INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — More than $1 million is being invested on the east side of Indianapolis after two grants were awarded to the Edna Martin Christian Center for an expansion.

The $1.7 million will expand and create multiple programs as well as fund the expansion of the second campus at the Legend and Legacy Center, 2259 Ralston Ave. in Indianapolis.

The grants come from an $800,000 Community Economic Development grant from the federal Office of Community Services and a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant from HUD via the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development.

Projects that will be funded in Phase 2 include:

The Community Solutions and Entrepreneurship Center: launch or expand businesses and address neighborhood problems

Pastor Frank Alexander Memorial Senior Room: space for senior citizens in the community, named after a former executive director and local pastor.

Henry Blair Farm: urban farm that address food-relief providing fresh vegetables in the Martindale-Brightwood food desert.

Expanded Kitchen Facilities: feed kids in the out-of-school-time and preschool programs. Serving 300 people a day.

Renovated and expanded playscape.

New business partnership and jobs: Land-use agreement with Piper Logistics to share resources, generating more jobs.

Level-3 Paths -to-Quality Day Care: second-location daycare at Legends and Legacy Center reached Level-3 quality and is ready to take on more children.

“They uplift, they educate, they inspire and they assist. No matter who you are, where you come form, what you look like, or how much you have or don’t have,” said U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, a Democrat from Indianapolis.

Over the last two years, $15 million has been invested into the campus.

The idea behind the investment is to improve quality of life and increase resources available to those on the east side neighborhood.

“What is created by the east side, on the east side, needs to stay in the east side,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, also a Democrat.

Once the campus expansion is done, it is expected to serve 800 people at capacity. Construction is set to begin this spring and Phase 2 should be completed by the fall.