Plainfield details next phase of downtown redevelopment
PLAINFIELD, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The town of Plainfield is moving full steam ahead with plans to redevelop its downtown.
Leaders in the Hendricks County town say they are considering the construction of a government center, along with a performing and fine arts center.
The new facilities are among several recommendations in the Conceptual Downtown Redevelopment Plan adopted by the Plainfield Town Council in December 2017. The town tapped Indianapolis-based RATIO Architects to study and provide design concepts for the facilities, which were released Tuesday.
“With the growth of Plainfield, town staff is busting at the seams in their current town hall facility; some employees are working in hallways and in closets,” Town Council President Robin Brandgard said in a news release. “A new Plainfield municipal building is actually the cost-savings solution (based on the age and condition of existing Town Hall) as we plan for the next 50 to 100 years.”
The new facilities would be on the corner of Center and Main streets in downtown Plainfield, replacing the existing Plainfield Municipal Building. They would be situated across the street from the new parking structure, on which the town broke ground in May.
According to the plans, the government center would be an adjoining building to the larger performing and fine arts center. The latter would include a 600-seat auditorium in an effort to bring more entertainment options to the town’s Downtown District. The town says it is working with the Hendricks County Arts Council as a partner for the facility.
“This new performing arts center is going to change the entire entertainment profile for Hendricks County,” said Peg Glover, president of the Hendricks County Arts Council. “The Arts Council is proud to be working with the Town on the development of this exciting new performance venue. The vision of this top-quality facility promises to attract first-rate performances.”
The town said the government center and performing and fine arts center would become a “centerpiece of downtown Plainfield.” An estimated cost of the project or a timeline for its construction were not provided.