A Platform for change.
Great neighborhoods are more than well-cared-for homes. They’re also thriving businesses, great schools, parks, and churches. They’re safe and beautiful. They’re great places to live and work and visit and raise kids.
For 20 years, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has been helping Indianapolis neighborhoods change and grow. Now, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, we’ve created something new: a one-of-a-kind hub for people and organizations working to revitalize neighborhoods. It’s called The Platform. And it’s going to be a launching pad for Indianapolis neighborhood success stories.
A big idea for a great space.
LISC partnered with the City of Indianapolis to develop The Platform in the west wing of the historic Indianapolis City Market—at the heart of government, business, and culture in our city. This space had been difficult for the City to fill—so difficult that it had been considered for demolition. But The Platform creatively repurposes obsolete space for a new use. And our plan to use as much recycled material as possible in our renovations makes The Platform a model of efficient, thoughtful— and frankly, really cool—architectural design.
It’s a design center—and a lot more.
Indianapolis is one of the largest cities in America without a community design center. So it’s fitting that we’ll be the first with a next-generation neighborhood revitalization center that incorporates not only design (happening in 2013), but also lots of other resources needed to support grass-roots change. The Platform is home to:
- LISC
- The Indy Winter Farmer’s Market
- The Indiana Association for Community Economic Development (IACED)
- The Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development (ICND)
- The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc.
- Growing Places Indy
- Wishard Health Programs
- IFF
- The Indianapolis City Market Corporation
The American Institute of Architects and Ball State University will have a presence at The Platform, too–along with many other people and organizations working in Indianapolis neighborhoods. The Platform is a place to collaborate, dream, incubate partnerships, and get things done.
A place to grow.
Urban farm pioneers, Growing Places Indy, is one of The Platform’s tenants. It’s fitting that this place that’s so connected with local food should be the home of the area’s leading advocates and practitioners of growing food in the city. They’re also responsible for the Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market, which is held at The Platform from November through April.
But that’s not the only business we expect to grow at The Platform. We’re offering flexible co-working spaces for social entrepreneurs looking to make a difference in Indianapolis neighborhoods. It’s an ideal environment for sharing ideas, rubbing elbows with others who care about neighborhoods, and launching a successful neighborhood improvement venture.
The sky’s the limit.
There’s no end to the possible uses for The Platform. Community events. Meetings. Installations. Design charettes and other collaborations. It’s a flexible space that can be arranged in numerous configurations for different events. We plan to start accepting reservations for all these uses in January 2013.
Most of all, The Platform is a place for ideas to make our neighborhoods great. Find out more by contacting LISC at (317) 454-8486, or visit The Platform website at theplatformindy.org.