MUNCIE - Out with the old, and in with the new.
That mentality has been the driving force behind years of downtown Muncie redevelopment, with many officials working beyond politics and self-interests to reach a common goal. Difficult financial times once hindered these efforts, but it may be the recession that helped spark downtown's biggest addition to date.
Ivy Tech Community College recently announced plans to expand its Muncie campus, acquiring multiple buildings downtown to accommodate the school's rapidly increasing enrollment. The local spike can be largely attributed to the loss of many local long-term jobs, making reeducation a priority for many Delaware County residents.
"They're the ones who actually came - they're the heroes who actually came to Muncie's aid," Bruce Frankel, urban planning professor and Ball State University Department of Architecture chair, said.
Frankel holds years of professional experience in his field, having served as both a government consultant and CEO of his own development company. He was quick to stress the impact Ivy Tech will have on the surrounding areas, but he said it may not be enough to sustain the long-term future of downtown Muncie.
"Probably more so than any other single activity that I can think of, but probably not enough to represent a renaissance," Frankel said, arguing the city must also invest in the entire neighborhood circling downtown. "I would work on the donut and the surrounding inside of the donut."
Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley said she has focused her efforts in the immediate downtown area, working from the inside-out. Her office's recent efforts can be traced to the struggling Roberts Hotel, located across from Muncie's Horizon Conference Center and Children's Museum.
"I personally believe the downtown is the heart and soul of a community and redevelopment should start there and spread to the surrounding areas," McShurley said. "My focus has been to remove the blight, clear up administrative problems we inherited and resolve the hotel issue."
THE GOOD: Ivy Tech expansion
Cheryl Crowder remembers just over a decade ago when downtown Muncie was not a desirable place to be. At the time, the historic district stood almost entirely unutilized, whereas Crowder said downtown now features a 90 percent occupancy rate, vibrant nightlife and hundreds of residents and visitors walking the streets daily.
What she once considered a "dirty and scary place" has transformed in just 10 years into a neighborhood Crowder is proud to call the "heart of the city."
Now serving as event director for the Macomb Downtown Development office, Crowder was more than pleased with the recently unveiled plans to expand the Ivy Tech downtown campus.
Vast improvements in the downtown region did not go unnoticed by Ivy Tech and city officials, with both staking a huge claim in the area. In a collaborative effort, the community college acquired the former Star Press building in early September from the Muncie Redevelopment Commission.
That donation came just weeks after Ivy Tech was bestowed part of the $20 million Fisher Building - the current location of The Star Press, among other offices. The Ivy Tech Foundation made its own contribution, donating more than $2 million to develop the recently acquired properties.
Add Ivy Tech's pending purchase of the Whitinger building and the college will soon hold a dominating presence on the southwest side of downtown. Crowder said she is confident the benefits will resonate across the city's center.
"(Adding) 2,500 students daily will bring new business, expansion of existing businesses, new construction and a widening of the circle of the services available downtown," Crowder said.
McShurley expressed the same enthusiasm at a Sept. 3 press conference when the announcement was made official. Both she and Ivy Tech's Gail Chesterfield, chancellor of the college's east-central region, were passionate about the increased relationship between the school and community.
"I am hopeful that we can benefit from each other," Chesterfield said. "This is not a new concept - other cities have embraced their colleges and universities and they are very successful."
Chesterfield, who has claimed Delaware County as home since the mid-1970s, said she has seen the highs and lows of downtown Muncie over the past four decades, but she is confident Ivy Tech's improved presence will aid in the final restoration efforts.
"Ivy Tech is committed to being a good neighbor, to partner with the city of Muncie, the Chamber of Commerce and downtown businesses to help with economic development opportunities," Chesterfield said. "I think the time is right for many things to come together to make this a very successful endeavor."
THE 'BOB': The Roberts Hotel
Just down the road from the future downtown home of Ivy Tech rests the unoccupied Roberts Hotel. Closed since 2006, the historic structure has faced its share of trials and tribulations, and the building's integrity may be at stake the longer it remains dormant.
The hotel's current owner, Peter Dvorak, attempted last spring to transform the classic building into contemporary apartments geared toward college students, calling it "The Bob." The plan has since been delayed due to multiple unsettled financial matters, but Dvorak said in recent Star Press reports that Ivy Tech's expansion may provide an opportunity to reattempt the project.
McShurley said she has remained proactive in the hotel's future, working with Dvorak and other concerned parties to monitor the hotel's progress. Regardless what future the building holds, she said the city will continue its hands-on approach to accommodate downtown's growing needs.
"I personally have no preference, but want to see it being used," McShurley said. "If the building is reinvented into a residential facility of some kind, then I do believe we will be able to attract a hotel to aid in the long-term viability of the Convention Center."
Frankel said there is a market for downtown living facilities, whether that be at the Roberts Hotel or surrounding the immediate area. As the building stands untouched, Frankel said he fears the hotel is deteriorating from neglect, and that Dvorak would be held responsible unless action is soon taken.
"The hotel's problems are not endemic to the hotel, they're endemic to Peter Dvorak being unable to withstand the recession," Frankel said. "Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for a reorganization there, and there will have to be another owner of that facility."
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