Council Creates Economic Development Area for Madison Avenue

The City County Council agreed to create an Economic Development Area for a southern part of Indianapolis. Councilor Jeff Miller thinks the future along Madison Avenue is bright.

"This actually raises the awareness of the need for redevelopment," he said.  "I've had four different developers call me just asking 'when is this going through? Where do you recommend going  because I am excited.  I want to be part of this.'  That's the type of momentum we want.  We want people to look at this and say 'I want to be part of a wave.  Something is going to come.' Miller is one of the sponsors of the ordinance creating the Development Area which the Council approved Monday night.

Miller says Tax Increment Finance Districts could eventually be set up in the area, but whatever happens, he thinks development is important there because of its proximity to the University of Indianapolis.

"When UIndy showed up and testified and said 'We don't just want people to come here and work, we want them to live,' they are actually giving incentives for people to live in the surrounding area, you get money back, if you will be willing to live and work in the area," he said "but they also want to invest in a mile, two mile radius around the University, so it's very exciting."

Also at last night’s council meeting, members decided to re-elect Democrats Maggie Lewis as President and John Barth as vice president.