(Indianapolis, IN) – The Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s board of directors has approved a total of 17 projects that represent the first $131 million investment from the Lilly Endowment in support of READI blight redevelopment projects across the state.
Several historic but vacant or underused schools in the Accelerate Rural Indiana (ARI) region will be preserved and repurposed for $3.2 million.
These include the redevelopment of the former Ward School in Batesville into a retail incubator; the Greensburg Learning Center conversion of unused classrooms into 168 childcare seats; and the redevelopment of St. Mary’s School in Greensburg into apartments, short-term rentals, and an event space.
“We’re extremely excited at the Board’s approval for the ‘Rural Schools Reimagined’ projects, and thank both the Lilly Endowment and the IEDC/READI program for providing this opportunity for the Accelerate Rural Indiana Region to unlock the potential of these blighted properties in our communities,” said ARI Regional Development Authority (RDA) Chair Bryan Robbins. “What were once slowly deteriorating abandoned schools will now again serve the residents as childcare facilities, multifamily housing, townhomes, a business incubator, and furnished long-term rental space— all thanks to an ideal example of a public/private partnership. We appreciate the confidence placed in the region and are ready to hit the ground running.”
Robbins is also the Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation of Greensburg/Decatur County.
The ARI RDA consists of the cities of Batesville, Greensburg, Rushville and Shelby plus Decatur, Rush and Shelby counties.
In the Southeastern Indiana – or SEI READI – region, plans call to use $2 million to revitalize Brookville’s Historic Preservation District on Main Street by demolishing vacant or blighted buildings by 2028.
SEI READI is made up of Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley, Ohio, Switzerland, and Union counties.
IEDC says projects were selected based on their potential for economic impact, community benefit, local match, scale, and creativity.
Future projects will continue to include diverse uses such as infill housing, brownfield redevelopment, office-to-residential conversions, and district creation for both rural and urban communities.
The complete list of approved projects can be found at IndianaREADI.com.
