center project in Martindale Brightwood, the developer is hoping to sweeten the deal by offering $22.5 million in community investments.
Indy Economic Development, Inc. — a nonprofit that acts as the city’s economic development organization — held a community meeting Oct. 7 to discuss the proposed $56 million tax incentive package for the data center Metrobloks, a Los Angeles-based developer, plans to build on the site of the former Sherman Drive-In Theater.
The economic organization said the meeting was held for transparency and to continue to engage with the community. Many residents, though, left with more questions than answers on how the community would benefit from the data center. And many are still insistent they don’t want the project in the neighborhood at all.
Cierra Johnson, president of neighborhood group One Voice, is a longtime Martindale Brightwood resident and lives near the site. But after seeing how city officials and developers have treated the neighborhood over the project, Johnson said she has considered moving.
“As much as I love my other community members, I cannot sacrifice the health and safety of my family for any reason,” Johnson said.
The planned data center near 25th Street and Sherman Drive would be close to homes, a public library and one of the area’s only grocery stores. For the past year, community members have cited concerns about environmental pollution, rising utility costs and offering tax breaks for a development that provides few long-term jobs.
In addition to the $56 million in tax savings for Metrobloks, a potential tenant of the property could save up to $339 million on the purchase of new equipment.
At the meeting, Johnson asked Indy Economic Development president and CEO Andrea Richter-Garry if residents would receive financial assistance to relocate or if direct payments would be sent to community members or local businesses.
The answer was no on both accounts. Instead, Richter-Garry said benefits would come from an inclusion plan for the community — a payment to the community for childcare, workforce training or infrastructure required by city policy. For Metrobloks, that inclusion plan payment would be $22.5 million.
In Martindale Brightwood, that money would go toward infrastructure improvements, parks and community grants, but the recipients of those funds have not been identified.
With the inclusion plan, $4.5 million would go to these community improvements up front. Then, $2 million would go toward the community each year for the next nine years.
Pastor worries about ‘polite racism’
The Rev. Denell Howard, pastor at Hovey Street Church of Christ, said Indy Economic Development officials are not listening to the community.
“They are just telling us what they’re going to do,” Howard said. “The community, from the beginning, has been saying no.”
Howard said predominantly Black communities like Martindale Brightwood are often taken advantage of. He called it “polite racism.”
“It’s like, I’ll give you $2 million per year to disrupt your entire way of being, to overlook your quality of life plan and to run through your community like I want to for $2 million,” Howard said.
Martindale Brightwood has a history of environmental injustice and unwanted land uses in the neighborhood, said resident MaCie Weathers. For decades, residents have dealt with pollutants and contaminated soil from manufacturers that have since left the neighborhood — like the former American Lead facility that resulted in hundreds of homes requiring cleanup after lead was found in the soil.
Weathers doesn’t think there are any impactful benefits the neighborhood would receive from the potential $22.5 million community payment.
“Could there be in 10, 20 years from now? My answer is no,” she said. “And will that community even be ours by the time those benefits come?”
Weathers said it seems like a decision has already been made about the development and tax abatements. Now, she hopes Martindale Brightwood residents can come together and find meaningful ways to continue to support the community.
“How can we share our voice, share our thoughts, and be a part of the process?”
What’s Next
The Metropolitan Development Commission is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on the tax abatements at 1 p.m. Oct. 21 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St.
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Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
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