Unlocking Economic Potential Along the West Washington Street Corridor
A Strategic Vision for Growth
The West Washington Street Corridor Study represents a bold step toward transforming one of Indianapolis' most underutilized commercial corridors. A collaboration between the City of Indianapolis, Develop Indy, and the Indianapolis Airport Authority, this study provides a clear roadmap for economic development, phased investment, and long-term transformation. This effort builds upon a previous 2018 West Side Vision Plan, but with a more focused approach—zeroing in on key parcels along West Washington Street from I-465 to the Hendricks County line. The strategy particularly leverages the adjacency of Indianapolis International Airport as a catalyst for investment, positioning the corridor as a gateway for future development.
My Role: Strategy, Implementation & Developer Engagement
As part of this initiative, I played a key role in shaping the strategy and guiding its implementation, ensuring that the study moved beyond planning into real economic development opportunities.
Project Development & Consultant Coordination – My team, alongside partners at the Indianapolis Airport Authority, recognized the need for a focused development plan to unlock the corridor’s economic potential. We engaged MKSK as a consultant to help shape a strategy that aligned with market realities, infrastructure needs, and public-private investment opportunities.
Shaping the Vision – My role was to provide internal staff support for the project, working closely with the consultant team to define development priorities, feasibility, and investment potential for key sites along the corridor.
Implementation & Developer Engagement – Once the strategy was complete, I took the lead on matchmaking with developers, connecting potential investors with strategic opportunities along West Washington Street.
Land Assembly & Infrastructure Coordination – Successful corridor transformation requires aligning land ownership, utilities, and city investment tools like Tax Increment Financing (TIF). I worked on identifying key sites for assembly, evaluating infrastructure phasing, and coordinating city resources to support catalytic development projects.
Impact & Next Steps
The West Washington Street Corridor Study goes beyond vision-setting—it’s an actionable framework for economic growth. By outlining immediate, short-term, and long-term projects, this plan provides a step-by-step approach to implementation, ensuring that development momentum continues in the years ahead.
With the Indianapolis Airport Authority as a major partner, there is now an unprecedented opportunity to activate key parcels, attract investment, and create new economic hubs that benefit both local businesses and the broader Indianapolis community.
As implementation continues, this corridor has the potential to become a thriving economic gateway for the west side, leveraging its strategic location and untapped assets for transformative change.
Learn more about the project at WestWashingtonIndy.com.