Carmel Plans Big Development Around Monon Trail
The city of Carmel has announced a $20 million-$23 million plan to expand the Monon Greenway through two key portions of the city. Officials expect work to widen Monon Boulevard and build a new Midtown Plaza to begin in July.
Construction is slated to be complete in a year and officials say the corridor is part of the ongoing redevelopment of Midtown, which previously served as Carmel’s primary industrial corridor.
Mayor Jim Brainard says "this new expanded Monon Boulevard will quickly become a major epicenter of activity in Midtown and the Arts & Design District; a place where our residents and visitors will be able to take a stroll after a show at the Palladium, walk or bike to dinner or spend a Saturday afternoon with their children and pets on the trail or in one of many new green spaces and plazas. It is also designed to function as a corridor for many who will live and work in this area, providing a safe way to commute to their jobs or take a short walk to the market."
Plans also include green spaces, more trees, arts plazas, community benches, kiosks, a spray plaza, bocce ball court, connections to popular destinations. Midtown Plaza is slated to feature bicycle parking, public art, outdoor cafe space. It will be located near the new $33 million Allied Solutions LLC headquarters.
The city says, on average, more than 300,000 people travel the Monon through the portion between Main Street and the Palladium annually.