New Businesses Launch, Public Safety in the Spotlight, and Orange Barrels in Sight

It's been a busy February in Noblesville.

The past few weeks have been anything but sleepy in Indiana’s 9th largest city.¹ Let’s dive in:

Noblesville Public Safety Blueprint Goes Statewide

Right before legislators returned to the statehouse in January, I wrote an article in the IBJ encouraging them to look to cities like Noblesville for legislative priorities they could implement across Indiana.

Mayor Chris Jensen and our state senator, Scott Baldwin, have shown it can be done with a joint effort to take NobleAct statewide. In Noblesville, the cost to adequately fund public safety is the most significant slice of our expenses—50.1% to be exact. NobleAct helps us identify residents prone to slips, trips and falls; address mental health problems before they arise; and reduce the number of calls to our fire department. It’s already made a difference—we’re proactively reaching those who need a bit more help while saving taxpayer dollars with a net reduction in 911 calls.

Senate Bill 10 provides our NobleAct blueprint to municipalities big and small. It passed the Senate unanimously and is in the Indiana House of Representatives now for consideration.

Downtown Action: New Businesses Abound

Over the past few weeks, we’ve welcomed incredible businesses to Noblesville. Indie Coffee Roasters started pouring coffee in the newly-minted Federal Hill Apartments, HGTV’s Mina Starsiak Hawk opened Two Chicks Co., and Peony and Poppy launched on First Friday downtown Noblesville. We’re excited to see you thrive!

Hazel Dell & SR-32 Development Moves Forward

This past week, we approved the initial steps to put the final piece of the Promenade development in place. In addition to the Justus Companies’ headquarters, the important project includes a new Meijer, which is slated to open this summer, and senior living neighborhood called Promenade Trails.

Behind the Scenes: East Bank

This week, Bronwen and I jumped on a tour behind the scenes of East Bank, one of the newest developments downtown Noblesville.

• Location, Location, Location: This new project sits on top of the former Hamilton County parking lot and hugs the White River — a great redevelopment opportunity that puts people right in the middle of downtown Noblesville.

• Designed Specifically for Noblesville: This development is unique to our city. It adds a pedestrian-only alley in between the two buildings (where there wasn’t one before) and better activates the public trail along the White River. The buildings are also intentionally designed so that every room has a view of either the square, downtown Noblesville, the pedestrian alley, or the White River — all huge wins for the future Millers calling downtown home.

Important: Road Detours Begin

In the next few months, you’re bound to see orange barrels guiding your path through Noblesville. State, County, and local roads are all expected to be impacted. I’ve shared a few details on each project slated for work over the next few months, but first it’s important to remember:

Construction is inconvenient for everyone! There is never a good time to shut down multiple major thoroughfares in Noblesville. Conner Street, Pleasant Street, Allisonville, and 146th Street are all busy arteries for both local and truck traffic passing through Hamilton County that will all see updates this construction season.

We have a limited calendar. In Indiana, we have to work around weather and the school calendar which can make for a shortened construction season. We have to get the work done while we can!

We shouldn’t kick the can. In general, we can’t keep kicking projects down the road because of timing. I campaigned on making tough decisions and getting projects done so we can look to tackle future infrastructure projects before we need them.

There’s good news! By the end of this year, we’ll have a fully rebuilt Conner Street, the Bridge over the White River will be open, and 146th Street and Allisonville Road will be much easier to navigate.

Allisonville and 146th Street

Hamilton County is reconstructing the Allisonville/146th Street intersection. While 146th Street will never close during this construction, Allisonville has been fully closed for 90 days. I’ve included a map below illustrating detours. More info at streamline146.com.

SR-32/Conner Street

The most extensive project will be a complete reconstruction of SR-32/38/Conner Street.  The exact dates and timelines are still being developed but the early projected schedule proposes three phases with each phase taking approximately 30 – 45 days to complete. 

• The first phase will be a full closure and upgrades to the intersection of 16^th Street and SR-32

• The second phase will be a full closure from west of 16^th Street thru 9^th Street, including the intersection of 9^th and 10^th Street and SR-32.  

• The third phase will be a full closure from west of 9^th Street to 6^th Street, including the intersection of 8^th (9^th & 10^th Streets open).

SR-37/186th Street

This intersection is one of the most dangerous intersections in Noblesville. This project will convert the existing two-way stop control intersection to a reduced conflict intersection.

A few additional points that may be helpful to know:

• It will redirect all through traffic and left turns from the eastbound and westbound lanes of 186th street to turn right onto SR 37.

• The intersection is planned as right in, right out, but will allow left turns from SR37 to Field Drive.

• Paved one-way median openings would be constructed between the northbound and southbound lanes.

• Median islands would also be constructed at the 186th Street approaches.

• All median islands would be mountable to allow for emergency vehicles to safely cross through the intersection.

SR-37/191st Street

The work at this section is primarily scoped to give a safe pedestrian crossing for the neighborhoods on the east side of SR-37 and extending our trail network across SR-37.

Noblesville Advisory Council on Disabilities Hosts Disability Resource Fair

Last year, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution establishing an Advisory Council on Disabilities in Noblesville.

• Why Noblesville: In our community, more than 8% of our residents have one or more disabilities.

• Why the Advisory Council is important to me: Our family happens to be a part of that percentage, making this resolution all the more meaningful. My niece, Zoe, was born with Down Syndrome and deserves to have access to our community as much as any other citizen.

The Noblesville Advisory Council on Disabilities is taking a strong step by hosting its first-ever resource fair for individuals with disabilities, their families, caregivers, and employers on Tuesday, March 12th. We have over 40 booths confirmed and this event is free and open to the public. The only cost will be the concession stand which will be run by Janus Developmental Services' Capabilities Café. 

Before you go, a few trending stories:

Here are a few stories you may have missed on Noblesville over the past month:

• IBJ: On the move: Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen focuses on building city and region

• Hamilton County Reporter: Noblesville Tri Kappa helps fight food insecurity by giving time at Teter Organic Farm

• Current: Indie Coffee Roasters opens Noblesville location

• Hamilton County Reporter: Women-owned Noblesville company launches in Costcos

• IBJ: M/I Homes of Indiana planning project with 190 townhomes in Noblesville

• Current: Noblesville City Council approves economic development agreement with The Justus Companies

• Hamilton County Reporter: Noblesville Schools listed among the top employers in the nation by Forbes Magazine

• Hamilton County Reporter: Bringing the best of small business to Noblesville City Hall

1. Noblesville is growing — and quickly. In 2021, the IndyStar shared an article that listed Noblesville as the 10th largest city in Indiana. Since then, we’ve eclipsed Lafayette as the 9th largest. We have a bit to go until we get close to Hammond at 77k.