Team conducts input session for CTP master plan

Consultants of the Certified Technology Park project presented the master plan of the CTP and redevelopment strategies to the general public Tuesday evening at Bloomington City Hall.

The CTP consists of 65 acres in downtown Bloomington and is home to several technology companies and professional offices. Of the 65 acres, 12 are owned by the City of Bloomington and are the subject of the master plan.

CTPs are created as a vehicle to advance the growth of high-technology businesses and to promote technology transfer opportunities.

Possibilities for phase one include renovation of the printing services and IU Press
buildings as well as reconstruction of Tenth Street and the nearby alley. Other phase one possibilities entail Madison Street construction, new central open space and the removal of the Food Services building.

“The ultimate goal is not city ownership but providing infrastructure improvement and providing the opportunity for private redevelopment,” said Danise Alano-Martin, director of economic and sustainable development for the City of Bloomington.

Alano-Martin said other redevelopment goals were to create jobs and merge the area into the fabric of downtown.

“Part of the plan is to provide the city recommendations with priority projects,” Alano-Martin said.

Craig Gossman is the principal for MKSK, one of the architectural firms working to create the design concept for the CTP. He said there are options for the cities to sell or lease buildings such as the printing services and IU Press buildings.

“What we don’t want to do is destroy the original voice of the architecture,” Gossman said.

Alano-Martin said the multidisciplinary team wants to see the buildings reused and new businesses opened in the area.

“Ultimately the benefit is the redevelopment of properties that are downtown, integrating them into the fabric of downtown, keeping with Bloomington’s character and hopefully creating opportunities for new employment,” Alano-Martin said.

Gossman said there are also possibilities for a visitor’s center along the B-Line trail.
Alano-Martin said the multidisciplinary team will spend a lot of time designing and engineering the project.

She said the project is probably a 15- to 20-year effort on part of the private sector and city.

“(We are) gathering this feedback and refining the plan, so that it can be in the format (to) be presented to the city’s redevelopment commission.