Urban Patch Selected for Indy’s Plan 2020 CityCorps Fellowship Program

National and Local Thought Leaders to Address Indy’s Opportunities

New Fellowship program to work with Plan 2020 to apply research and data to city-building projects

INDIANAPOLIS – Ten emerging leaders from Indianapolis and around the country will address some of the opportunities and challenges facing Marion County as part of Plan 2020’s CityCorps Fellowship Program. The CityCorps Fellows will work with Plan 2020, the Bicentennial plan for Indianapolis, to infuse cutting edge thought leadership, research and data to advance the ideas and strategies being developed by Plan 2020.

The CityCorps Fellowship program engages the best and brightest from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds to apply their talents to improving neighborhoods, increasing connectivity, advancing workforce development and promoting civic engagement in Marion County.

“The fellowship program is a unique opportunity for emerging leaders to contribute to a city-wide planning initiative that will help craft the future of Marion County,” said Brad Beaubien, Planning Administrator for Plan 2020. “The Fellows will do more than just brainstorm new ideas, they will operationalize their ideas and deliver something that is both innovative, but also supported by data and research.”

Each of the Plan 2020 themes: Choose Indy, Connect Indy, Love Indy, Serve Indy and Work Indy will have two Fellows assigned to provide insights and research to advance a specific charge, value proposition or strategy that is emerging during the Plan 2020 process.

Fellows were selected based on a project proposal submitted to the Plan 2020 team. Proposals were evaluated based on the contribution their idea had on envisioning and improving the future of Indianapolis.

“The CityCorps Fellows are a group of individuals who are passionate about cities and have a desire to influence the future of our community,” said Tamara Zahn, Plan 2020’s Fellowship Coordinator. “We look forward to leveraging their thought leadership and creativity to improve the vitality of our community.”

The CityCorps Fellowship program is jointly funded by the Lilly Endowment and Community Development Block Grants.

The Fellows will present their ideas and final projects on November 12 at The Hall. The public is welcome to attend the Symposium to learn about the ideas and research shaping the future of Marion County.

The 2014 Plan 2020 CityCorps Fellows include:

Choose Indy Fellows

–        Sara Vanslambrook (working in conjunction with Local Initiatives Support Corporation), Indianapolis

Blueprint for an Authentic and Vibrant Urban Village

This project creates a blueprint for developing urban villages in existing Indianapolis neighborhoods and also outlines a process for organizing neighborhood partnerships with professional designers, real estate developers, cultural organizations and social service groups to develop new centers for urban neighborhoods.

–        Justin Garrett Moore (working in conjunction with Urban Patch LLC), New York City

CrossRoads: A City of Neighborhoods at the Intersection of Access and Opportunity

CrossRoads will explore a network of signature place-based investments that guide growth, enhance community and cultural identity, and integrate recurring neighborhood celebrations.

Connect Indy Fellows

–        Daniel Remington, Indianapolis

Gap Analysis of the Greenway and On Street Network – Bike Infrastructure Planning

This project analyzes gaps in current bicycle plans, community input and infrastructure recommendations to propose new bike friendly connections along previously undeveloped areas of the city.

–        Ron Taylor (working in conjunction with Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group LLC),  Indianapolis

Program Development for Broader Engagement with Indy Greenways

The Indy Greenways will be evaluated through a “social programming” lens to find ways that the greenways can become more usable and applicable to a larger audience of residents.

Love Indy Fellows

–        Lauren Day, Indianapolis

Mapping the Third Places

Mapping the Third Places defines, identifies and focuses on selected “third places” or primary social gathering places in Indy.

–        Camryn Walton, Indianapolis

People of Indy

This project creates a “Love Indy” campaign complete with social media and street interviews to find out why people love where they live.

Serve Indy Fellows

–        Efrem Bycer, San Diego

Engaging a City, Growing a Community

Engaging a City, Growing a Community examines ways in which Indianapolis and other cities across the country have sought to civically engage volunteers with a particular focus on young professionals (Millennials).

–        Una Osili (working in conjunction with IU Family School of Philanthropy), Indianapolis

Evidence Based Engagement: Benchmarks and Best Practices in Urban Service

A project  providing an analysis of best practices in urban civic engagement that highlights pathways of actions for collaboration among local stakeholders—including our City’s colleges and universities, public agencies, nonprofit organizations and business leaders — to foster a renewed sense of service in Indianapolis.

Work Indy Fellows

–        Denver Hutt, Indianapolis

Growing the Indy Economy through Targeted Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support

This project will inventory established and emerging business incubators, including assessing business start-up resources; research resources supporting entrepreneurship in four other cities; and identifying programming, policy and resources that contribute to a robust and supportive environment for business start-ups.

–        Ashton Chaffee, Indianapolis

Map Indy

Map Indy will examine “innovation corridors” to apply research to Indianapolis’ industry clusters and neighborhoods that have the potential to foster additional development. The project will also identify policy and other recommendations on fostering innovation clusters as one economic development strategy.

About Plan 2020

Plan 2020, the Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis, defines a new approach to planning in Indianapolis. Plan 2020 meshes community vision, values and strategy with an unprecedented, coordinated update to core city government plans. The plan is a collaboration between the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Department of Metropolitan Development and community leaders to make Indianapolis a better place to live, work and visit.

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