It’s what every neighborhood wants: a vibrant commercial district with great shops and restaurants within walking distance of home. That’s what LISC has set out to create with the FOCUS (Fostering Commercial Urban Strategies) initiative.
FOCUS is a program designed to jumpstart commercial development and opportunity in Indianapolis’s urban neighborhoods. Developed by LISC Indianapolis in partnership with the Central Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development, and the City of Indianapolis, FOCUS’s goal is to build long-lasting relationships that connect neighborhoods with businesses and other new resources in a way that helps drive and support neighborhood revitalization. FOCUS’s efforts are centered in established corridors inside and out of Downtown Indianapolis where commerce exists and neighborhood businesses have a chance to succeed.
Since 2001, LISC has invested nearly $9 million in a wide range of corridor projects. Over this time, the corridors have used that investment to generate an additional $53 million, for a total combined investment in the corridors of nearly $62 million. It’s investment that’s moving urban neighborhoods forward -- improving the quality of life for residents, attracting visitors, and providing businesspeople with vital, growing businesses that serve real needs.
Though many of the FOCUS tools are available to commercial districts throughout Marion County, LISC has targeted four FOCUS corridors for intensive investment:
• East 10th Street
• Fountain Square
• Irvington
• North Meridian Street
Stimulating Local Economic Activity