Green spaces, a community area for live pop-up performances and a new public art work are all planned for The Park, which will be built as part of the 16 Tech Innovation District.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, visitors to The AMP who might have stopped by for dinner were also invited to see maps and drawings of what the area might look like in the future. The displays included models for “porches,” a series of roofed structures for sitting or eating outdoors or listening to live music.
The porches, along with garden areas and public art, are being developed by Merritt Chase, a landscape architecture practice based in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, and Studio Barnes, a Miami-based design studio. For over a year, the developers have been working with input from neighbors and other stakeholders, like Herron School of Art and Design, whose sculpture building is located near the 16 Tech Innovation District.
The developers have also included artists in their planning, to find creative ways to incorporate the stories of the neighborhood into The Park. Artists involved include poet Mitchell L. H. Douglas, visual artists Shawn Causey and Mark Danniell; musicians Hanna Benn, Leon Johnson, Jlin, Deantoni Parks and Phil Ranelin; and Kyle Long, a music journalist and the DJ-host-producer of WFYI’s Cultural Manifesto and Echoes of Indiana Avenue.
Shamira Wilson, a visual artist who has worked on projects with the Indiana State Museum, is creating an outdoor work of art. She’s considering using natural materials from the neighborhood, like pigments she made from chicory plants that grow in the area. She also displayed fibers she made from okra plants that could also be part of the future sculpture.
The Park, as well as the development of the 16 Tech Innovation District, which will include The IU LAB, is expected to take two years to complete.
Community members wishing to share their feedback can reach out to 16 Tech or attend a community engagement event that will be announced for late March.
Jennifer Delgadillo is Mirror Indy’s arts and culture editor. You can reach her at jennifer.delgadillo@mirrorindy.org.
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