FAQs
Noblesville has experienced positive growth over the past 30 years since the most recent significant downtown infrastructure improvements were made.
“Embrace Downtown” is the beginning of a new phase of a long-discussed streetscape and infrastructure improvement project to address critical aging infrastructure, pedestrian, accessibility, and aesthetic upgrades in the downtown area. The current needs are pressing and addressing them now allows the city to properly plan upgrades that benefit Noblesville’s authentic and thriving downtown.
These updates include improving sidewalks for a more accessible sidewalk area to pedestrians who are often limited by current constraints or blocked by current features; improving sidewalks to ensure accessible use to residents of all abilities; enhancing the aging storm sewer and sanitary sewer systems to promote environmental goals; facilitating community gathering spaces for events, festivals, business sales, and outdoor dining; improving sight lines at pedestrian crossings for safety; and providing more shade and natural features to improve air quality and provide respite spaces.
The study area includes everything from the White River to 10th Street and from Maple Avenue to Clinton Street. The city will be studying each of these areas to determine what, if any, improvements are needed to the infrastructure to accomplish the following design objectives:
PRESERVE and CELEBRATE the existing character of Downtown Noblesville.
CULTIVATE a traffic-calmed environment centered around pedestrian safety and accessibility.
PROMOTE an environment that supports a vibrant and healthy downtown economy.
INCREASE connections to greenspace throughout Downtown.
INVEST in public infrastructure for the future of Downtown Noblesville.
The study area for this project covers a large area, therefore, the design and construction will be completed in multiple phases. The overall timing and phasing are being studied and not fully determined at this time. Please note that just because a location is included in the study area does not mean there will be construction activities at that location. Impacts to downtown, funding constraints, community feedback on completed phases, and estimated construction durations will help determine the phasing and scope. The first phase of construction will occur in 2026 (Phase 1). The limits of Phase 1 will be determined in late summer of 2025.
The project team received a substantial amount of input and feedback when the project was initiated in 2020, which gives us a head start in the design phase. Previous input received will help move the Embrace Downtown effort ahead efficiently and—combined with new/ongoing input from stakeholders—will result in better design aspects for downtown Noblesville. The entire Phase 1 study limits will not be constructed at the same time. Phase 1A will be constructed in 2026, and the limits of Phase 1A will be determined in late summer 2025. The scope for Phase 1 of the project has not been determined, but the general project schedule is as follows:
Preliminary Concept Open House: March 2025 - COMPLETE
Phase 1 Project Update Open House: Fall 2025
Phase 1 Design Complete: Winter 2025
Phase 1 Bid/Letting: Winter 2025
Phase 1 Construction: 2026
Future Phases: The timeline for future phases is yet to be determined.
As with any construction project, the Embrace Downtown project will result in temporary impacts to some businesses. The city is committed to minimizing this impact as much as possible. Access will be provided to businesses at all times during construction. Each phase of construction will be split into smaller phases to accommodate reasonable vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Roadway closures will generally be limited to a single block at a time, and two adjacent intersections will not typically be closed at the same time. Sidewalk construction will be coordinated with each individual business to provide access and minimize impact. Temporary walkways will be constructed, as necessary, to maintain safe access. On-street parking will be maintained in areas not directly under construction. The city is exploring various ways to support businesses during construction. In addition, we are evaluating opportunities to help draw customers to downtown businesses.
The Embrace Downtown project will replace some parking spaces with amenity space. However, since 2020, the amount of public parking within two blocks of the square has increased by 20% for all day parking and 35% on nights and weekends. There will continue to be a net increase in overall capacity compared to 2020 after Phase 1 is completed. The city will continue analyzing downtown parking capacity, usage, and proximity considerations in coordination with downtown stakeholders to inform future investment and approval decisions that will support downtown parking needs.
Electric vehicle (EV) parking is available within the Levinson Garage. No additional EV spaces are planned to be installed as part of Phase 1.
Accessible parking is being evaluated with the project, including quantity, location, and proper access from the space to the sidewalk. Phase 1 will include a minimum of six (6) accessible parking spaces.
The Embrace Downtown project may incorporate a small amount of flexible parking/amenity spaces. These parking spaces could be utilized as additional amenity space during warmer parts of the year and remain as parking spaces during the portions of the year that are colder.
A large part of Embrace Downtown is repairing and replacing aging infrastructure. The city will be separating the public stormwater and sanitary sewer facilities. This work is an overall environmental benefit to Noblesville and will help reduce some of the downtown sewer smell. New decorative traffic signal poles will be installed along with new curb, sidewalks, and street pavement. Underground electrical and signal conduit and cable will be installed. Indiana American Water will be replacing their over 100-year-old water main and service lines.
The project is studying the possibility of full separation of public storm and sanitary infrastructure. The Wastewater Utility Department is also pursuing other strategies and improvements to manage odors. While Embrace Downtown will improve the sewer smell in downtown, some issues come from individual, privately owned buildings and how each was historically constructed. Those modifications would be up to an individual building owner to decide whether to update their infrastructure.
Embrace Downtown will incorporate various aesthetic upgrades that promote and respect our historic downtown, while providing an improved quality of experience in downtown Noblesville. The introduction of street trees and ground-level planting areas throughout downtown aims to enhance visual greenspace and provide much-needed shade. The trees planted today will not just provide aesthetic benefits but also will provide shade for our community for many years to come. The existing, recently installed light fixtures will be relocated throughout downtown to preserve the historic charm. Any additional fixtures will be carefully selected to match the existing. Decorative signal poles will complement the historic charm and traditional character of downtown Noblesville and seamlessly blend with the existing poles on Conner Street. Embrace Downtown will incorporate bike parking fixtures that complement the historic charm of all other site furnishings. Artwork is planned to be incorporated into downtown that will complement and emphasize the Noblesville’s authentic and historic charm. The design team is considering the implementation of a traffic-calmed environment around the courthouse square.
The amenity space is intended to be used as additional gathering space for businesses, residents, and visitors within the sidewalk space. The current sidewalk widths do not provide any gathering space, and the current configurations create compliance challenges related to ADA accessibility requirements. We anticipate merchants utilizing the amenity zone for the benefit of their business.
Curbless streets provide flexibility with the use of public space which increases the space’s functionality in all seasons. Designing the area as a cohesive plaza that also accommodates vehicles encourages greater driver awareness and naturally reduces speed, which creates a safer environment for all users. By removing traditional road cues, drivers are encouraged and naturally inclined to drive slower, due to the heightened uncertainty. Subtle elevation shifts at the intersections signal to drivers that they are entering a pedestrian-prioritized space, which will prompt a reduction in speed. Elements like trees, seating, planters, and bollards create a more enclosed environment within the curbless area, giving drivers the perception of a narrower, more complex space which naturally leads to slower speeds. The curbless, barrier free design is generally easier to navigate for those with accessibility needs. Pedestrians can more easily move from the on-street parking areas to sidewalks without a vertical curb. In addition, during regular downtown events (i.e. Street Dance), a single elevation through the event will provide a more accessible environment. Curbless environments support the concept of aging in place. The fewer the barriers to mobility, the easier it is to get around. Various measures will be placed to safely delineate the sidewalk areas and obstruct vehicles from driving onto sidewalks. Many other areas, including historic downtowns, have implemented a curbless environment, including Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, Shelbyville, Lebanon, Huntingburg, and the Bottleworks District.
Noblesville is committed to providing an accessible downtown for everyone. Embrace Downtown will provide accessible parking spaces that meet current standards. A portion of the project will implement a curbless environment that will allow those with accessibility needs to more easily navigate parking and downtown events without a six-inch vertical curb. The sidewalks will be widened to safely and comfortably allow two wheelchairs to pass by in each direction. The doorway entry points to businesses will be improved, where possible, in order to allow for a more accessible entry into historic building frontages. The project team is coordinating with the Noblesville Advisory Council on Disabilities for input on the accessibility features of this project.
Yes. Noblesville has invested heavily in the trail network throughout the city, and it is pivotal that our downtown remains a destination for bicyclists. While bicycles are not allowed on downtown sidewalks for the safety of the walking public, Embrace Downtown will set up several bicycle parking stations around the perimeter of downtown for convenience and protection of equipment.
No. No buildings will be impacted by the Embrace Downtown project. However, replacing public infrastructure will benefit historic preservation of buildings. Construction of the sidewalks could require adjustments at the face of buildings, but there should be no physical impact on the building.
The city plans to incorporate the star brick into the final design of Embrace Downtown. The final plan for the use of the star brick within Phase 1 will be determined as design work progresses throughout 2025.
Project designers have collected specific elevation information for all doorways within the Phase 1 study area. Many of these building entry points are at different elevations with respect to the existing sidewalk as well as one another. While one project goal is removing these accessibility obstacles, the variance and proximity of some locations may not make this fully possible. These will be further investigated as design continues with an emphasis on assisting these building owners to provide as much ADA compliant access as feasible.
The primary funding source for the Embrace Downtown project is the Downtown Development Fund. This fund was created in 2016 with a focus on supporting the downtown business economy through aesthetic and infrastructure enhancements. The Downtown Development Fund is funded through food and beverage tax revenue which helps to spread the funding lift to include visitors to our city. The current plan to finance the Embrace Downtown project is to bond against an annual unrestricted $425,000 appropriation in the Downtown Development Fund, which could generate between $6-$7M in project proceeds depending on interest rates and repayment term.
We anticipate having construction cost estimates this fall. Our conceptual design work has been done with the Downtown Development Fund bonding capacity in mind. As design nears conclusion, we will tailor the scope of Phase 1A to ensure that it fits within those funding targets. Additionally, stormwater and sanitary sewer funds will be used to defray costs. Indiana American Water will fund costs related to the replacement of their infrastructure.
Future construction phases of this project will be programmed based on balancing city priorities, available funding, and economic impact analysis.
The city is committed to keeping the public and businesses updated on the project. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest information or visit the Contact Us page for any additional questions.
