Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
FRENCH LICK – It’s been 60 years since a new housing development broke ground in French Lick.
Hampered by hills above and limestone below, the cost of building streets, sewer and water lines for a new housing development was prohibitive to any developer being able to sell homes at a price most families in Orange County could afford.
This spring, Klondike, the first subdivision in six decades, will begin just outside the town limits. The project calls for the construction of 27 homes to support workforce development. A READI grant of $1.75 million will be used to build infrastructure.
With private investment from Cook Group, owner of the French Lick Resort, the homes will address a crucial housing need.
Kristal Painter, executive director of Orange County Economic Development Partnership, said without the Regional Economic Acceleration & Development Initiative funds, the project wouldn’t be possible.
“The Resort is making the investment to build these homes, but to add the infrastructure for water, sewer and streets – it can’t all be done with private dollars – is what’s key to this development,” she said. “Trying to create infrastructure in Orange County is different than other counties – we’re hilly and there’s lots of limestone. This would never be affordable if we had to wrap infrastructure costs into the project.”
The Klondike subdivision includes $6.2 million in private investment; the French Lick Redevelopment Commission pledged $1 million. The new infrastructure will improve access to 40 homes.
The awarding of $24.6 million in READI funds in December across the Indiana Uplands, which includes the Radius Indiana region, is helping communities address housing shortages, improve their parks and address broader quality of life issues.
Ten projects in six Radius counties were approved for meeting criteria identified by the Ready Communities 2.0, Ready Housing and Ready Talent programs.
The Ready Housing program is funding projects to increase the supply of owner-occupied and rental housing to support needed workforce and meet the goals outlined in the READI Region on the Rise plan.
The Ready Communities 2.0 program is funding projects or programs strategically designed to improve regional capacity to attract and retain workforce by creating community amenities or enhancing the attributes that make the region an attractive place to live, work and play.
Ready Talent programs and projects are identified as supporting or producing a workforce talent pipeline that meets the evolving needs of highly concentrated industry clusters and employment anchors in the Uplands.
West Baden Springs Park, more murals
In addition to the grant for housing, Orange County also was awarded a $247,110 grant to make improvements at West Baden Springs Park. Work will include adding a 5K cross country course that school athletes and the community can use, improving access to the baseball/softball fields, building a new concession stand, restrooms and adding another field.
Painter said the school cross country teams, from elementary through high school, train in neighborhoods and on town streets because the school doesn’t have its own course. Having a course at the park will alleviate safety concerns and the school will be able to host meets. The expansion also opens the door for Springs Valley Youth League, which runs the sports program at the park, to host large tournaments.
A project that has added some beauty at the West Baden park will continue in Orleans and Paoli with grant funds. Painter said three murals will be painted in Orleans and three in Paoli.
The West Baden park has several murals – all tied to baseball history.
The READI grant for park improvements and mural project will cover half total project cost. The Orange County community raised the remaining funds.
Some work has already begun at the park and at the Klondike project.
An effort to increase housing in Orange County will eventually add 100 homes. Painter said the homes are essential for growth, but the county also has to be ready to meet the needs of residents.
“With 100 homes that will be coming online, it makes improving the park that much more important,” Painter said. “These projects are imperative to maintain our population and attract new residents. We’ve got to have housing and parks and without the READI dollars, we wouldn’t be in position to bolster the workforce and bring people to this community.”
Project list
The following list includes project, grant recipient and grant amount from the Ready Housing and Ready Communities 2.0 programs.
- Klondike subdivision, Town of French Lick, $1.75 million
- Loogootee downtown park pavilion, City of Loogootee, $225,000
- Bloomfield Parks & Recreation, Town of Bloomfield, $100,000
- Jasper Phase II Downtown revitalization and infrastructure, City of Jasper, $249,999
- West Baden Park Improvement / Orange County Mural Trail, Orange Co. Economic Development Partnership, $247,110
- Building Resiliency in Indiana Uplands Youth, Youth First, $200,000
- Huntingburg Alley Activation, $110,819 city of Huntingburg
- Dubois Park Improvements, Dubois Co Park and Rec, $225,000
- Tourism, Wayfinding and Quality of Place, City of Bedford $100,000
- All inclusive playground at Longfellow Park, Washington Free Methodist Church $150,000
- Daviess Co. Youth Expo Center (pending approval), Daviess Co. 4-H, $249,999
- Westcott paired homes (pending approval), Westgate Development LLC, $900,000
- University Heights Apartments (Dubois Co.), KFAM Partners, $647,000