Bloomington announces new North Gateway design after Hamilton debacle
Following tremendous opposition to a 60 foot monolith with halogen lights and the name Bloomington reading vertically was proposed by the Hamilton administration, the city of Bloomington went back to the drawing board to find a more appealing and respectable sign to welcome people into the city.
The updated gateway concept, released in December 2023
The new north gateway design incorporates stacked limestone blocks, approximately 10′ high with the word “Bloomington” in letters mounted to the limestone. The final design also incorporates space for a public art installation, a feature consistently requested by community members.
The reason the original concept was not able to be snuck through former Mayor Hamilton’s lame duck final months is largely due to the heroics of Kyla Cox Deckard, who sits on the Board of Public Works. Deckard refused to grant Mayor Hamilton the green light to build on the easement, which needed to be approved before the construction of this unpopular expenditure of $1.2 Million could begin.
The Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC), in collaboration with Parks and Recreation, will solicit design proposals and select the final art installation concept. Cost for design, fabrication, and installation of the artwork will be paid with Bicentennial Bond funds approved by the Bloomington Common Council in October 2018. Specific budgets, dimensions, and timelines for the public art will be announced by the BAC in a future call for proposals.
A contract addendum with Indianapolis-based landscape architecture firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA), who developed and modified the original Bicentennial Gateway concept, is scheduled for presentation to the Board of Park Commissioners at their regular meeting Jan. 23 at 4 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall, 401 N. Morton St. The addendum includes development of both the final design into construction documents, and the platform and dimensions for the public art installation.
Site improvements planned for Miller-Showers Park will be adjusted to accommodate the updated gateway footprint. Bloomington-based Reed & Sons Construction was awarded a contract in July 2023 to make the site improvements, which include removing invasive Callery pear trees, installing sidewalks, reconstructing the pedestrian island on Gourley Pike and repairing asphalt, landscaping and tree planting.
A 120-foot section of new sidewalk was installed at 1919 College Ave. in November 2023, to facilitate safe pedestrian traffic along the west side of College Ave. A separate bid process will be used to select a contractor for the final construction and installation of the updated Bicentennial Gateway. The contract is subject to review and approval by the Board of Park Commissioners.
Hall proposes tax credit for Hoosiers who buy gun safes, locks
Indiana State Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman) said he wants to encourage more Hoosiers to safely store their firearms through his proposal to offer a $500 tax credit for gun storage expenses.
Hall said House Bill 1318 would provide a credit against a resident’s state income tax liability for the purchase of a qualified firearms storage device. The tax credit would equal the lesser of 20% of the storage expenses, or $500 for an individual filing a single tax return and $250 for a married taxpayer filing separately. Qualified firearms storage devices include a container designed to store firearms securely, like a safe, cabinet or lockbox, and a locking device that prevents a firearm from being operated without first deactivating the lock.
Indiana would join many other states that have passed similar laws including Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine. House Bill 1318 is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.
CDFI Bloomington names John Zody as its newest Executive Director
CDFI Friendly Bloomington, a non-for-profit organization that helps provide financial support to low-income communities and organizations that lack access to traditional financing, has named a new Executive Director, John Zody.
Zody’s online biography states that he is an American public servant, educator, and politician who served as the Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party from 2013-21. Zody, an adjunct instructor at the Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and 2020 Primary Candidate for State Senate District 40. He was also a John Hamilton appointee as the Director for Bloomington’s Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development.
The City of Bloomington, as the public sponsor of the local chapter of CDFI describes the public/private partnership as:
. . . financial intermediaries that provide capital and services to underserved populations – low-income, low-wealth and other disadvantaged groups and areas. For more than 30 years, CDFIs have produced substantial community impact through jobs, affordable housing, and sustainable community facilities, as well as solid financial returns. More than 1,000 CDFIs operate in the U.S., providing billions of dollars of financing annually. But smaller markets, including cities such as Bloomington, often face challenges attracting CDFI financing.
This Week in Hoosier History
1928 – Marvin Wood was born in Morristown, Indiana. He coached the Milan High School basketball team to a state championship in 1954. The victory was the inspiration for the popular movie “Hoosiers.”
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson