Home > News & Public Affairs > City of Bloomington Accepting Public Input for Tech Park

City of Bloomington Accepting Public Input for Tech Park

Play

The city of Bloomington is still taking public comment on its plans for a Tech Park. Although much of the design is finished, and there are already plans for at least two companies to build in the park, the city held a public input event last night at the atrium of City Hall. The public could view drawings of the plans for the park, and fill out questionnaires with comments. Mayor John Hamilton says there are still some details to be decided.

“There are a lot of decisions that’ll be made at the level of streetscape and style, whether it’s benches, colors, or some of the features like light poles that we’ve got ideas about, but we welcome suggestions,” says Hamilton. “There’s going to be a lot of space for public art.” 

The tech park is intended to encourage the development of a tech industry in Bloomington. The park has drawn increased community attention in recent weeks, partly because of a campaign to oppose its development. The Bloomington Solidarity Network held a forum earlier this month to organize opposition to the tech park, which the Network expects will increase housing costs nearby. The park is to be located just east of some of Bloomington’s most low-cost housing, in the Maple Heights and Pigeon Hill neighborhoods. Last night, Mayor Hamilton said he had not been in contact with the Solidarity Network, but he acknowledged the project could affect nearby housing.

“This is a very expensive city for housing. One of my first priorities is to implement a strategy that helps support affordable housing throughout the city.” Hamilton continues, “If you have development in an area, whether it’s a new park, new jobs, or a new school, it will affect housing prices. We need a citywide solution that helps create affordability scattered throughout the city in all kinds of different income ranges.”

Despite those concerns, Hamilton said he expects the tech park to be a QUOTE “economic engine,” producing local jobs with varying wages. One of the chief concerns of the Solidarity Network has been that low-income residents living near the proposed tech park will not qualify for jobs there. During a forum on January 7th, Solidarity Network organizer Adam Scouten said he expects the project will benefit well-educated and relatively wealthy residents. Scouten and other Network members pointed to cities like San Francisco, where tech development has led to gentrification.

“We want to cut across this narrative that growth in corporations and an increase in profits is good for everybody,” says Scouten. “It’s not. It’s the opposite. We don’t subscribe to neo-liberal  trickle-down economics that says ‘more money in the people at the tops’ pockets means more money for everybody.’ We know that’s not the case.” 

A second Tech Park open house event is scheduled for next Monday, February 6th, from 5 to 7PM in the City Hall atrium.

Check Also

WFHB Local News – March 27th, 2024

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, March 27th. Later in the program, candidates …