City Hall Project Underscores Community Pride and the Arts
Writer / Renee Larr
Photography Provided
At the heart of any city government is its city hall. Fishers leaders are hoping the new City Hall building currently being built at 1 Municipal Drive isn’t just a home for the municipal offices, but also a beacon for the community. The three-story building is still over a year from completion, but plans are already underway for its use.
“One of the things I found disheartening about the old City Hall building was that many people never step foot inside the building unless they are there for specific business with the city,” says Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “It didn’t feel as though it was the people’s building. It didn’t seem as open and as engaging as it should be. We thought this was a creative way to bring Fishers residents to the building.”
That creative way to bring the people to the people’s building involved a partnership with Indianapolis Art Center. Executive Director Mark Williams says they worked with the city to create a community gathering space, using art to build community and uniting people to build a better, stronger, more vibrant community.
The first floor will house the Fishers Arts Center, operated in partnership with the Indianapolis Art Center and Fishers Arts Center theater. The second and third floors will house municipal staff offices. Williams says the Arts Center will contain two flex studios allowing artists to express themselves through drawing, painting, digital art and photography. There will also be a dedicated clay studio with a kiln.
“We also have exhibition space on both sides of the building,” Williams says. “The lobby side will continue to be activated by the 
Fishers Arts Council to source local exhibits. Then over on the other Arts Center side will be some dedicated gallery space that will likely have quarterly contemporary art exhibitions.”
Fadness says he sees the new building as a great way to recruit and retain talent at City Hall. The Fishers Arts Center will also offer community outreach programs such as team-building events where businesses and organizations can bond and creatively collaborate on new ideas.
“I think many of us share the sentiment that you could be walking into City Hall and seeing an art class full of artistic people pursuing their passion,” Fadness says. “That’s a level of vibrancy you don’t get in most government buildings.”
The city is already working to ramp up excitement in the community for the new building. They previously held a beam signing for residents, and are working on a time-capsule letter-writing campaign with Towne Post Network. The letters serve as firsthand accounts of why residents love their vibrant city. The capsule will be opened in 50 years in conjunction with the city’s 200th birthday.
“Residents are going to start seeing a presence at the Fishers Farmers Market,” Williams says. “We’ll be letting people know what we’ll be offering and what’s coming with the new building.”
The project has an estimated budget of $22.8 million, with $6 million coming from American Rescue Plan Act funds. No additional or increased taxes will occur as a result of this investment.
For more information, visit fishers.in.us.
