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Willis Tower – ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Finalist
Learn more about 2022 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Finalist, Willis Tower (Chicago, IL).
Monon Boulevard and Midtown Plaza – ULI Americas Awards for Excellence Special Mention
May 11, 2022
Photo By Hadley Fruits, Rundell Ernstberger
Monon Boulevard is a highly engaging linear greenspace system with connected active and passive activity zones formed in the eddies of the meandering pedestrian and bicycle paths. At the boulevard’s midpoint, Midtown Plaza is the energetic civic hub of the entire district.
Photo By Hadley Fruits, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
Offering respite on hot days, interactive water play attracts the young at heart while the urban environment invites families to shop and dine nearby.
Location: Carmel, Indiana, USA
Developers: City of Carmel; Carmel Redevelopment Commission; Carmel Midtown Building Corporation
Designers: Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA); Gehl; Speck
Site Size: 7.4 Acres
Photo By Hadley Fruits, Rundell Ernstberger
Midtown Plaza features an artful brick plaza, outdoor video screen, turf events lawn, shaded seating and bench swings, and custom light and sound elements.
Monon Boulevard & Midtown Plaza is a bold example of strategic investment in visionary public space as a catalyst for economic development, public engagement, civic pride, celebrations, artistic expression, and personal and environmental wellbeing.
Photo By Daniel Showalter, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
Midtown Plaza offers multiple seating choices and year-round activities like ping-pong, pool tables, and corn-hole, then fire pits with lounge seating for the colder months. The new distillery incorporated a second-story patio that offers a unique view overlooking the activity occurring within the Plaza.
As part of the 2012 Midtown Master Plan, Monon Boulevard expands the former “rails-to-trails” Monon Greenway project into a complete street, providing accessibility and multi-modal transportation options through dedicated sidewalks, high speed and local bike lanes, and roadway. Often referred to as Carmel’s “beach-front property,” Monon Boulevard is the backbone of Carmel spurring the rebirth of a formerly abandoned industrial corridor into the thriving Midtown redevelopment area. Providing a local connection from Carmel’s Art & Design District to City Center and bikeable connection to neighboring Indianapolis, Westfield, and Sheridan, the district now hosts a diverse mix of residents, workers, and visitors with opportunities to engage with the community in meaningful and accessible ways.
Photo By Daniel Showalter, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
The project’s walking and biking paths are a preferred location for physical exercise by thousands of daily users and a safe, primary route for both regional and local bicycle commuters. The trail counter has recorded thousands of daily users.
Midtown Plaza, the largest recreation area integrated into the project, has become the “backyard” for the many apartment dwellers and workers in the district and a popular destination for more remote Carmel residents and visitors. Carmel provided 124 events in 2021, from Movies at Midtown and lunchtime concerts to the International Arts Festival, Holiday Trolley rides, and talent competitions open to people of all ages. Every day, children can be found playing on the lawn while their parents play outdoor billiards and enjoy the local brewery or taproom. Teens are often spotted playing ping-pong or chatting with friends on the adult swings.