INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric Holcomb joined community leaders Tuesday in breaking ground on the 15-acre extension for White River State Park.
Located on the west bank of the White River, on a site once occupied by a General Motors manufacturing facility, officials said the extension is the largest addition to the park since it was founded in the early 1980s.
“White River State Park is a crown jewel for our state, and it’s going to get even better with this latest strategic investment,” Holcomb said. “We are kicking off a new era for the park while simultaneously preserving an important icon of our state’s industrial and manufacturing heritage. Lilly Endowment’s support is once again making a project that has been years in the making into a modern day reality, and we are profusely grateful for their support. When completed, this addition to the White River State Park will serve as a glorious gateway to a vibrant innovation district complemented by this important community asset for nearby residents and visitors alike to enjoy.”
This project is being funded by a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Most of the grant will go toward repurposing the remains of the GM Stamping Plant into an event and community center called "Kahn Pavilion," in honor of the architect, Albert Kahn, who originally designed the stamping plant.
Preserving a piece of Indianapolis history was an "important consideration" for the commission and other stakeholders in developing plans for the park expansion, officials said.
“White River State Park is an extraordinary place that attracts Indiana residents and visitors to downtown Indianapolis to enjoy greenspaces, trails, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Downtown Canal, museums, baseball games, concerts and festivals,” said Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development. “This exciting expansion of the park will provide visitors with desirable amenities, including opportunities to enjoy and engage with the White River, and add to the vibrancy of the new innovation district.”
The park extension will add an extended promenade trail, bench swings, a water feature and a river theater. The new Henry Street Bridge will bring the Indianapolis Cultural Trail into the park extension and will allow for "connectivity to the east bank of the river," officials said. There will also be new greenspaces added.
The extension is located east of the site of Elanco Animal Health’s new global headquarters, north of the Valley Neighborhood and south of the Indianapolis Zoo. As a part of the project, White River Parkway will be realigned to enable travel between Elanco’s headquarters and the park extension.
