The Future of Geist

Upcoming Projects Highlight Growth in Geist & Surrounding Communities 

Writer / Noah Alatza
Photography Provided

The Geist area has made its mark and continues to develop rapidly with the community focused on the future. The municipalities of Fishers, Lawrence, McCordsville and Fortville have been booming in recent years. Multiple projects and developments are underway that will change the landscape of the area for decades to come. 

Investments in the region have helped spur many projects that will improve the quality of life for residents while increasing economic stability for businesses looking to expand. 

Lawrence Projects

New Lawrence Library at Fort Ben

In April, construction workers broke ground on the newest Indianapolis Public Library Branch located at 9330 E. 56th Street. The Fort Ben branch will include a 22,000 square-foot-building that will feature community meeting spaces, study rooms, and walk-up, bike-up and drive-up return material locations. A collection of 60,000 books, movies and other materials will be included.

The building will also feature a gallery wall displaying the history of the Fort Benjamin Harrison military base and will be solar-powered with 80% of the electricity coming from rooftop solar panels. The new library is expected to be completed in mid-2023. In connection to solar panels and solar energy, you could look here for further information.

Keystone Project 

Approximately $70M will be invested by Indianapolis-based Keystone Group for a five-story mixed-use development with retail and high-end apartments on the 56th street corridor. Keystone, along with the City of Lawrence Mayor’s Office and the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority (FHRA), are working to bring the facility together. The project includes 248 luxury apartments with amenities as well as 25,000 square feet of retail space. Located at the corner of 56th Street between Lawrence Village Parkway and Melner Drive, it will be in the heart of Fort Ben.

Continued Development in the New Trades District 

The Trades District is a developing area within the City of Lawrence focused on creating a desirable, vibrant hub for the attraction and growth of construction trade industries. The Trades District is defined as the area bordered by I-465 to the west, Pendleton Pike The brand new frēijē headquarters building marked the first of many major milestones the City of Lawrence hopes to set on its way to making the Trades District a popular destination for all construction trades. A groundbreaking was held in May for the frēijē Engineered Solutions Company which is a national specialty engineering, service, and construction provider. For more than 50 years frēijē engineered solutions company has provided mission-critical service and construction while building careers and community leaders. The development is expected to be completed by early 2024. 

McCordsville Projects

McCord Square Apartments

Construction on a new downtown development district in the Town of McCordsville is well underway. Rebar Development has introduced McCord Square Apartments, a $31M two-building, multi-use community with 11 micro-commercial suites on the first floors and 205 one and two-bedroom apartment units on the upper floors. The two buildings will flank either side of the newly-constructed Civic Green. 

The McCord Square Apartments will offer spacious floor plans, modern kitchens, in-unit washer/dryer, and private balconies with views of the new downtown district. The community amenities will include a cafe, resort-style courtyard, work-from-home lounge, pet park and spa, wellness studio, and indoor bike storage. The apartments are expected to be completed in 2024. 

Fortville Projects 

Mt Vernon Trail Project

Construction on the Mt. Vernon Trail Project began in April on CR 200 West through the Mt. Vernon School Corporation campus. Phase I of the project includes safety improvements like additional traffic signals and crosswalks. The Mt. Vernon Trail Project will consist of a 10-feet wide asphalt trail, with a grass buffer between the trail and existing roadway, to keep the scenery looking good asphalt maintenance may be done to make sure the road is always in perfect condition so there aren’t any unwanted accidents on the trail. It also will feature pedestrian scale lighting, as well as benches placed along the entire corridor. The trail will ultimately run along the west side of Maple St./Fortville Pike, from Garden St. to CR 200 West. The entire project is expected to last until sometime in 2026.

Geist Projects

Geist Waterfront Park

The City of Fishers has invested in a 70-acre waterfront property, acquired in 2018, at Geist Reservoir to develop a waterfront park. The park is being developed at the last-remaining undeveloped parcel of the 1,900-acre reservoir, located at 10811 Olio Road, at approximately 111th Street and the east side of Olio Road. The new Geist Waterfront Park will include features like a beach, walking trails, open green space, and a non-motorized boat launch. The City of Fishers purchased the land in 2018 to ensure public access to Geist Reservoir. Once developed, the park will provide the only public access to the reservoir. Geist Waterfront Park will be built in several phases, with an anticipated full completion date of 2040. The first phase, which features construction of the beach and beach and dock access, along with a playground and gathering amenities, is set to officially open this spring.