New communications effort to get underway in March . . .
By JOHN DITSLEAR
Mayor of Noblesville
Since the Noblesville Common Council’s approval of the Levinson mixed-use project on Feb. 12, my administration has continued developing a comprehensive communications plan for the downtown.
We understand the public’s concern about the coming challenges we face. As with any project of this size in an urban environment – 83 modern apartments, 5,100 square feet of commercial retail and a 300-space parking garage – there are bound to be disruptions. Our goal is to minimize any inconvenience for residents, businesses and visitors to ensure our downtown district continues to thrive throughout the Levinson’s construction – and beyond. After all, downtown is “the heart of it all.”
Thankfully, the city is not alone. We look forward to working with Noblesville Chamber, Noblesville Main Street and Nickel Plate Arts, in addition to local media, to reach the widest audience possible so everyone has the relevant information they need to enjoy our downtown.
Our plan will deploy several strategies, including but not limited to direct outreach by the economic development department to our businesses, social media and a microsite with project information – as well as a way to sign up to receive updates.
Until the city officially launches this campaign in March, below is the latest information on the Levinson that I’d like to share based on the details we are aware of today:
- Construction will most likely be staged at a location outside of downtown.
- City Lot No. 3, where the Levinson will be built off Maple Avenue between Eighth and Ninth streets, will remain open until Friday, March 28. That’s when the lot will close as preparations for construction get underway.
- Construction was initially planned to last from March 2019 until the parking garage opens in January 2020 and the apartments follow in fall 2020. The city will update the public if the targeted completion dates have changed.
- The Noblesville Police Department has already informed current Lot No. 3 permit holders of which lots they are to use during construction – at a reduced rate given the inconvenience.
Of course, the Levinson isn’t the only project happening in Noblesville. We plan to use this platform across the entire community as other projects in the Noblesville NOW capital improvement plan get underway and continue to make progress, and possibly for updates on other downtown projects like the streetlight swap, alley activation, façade grant projects, trail extensions and more.
So stay tuned for many more updates to come from the City of Noblesville. We are excited for what the Levinson will add to our community, but we certainly appreciate the public’s concerns. Together, we can help support the continued success of our downtown.