Between September 2004 and July 2005, the Irvington Development Organization secured $1 million in grant money from the Federal Transportation Enhancement Program to revitalize Irvington's Washington Street Corridor and make it more attractive, safe and pedestrian friendly. Decorative lighting, planters, fencing and benches are among the many planned enhancements.
To obtain the federal dollars, however, the community must raise $300,000 for the first phase of the project, which will include the blocks on Washington Street between Irvington and Bolton avenues. The project has been broken into three phases and will eventually extend from Emerson to Edmondson avenues.
So far, local businesses, residents and non-profit groups have contributed more than $165,000, including a much-appreciated $50,000 boost from the The Indianapolis Foundation (an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation) in September 2007 as well as generous donations from Community Health Network, National City, Citizens Gas and Philip Wilhelm. In addition, Kenra LTD, a national hair-care products company that has already donated $25,000, recently agreed to give $2 for every $1 contributed by individuals, up to an additional $25,000! Kenra will also donate $1 for every $1 given by businesses.
Please contact us if you'd like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Washington Corridor Streetscape Project. For more information, see our Streetscape sign in front of the Irvington Library, which we unveiled July 27 (pictured), or contact Corridor Director Amandula Henry at 260-0669 or amandula@irvingtondevelopment.org.
