Indiana Uplands READI Projects & Programs

READI matching funds (up to $10 million) are committed to support infrastructure needs for WestGate, accelerating a new $84 million microelectronics campus that will transform Indiana’s semiconductor industry, attract talent to the region and create high-paying, quality jobs for Hoosiers. This project will leverage more than $300 million in private investment. See the complete announcement the November 21 WestGate One groundbreaking ceremony.

The City of Bloomington will replace 1,570 feet of clay sewer pipe, improving flow from the Catalent facility located at 1300 South Patterson and continuing one mile downstream along an arterial corridor. Replacement of the sewer transmission and distribution lines will allow Catalent to expand its biologics drug substance and drug product manufacturing capabilities in alignment with the company’s April 2022 announcement: Catalent to Invest $350 Million in Integrated Biologics Drug Substance and Drug Product Manufacturing at Bloomington, Indiana, Facility.

The City of Bedford will address sanitary sewer overflows and alleviate hydraulic stress on the east side of the city through the installation of a new gravity sanitary sewer line consisting of approximately 3,000 LF of 18-inch SDR35 pipe from the intersection of 6th and F Street to I Street, and approximately 2,500 LF of 24-inch SDR25 pipe from I Street to the intersection of 10th and O Street.

Cook Group is developing a neighborhood of 99 single-family, owner-occupied homes along Texas Pike Place in Spencer targeted for middle-income wage earners employed at Cook Medical and Cook Group companies. READI funds will be used for water infrastructure: sanitary sewer extension, lift station, water main extension, and water storm construction.

The City of Bloomington will use READI funds for the design and construction of a new 350-foot corridor in the 21-acre Hopewell development site, formerly the location of the IU Health Bloomington Hospital. READI funds will pay for engineering and design, roadway construction, utilities, and construction inspections. The brand new Jackson Street will directly support the redevelopment of the 1947 17,865 square foot Kohr Administration Building, which will eventually house 40 units of affordable housing, serving residents 60% and below Area Median Income. The Jackson Street artery will also support up to 400 housing units in the future on additional parcels.

The French Lick Resort, in partnership with the Orange County Economic Development Partnership, is developing a neighborhood of 27 affordable, single-family, owner-occupied homes near Klondike Road for individuals and families that live and work in Orange County. READI funds will be used for the installation of roadways, sidewalks, drinking water, and wastewater infrastructure.

Southern Indiana Development Commission will launch and operate a Regional Land Bank nonprofit to address blighted, dilapidated, and unsafe housing in six counties in the Uplands region. The Land Band will acquire and rehab properties & return them to the tax rolls to provide new housing, grow industry, create jobs for residents, and revitalize and stabilize neighborhoods. 

Westgate Development LLC and general contractor, Wininger Constuction, Inc., will use READI funding to build out infrastructure (water/sewer) for a 90 single-family home development in Greene County. The development is in close proximity to WestGate@Crane Technology Park, where a November 2022 announcement was made about the construction of a microelectronics facility that will add ~550 jobs to the local economy. Westcott will help add to the supply of housing needed to meet the demand of workers moving to the region.

Premier Property Management / Kerstiens Realty is constructing this affordable workforce housing development at the corner of 3^rd Avenue and Meridian, featuring six buildings and 64 rental units. READI funds will be used to construct ten one-bedroom, income-eligible units at monthly rates not exceeding 30% of the county’s median income.

The City of Loogootee will utilize READI funds to assist in the installation of water and sanitary sewer lines associated with the development of 40 houses.  Located less than 20 miles from NSWC Crane/WestGate, this new area designated for housing will help fill a housing need for workers recruited to launch WestGate’s new microelectronics campus.

Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County will use $315,000 in READI funding to build three affordable homes as part of a larger 69 single-family home development. Osage Place is located on eight acres on the southwest side of Bloomington, west of the intersection of Rockport and Rogers Roads. Homes in the Osage Place neighborhood are built for residents and families with household earnings between 25 and 80 percent of the area median income.

Radius Indiana will utilize READI funding for engineering design and construction management for the south portion of the Monon Trail, extending from Clark County through Washington County and portions of Orange and Lawrence Counties. The 57-mile Monon South rails-to-trail path will be constructed on a former railroad line and will eventually extend 68 miles from Bedford to New Albany’s South Monon Freedom Trail.

To allow for future housing developments in Owen County, BPP Water Corporation will install 9,800 linear feet of water main along State Road 67 to deliver clean water to existing residents, accelerate the decommissioning of contaminated private residential water wells.

The City of Jasper is working to replace its Courthouse Square infrastructure and revitalize the downtown area to bring residents and visitors back to the heart of the community. The project includes installing new sidewalks, asphalt, permeable brick pavers, landscaping, safe street and crosswalk designs, gathering spaces, and upgrading its water and storm infrastructure. READI funding will be applied toward replacing the 100-year-old water lines extending from the downtown square.

The Daviess County 4-H Association will use READI funds to construct a new community building. To be located on eight acres adjacent to Eastside Park in Washington, the Daviess County Youth Expo Center will host 4H activities, meetings, education classes, livestock events, and community events.

This project includes improvements at West Baden Park and creation of a county-wide mural trail connecting the communities of West Baden Springs, Paoli, and Orleans through public art. Park improvements include multi-use trails, playground equipment, lighting, accessible sidewalks, and flood mitigation measures at the Park. The Mural Trail will feature a variety of art exhibits on both private and public buildings, as well as traveling murals that showcase the people, sports, and history of Orange County.

READI funds will be used to install an outdoor classroom with playground equipment. The EEC opened in August 2022 in the former Brown County Intermediate School, with 70 high school students participating in early learning workforce training opportunities at the center. While Brown County Schools has remodeled the former school, the outdoor space has not yet been updated for use by children under the age of six.

The Town of Ellettsville will transform a historic barn at Stewart Park into the Ellettsville Heritage Center, a gathering place and cultural facility for plays, concerts, classes, festivals, cultural development, and artistic enrichment. The center’s interior will include meeting rooms, a networking area, a kitchen, restrooms, a 15-foot stage, and utilities (electric, water, and Wi-Fi).

With only one city park in its community, Loogootee will add another outdoor recreational space to enhance the downtown area and allow for more community activities and events. READI funds will be used by the City of Loogootee to transform a vacant surface lot into green space with an open roofed pavilion, sidewalks, benches, trash receptacles, lighting, fencing, trees, and landscaping to host a variety of events, festivals, and community programs.

This project includes enhancements identified for the second phase of the Dubois County Park Improvement Plan. The Park and Recreation Board will utilize READI funds to update and expand the Activity Zone at the heart of the park with a new splash pad,  playground upgrades, and courts for sporting activities, such as basketball, volleyball, or ping pong.

Youth First will place licensed social workers and graduate school social work interns in Daviess, Dubois, Lawrence, Martin, and Orange K-12 schools. Social workers will work with students to deliver a flexible toolkit of evidence-based mental health and prevention strategies to build the resilience they need to navigate life challenges without seeking relief from substance misuse, suicide, or violence.

Comforting Hearts/Washington Free Methodist Church, in partnership with the Washington Parks Department, will utilize READI funding to construct an all-inclusive playground at Longfellow Park. The playground will feature a protective rubber surface to allow those with wheelchairs and mobility devices to access new inclusive play equipment, including sensory panels and activity walls, seesaw, slides, crawling tubes, climbing pods, swings, and whirl spinner.

Located in Huntingburg’s historic downtown district, this alley recently converted pedestrian-only serves as an access corridor to a number of local retail and restaurant establishments. READI funds will allow Huntingburg to all quality-of-place design features including, planters, lighting, public art, and outdoor tables and chairs that can be utilized by patrons of nearby restaurants.

Following a comprehensive update to its Park and Recreation Plan, the Town of Bloomfield is working towards renovating its park space with amenities including playgrounds, sidewalks, and recreational surfaces such as pickleball and ball courts. It will also add new park benches, picnic tables, and other amenities. The READI funds will cover the pickleball court (coating, fencing, lighting, and asphalt) and asphalt repair.

The City of Bedford will rehabilitate and update the Highway 37 “Welcome to Bedford” Limestone Derrick. In addition to the restoration of the derrick initially erected in 1978, the City of Bedford will install a new welcome sign, concrete pathway, lighting, landscaping, fencing, and limestone bench to allow visitors to access this historic site.

Code/IT Academy is a free, cohort-based program that provides upskilling in IT administration, web development, and associated technologies. After ten weeks of training, participants earn industry-recognized certifications (e.g., CompTIA Security+ certification, LinkedIn IT certificates, and AWS Cloud Practitioner certification). Originally launched in Bloomington, READI funding will allow The Mill to partner with Regional Opportunity Initiatives and Ivy Tech to expand the program first to Washington and Crawford counties and then to the entire Uplands region over the next three years.

Informed by the modern youth apprenticeship model, UpSkill Work and Learn is a 2-3 year opportunity that provides high school students with paid employment, on-the-job and related classroom instruction, college credits, and industry-recognized credentials. Participating students gain skills in regionally relevant positions such as Robotic Tech, Engineering Tech, Business Operations, Information Tech, and CAD Design. READI funding will allow Regional Opportunity Initiatives to scale the program launched in 2022 to all parts of the region over the next three years.