BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A new 40-foot tall, illuminated gateway is coming to Bloomington this fall.
The gateway welcoming people to Bloomington is constructed of powder-coated aluminum, and will display the name "Bloomington" with a customizable color palette of LED lights behind it.
The monolith-style gateway will be installed on the north end of Miller-Showers Park, 100 W. 17th St., according to city leaders.
The Gateways Project was one of seven approved as part of the 2018 Bicentennial Bonds.
Architects at Rundell Ernstberger Associates, an Indianapolis-based landscape architecture firm, designed the element with input from city staff and officials, the Bloomington Arts Council, and residents over the past five years, the city said.
"The monolith's flower bud and vein structural appearance is a nod to the origins of Bloomington's name. White settlers that arrived in this area in 1818 were impressed by the haven of blooms' they encountered, and named their settlement Bloomington," a statement from the city said of the project.
Initial concepts at multiple locations were explored and shared with the public before COVID delayed the project, city leaders told 13News.
When the project resumed in 2022, the potential locations were narrowed to two options: Miller Showers Park and the Arlington Pedestrian Bridge.
The design is intended to reflect the extensive green infrastructure and native plantings at Miller-Showers Park, as well as Bloomington's commitment to promote native plants and diversity and to the city's longtime status as a Tree City USA, the city said.
“The Bicentennial gateway will proudly welcome residents and visitors to Bloomington and also give them a final image before they leave,” Mayor John Hamilton said. “Bringing design that reflects the story of our City and the ideas of residents is the perfect way to bookend people’s time in Bloomington. It represents both a nod to our past and a gift to the future.”
The Gateway piece will be manufactured by bo-mar Industries of Beech Grove.
Those internal LED lights will be color-controllable, city leaders said, so the gateway can match events in Bloomington as it welcomes visitors for events.
The light is not designed to shine up or out in an unshielded fashion so that it does not become a significant source of light pollution.
Contractor Reed and Sons was awarded a contract for $575,000 in July for the site improvement work. An additional contract for $395,105 was awarded to bo-mar in May for the fabrication of the gateway itself.
REA received $133,925 for the research and design.
