Students and faculty of Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) have been in the process of developing a net-zero energy family house on the near-eastside as part of the Solar Decathlon Build Challenge (SDBC) conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy. As part of the project, students will design and build a
On November 4, 2021, the Near Eastside Quality of Life plan partners welcomed over 120 attendees in-person and online to a presentation from the City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works and IndyGo for the conversion of New York Street and Michigan Street into two-way streets beginning in Spring 2023. The meeting lasted over two
John Boner Neighborhood Centers Celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a slew of 70s-themed neighborhood activities throughout the month of October. This month, the community took time to celebrate the history of John Boner Neighborhood Centers. The original center had humble beginnings, starting with a neighborhood need for a general social-service resource. In the spirit of
This past Saturday, August 28th, marked the return of the near eastside festival, Feast of Lanterns. The Feast of Lanterns has storied roots on the eastside, being thrown intermittently since the late 19th century. What once was a late summer event marked by neighbors placing lanterns on their porches has evolved over the past century
Now that our VISTAs have had some time to settle into their respective positions, we felt it was time to introduce you all to our current cohort. These VISTAs will serve a one year term, which started in June. Housed in the John Boner Neighborhood Center, the Promise Zone VISTAs target their efforts towards poverty
“The plan for Stomping Ground has been in the works for nearly 6 years,” says Owner and longtime Near Eastside resident Martha Latta, who recently opened her retail shop and screen-printing studio in the Windsor Park neighborhood. “I work here, I live here, my daughter goes to school here. I feel so fortunate,” says Latta.
In response to the devastating economic effects of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Near East Area Renewal (NEAR), with support of the IndyEast Promise Zone, initiated an interactive campaign from November 9th to the 22nd to increase traffic for food and beverage establishments in the Near Eastside. Event participants were instructed to purchase a meal from
The Build Fund recently received an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Community Services (OCS) that will address community barriers and improve revitalization efforts by providing technical assistance and loans to businesses in the Promise Zone and surrounding Opportunity Zones. A significant portion of the funds are
Restaurant traffic has dramatically declined in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing devastating economic effects across the nation. Restaurants and bars reported losing 48.1% of jobs from February to April, and according to a survey by the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association, more than 4 out of 10 restaurant operators in Indiana say, “it is unlikely they will be in business
Business Ownership Initiative (BOI) received $200,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Program for Investment in Micro-entrepreneurs (PRIME), supporting their Re-Entry Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDi). PRIME grants support economic development by providing technical assistance to organizations that encourage training and education to build, expand, and sustain small businesses with special emphasis placed on organizations that assist