The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is moving forward with redevelopment at LEVEE, a premier 91-acre hub at the former General Motors (GM) Stamping Plant site on the western edge of downtown Indianapolis. A zoning modification set to be submitted outlines an updated master plan to reflect the growing vision for the site as a collaborative live, work and play hub designed to drive health care and life sciences innovation and talent.
"Indiana’s LEVEE district embodies our strategic focus – to build industries of the future and vibrant communities that enable all Hoosiers to prosper,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg. “This site represents a unique opportunity to transform the state’s capital city, expand downtown Indianapolis and cultivate a new, innovative and bustling ecosystem. We can’t wait to partner with like-minded, forward-thinking businesses and developers to bring this vision to life and impact the city’s landscape for generations to come.”
The IEDC, which purchased the site in 2020, has made significant strides in priming LEVEE for development, undertaking critical infrastructure such as new roads and sidewalks – a first step in transforming the blighted industrial site into a transformative, mixed-use urban renewal project that will bring new life and vibrancy to the west side of the White River. Now, 30 acres of land at LEVEE is ripe for development, and the IEDC is marketing the site to potential buyers, partners and end users to attract industry, innovation and talent.
LEVEE gets its name from the Latin word “levare,” meaning “to lift up” and plays tribute to the site’s history, honoring the levee along the White River that long protected the GM Stamping Plant and has paved the way for reuse. The updated development plan focuses on fostering Indiana’s robust life sciences ecosystem – an ideal complement to the site’s first tenant, Elanco Animal Health, and its planned One Health Innovation partnership with Purdue University – and features strategic urban design emphasizing greenspace and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to support commercialization and high-density residential living.
The concept, which is available online at iedc.in.gov/levee, outlines diverse opportunities for development within the remaining 30 acres, including the potential to house up to 550,000 square feet of research and development hub space, 1.6 million square feet of planned housing space, 1.2 million square feet of planned office space and 290,000 square feet of planned retail space. This vision for LEVEE, which was developed in close collaboration with its residential neighbors, will create a new, interconnected destination for research, development and commercialization, accelerating economic and community growth on the west side of the state’s capital city.
“The Valley Neighborhood has long understood, given its location and geography, the importance and significance of development in that historic part of our neighborhood now commonly referred to as the former GM Stamping Plant,” said Jay Napoleon, resident and president of the Valley Neighborhood Association. “With that knowledge we appreciate the concept of ‘Levee,’ which sets the stage for a true expansion and understanding of what it means to live, play and work in downtown Indianapolis. Levee, with its emphasis on ‘green space and pedestrian friendly infrastructure,’ helps make real the Valley Neighborhood’s long held commitment to assure our residents an enhanced quality of life in downtown Indianapolis based on twin pillars of equity and inclusion.”
LEVEE is a first-of-its-kind urban renewal project led by the IEDC to drive economic development, innovation and talent retention and attraction efforts. Learn more about other plug-in ready sites available in Indiana, including the LEAP Research & Innovation District, online.
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