Indianapolis, IN, March 17, 2009 - Horizon Wind Energy has selected Bowen Engineering as the balance of plant contractor for the Meadow Lake wind farm in White County, Indiana. This 200 megawatt facility is the first of several wind farms Horizon is developing in Indiana.
“Horizon is a leader in wind energy, and our team is pleased to work with such an outstanding firm,” said Bowen Operations Manager Dennis Ward. “Renewable energy, particularly wind energy, is in a growth phase. We are excited to see these technologies come to Indiana, and we are proud to contribute to sustainable power generation.”
Bowen will begin work immediately, providing overall site coordination and logistics as well as constructing the turbine foundations and road improvements. A total of one hundred twenty one (121) wind turbine generators will be erected in farm fields and connected to a new electrical substation for integration into the transmission grid. The project will be completed by October, 2009.
For additional information about the Meadow Lake wind farm, contact David Wrightsman at Bowen Engineering or visit www.BowenEngineering.com.
ABOUT BOWEN ENGINEERING - Founded in 1967, Bowen Engineering is a general contractor focused on water, wind and power construction. Headquartered in Indiana, the company has branch offices in Tennessee and Ohio and performs work across the United States.
ABOUT HORIZION WIND ENERGY - Horizon Wind Energy LLC develops, constructs, owns and operates wind farms throughout North America. Based in Houston, Texas with over 25 offices across the United States, Horizon has developed more than 2,500 megawatts and operates over 2,000 megawatts of wind farms. Horizon is owned by EDP Renewables, a global leader in the renewable energy sector that designs, develops, manages and operates power plants that generate electricity using renewable energy sources.
Source: Bowen Engineering Corporation
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Region No. 1 in steelmaking
By Andrea Holecek
andrea.holecek@nwi.com, (219) 933-3316 | Wednesday, March 18, 2009
For the first time in more than six years, the Northwest Indiana/Chicago area became the country's top steel-producing region during the week ending March 14.
Though it has held the title of top steel producer in the past, the Calumet Region lost the distinction in October 2002 as more steel companies opened mills in the southern United States. The move south came at the same time the local region's integrated mills idled production in the midst of a flood of cheap, imported steel.
The South held the title even through summer 2008, when all region mills were operating at full capacity. But the recent consolidation of production here as a result of the economic downturn returned Northwest Indiana and its surrounding area to the top of the list.
Northwest Indiana is one of the few areas of the country in which steel giants U.S. Steel Corp. and ArcelorMittal are concentrating production.
"We’re seeing regional variations in levels of production as the industry responds to market demand," said Nancy Gravatt, spokeswoman for the American Iron and Steel Institute, which compiles the weekly regional production statistics.
"The individual companies that make up the North American steel industry continually analyze market conditions and seek to adjust production levels consistent with customer demand, including temporarily idling certain facilities as we have seen in recent months," Gravatt said. "So there may be regional variations in production levels, which are a necessary response to current market conditions."
Copyright © 2009 nwi.com
andrea.holecek@nwi.com, (219) 933-3316 | Wednesday, March 18, 2009
For the first time in more than six years, the Northwest Indiana/Chicago area became the country's top steel-producing region during the week ending March 14.
Though it has held the title of top steel producer in the past, the Calumet Region lost the distinction in October 2002 as more steel companies opened mills in the southern United States. The move south came at the same time the local region's integrated mills idled production in the midst of a flood of cheap, imported steel.
The South held the title even through summer 2008, when all region mills were operating at full capacity. But the recent consolidation of production here as a result of the economic downturn returned Northwest Indiana and its surrounding area to the top of the list.
Northwest Indiana is one of the few areas of the country in which steel giants U.S. Steel Corp. and ArcelorMittal are concentrating production.
"We’re seeing regional variations in levels of production as the industry responds to market demand," said Nancy Gravatt, spokeswoman for the American Iron and Steel Institute, which compiles the weekly regional production statistics.
"The individual companies that make up the North American steel industry continually analyze market conditions and seek to adjust production levels consistent with customer demand, including temporarily idling certain facilities as we have seen in recent months," Gravatt said. "So there may be regional variations in production levels, which are a necessary response to current market conditions."
Copyright © 2009 nwi.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
As dome dissipates, $275M building begins
By Jeff Swiatek
jeff.swiatek@indystar.com
Excavators and cement trucks. Front-end loaders and tri-axle dump trucks. Compaction equipment and a cement crusher. All jostle for space on the site of the RCA Dome, where the last remnants of the stadium are being removed as construction starts on the $275 million expansion to the Indiana Convention Center.
One set of workers has started pouring concrete footings for the convention center's exhibit halls and three-story new entrance hall, while another group of workers finishes razing the dome and carting off its rubble.
Sabre Demolition of New York has two months left under its $3.5 million contract to remove the debris. A majority of it will be used as fill or recycled in other ways. A concrete crusher on site has created a small mountain of pebblized concrete that's being used as fill or to line roadbeds.
"Eighty percent (of the dome's debris) is not going to the landfill," said Tom Scheele, senior vice president at Shiel Sexton, the Indianapolis contractor that's managing the expansion project with Powers and Sons Construction of Gary.
Removing the dome's debris requires about 100 dump-truck loads a day.
The Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority is shooting to finish the massive expansion in late 2010 or early 2011. It will double the meeting and exhibit space in the convention center, allowing the city to host more and larger conventions.
"We are on schedule. The weather's been cooperative," said Lori Dunlap, deputy director of the authority, which offered a media tour of the site Monday.
Erection of steel beams for the expansion starts next month.
Scheele said construction of a 1,200-foot-long, 20-foot-high retaining wall at the rear of the site, adjoining railroad tracks that slice through Downtown, was slowed by the need to remove buried rubble and old foundations left over from when the dome was built in the early 1980s.
Other parts of the dome, like a concourse between it and the convention center, were "not necessarily what drawings show it to be. So we're always asking questions," Scheele said.
CEOs: State tops in region for business
Star report
Memo to staff: Indiana is the best place in the Midwest to do business. But nationally, it's slipping just a bit.
A national survey of 534 chief executives ranked the Hoosier state as the best state to do business in the Midwest for the second straight year, but only 11th in the nation, down three spots from last year's rankings.
The survey by Chief Executive magazine asked business leaders to evaluate states on a range of issues, including tax policies, quality of living and work force.
It ranked Indiana third in the nation in business friendliness, fourth in transportation and sixth in cost of business. Among Midwestern states, Indiana's rankings, respectively, were first, third and second.
The top five states were Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The bottom five states (starting with dead last) were California, New York, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
The full report can be found at www.chiefexecutive.net.
Memo to staff: Indiana is the best place in the Midwest to do business. But nationally, it's slipping just a bit.
A national survey of 534 chief executives ranked the Hoosier state as the best state to do business in the Midwest for the second straight year, but only 11th in the nation, down three spots from last year's rankings.
The survey by Chief Executive magazine asked business leaders to evaluate states on a range of issues, including tax policies, quality of living and work force.
It ranked Indiana third in the nation in business friendliness, fourth in transportation and sixth in cost of business. Among Midwestern states, Indiana's rankings, respectively, were first, third and second.
The top five states were Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The bottom five states (starting with dead last) were California, New York, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
The full report can be found at www.chiefexecutive.net.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Indiana: the best state to do business in the Midwest.
Midwest
InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report
A national publication has named Indiana as the best state to do business in the Midwest. It is the second consecutive year the state has taken the top honor according to "Chief Executive" magazine. Indiana ranked 11th in the nation, down three spots from its 2008 ranking. The magazine bases its ranking on surveys of more than 500 chief executive officers.
Source: Inside INdiana Business
InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report
A national publication has named Indiana as the best state to do business in the Midwest. It is the second consecutive year the state has taken the top honor according to "Chief Executive" magazine. Indiana ranked 11th in the nation, down three spots from its 2008 ranking. The magazine bases its ranking on surveys of more than 500 chief executive officers.
Source: Inside INdiana Business
Costly stretch of Ronald Reagan Parkway at Avon qualifies for funding
March 14, 2009
$12.5 million would pay for bridge over rail yards at Avon
By Bruce C. Smith
bruce.smith@indystar.com
Hopes are rising among Avon officials that the gush of federal money intended to stimulate the economy may finally pay for the most expensive piece of Ronald Reagan Parkway.
The town and Hendricks County are asking for $12.5 million to build about a mile of the road between U.S. 36 and County Road 100 South.
The section is so costly because it includes a long bridge to span the CSX Conrail yards.
Some other one-mile sections of the road have been built. The proposal is to connect I-70 to I-74 and north to I-65.
If the bridge over Conrail is built, then just one more mile from 100 South to near 200 South would complete the section between I-70 and U.S. 36 and give Avon a more direct route to the interstate and Indianapolis International Airport.
An application has been made for a grant from a pool of about $39.5 million of stimulus funding to the Indianapolis Regional Transportation Council. That agency coordinates planning of road and related projects for most of the metro area, including Hendricks County.
Lori Miser, executive director of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the metro agency's technical committee of engineers and planners agreed this week that the Reagan bridge could qualify for funding.
Final word on the projects to receive money is expected late this month after meetings of the regional planning organization's policy committee. The organization includes about 40 representatives of counties, cities and towns in the metro area.
The Ronald Reagan bridge over Conrail is the largest single project on the one-page list of projects vying for funding. They include new roads and repairs to existing bridges, mostly in Hendricks, Johnson and Marion counties.
For a project to qualify for the money, it must have been designed to federal standards, including environmental and other regulations. It also must be "shovel ready," meaning the design, engineering and purchase of land or right of way is done so construction could start within weeks.
Ronald Reagan Parkway, which has been discussed, designed and planned in sections for nearly 25 years, meets those requirements to qualify for the stimulus grants, according to Avon Town Manager Tom Klein.
He told a joint meeting of the Town Council and the town's Redevelopment Commission this week that other contenders for the funding were eliminated in recent days because they don't meet those requirements.
The highly visible $130 million construction of roundabouts on Keystone Avenue in Carmel doesn't qualify, he said, because "those were designed locally to local standards."
The second-largest project on the list of technically qualified proposals is a share of a $4.9 million streetscape reconstruction of U.S. 40, or Main Street, through Plainfield.
$12.5 million would pay for bridge over rail yards at Avon
By Bruce C. Smith
bruce.smith@indystar.com
Hopes are rising among Avon officials that the gush of federal money intended to stimulate the economy may finally pay for the most expensive piece of Ronald Reagan Parkway.
The town and Hendricks County are asking for $12.5 million to build about a mile of the road between U.S. 36 and County Road 100 South.
The section is so costly because it includes a long bridge to span the CSX Conrail yards.
Some other one-mile sections of the road have been built. The proposal is to connect I-70 to I-74 and north to I-65.
If the bridge over Conrail is built, then just one more mile from 100 South to near 200 South would complete the section between I-70 and U.S. 36 and give Avon a more direct route to the interstate and Indianapolis International Airport.
An application has been made for a grant from a pool of about $39.5 million of stimulus funding to the Indianapolis Regional Transportation Council. That agency coordinates planning of road and related projects for most of the metro area, including Hendricks County.
Lori Miser, executive director of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the metro agency's technical committee of engineers and planners agreed this week that the Reagan bridge could qualify for funding.
Final word on the projects to receive money is expected late this month after meetings of the regional planning organization's policy committee. The organization includes about 40 representatives of counties, cities and towns in the metro area.
The Ronald Reagan bridge over Conrail is the largest single project on the one-page list of projects vying for funding. They include new roads and repairs to existing bridges, mostly in Hendricks, Johnson and Marion counties.
For a project to qualify for the money, it must have been designed to federal standards, including environmental and other regulations. It also must be "shovel ready," meaning the design, engineering and purchase of land or right of way is done so construction could start within weeks.
Ronald Reagan Parkway, which has been discussed, designed and planned in sections for nearly 25 years, meets those requirements to qualify for the stimulus grants, according to Avon Town Manager Tom Klein.
He told a joint meeting of the Town Council and the town's Redevelopment Commission this week that other contenders for the funding were eliminated in recent days because they don't meet those requirements.
The highly visible $130 million construction of roundabouts on Keystone Avenue in Carmel doesn't qualify, he said, because "those were designed locally to local standards."
The second-largest project on the list of technically qualified proposals is a share of a $4.9 million streetscape reconstruction of U.S. 40, or Main Street, through Plainfield.
For bicycle show's organizer, a long-shot bet on Indy paid off
On a recent chilly weekend, Indianapolis became the bustling hub of the U.S. bicycle industry.It seemed an unlikely scenario. But it just goes to show what a gutsy and determined entrepreneur can accomplish, even in this crummy economy.
Don Walker -- a trade show organizer who also operates a custom bicycle shop in Speedway -- took a big chance by bringing his North American Handmade Bicycle Show to Indianapolis for this year's event, which ran from Feb. 27 to March 1.
The show features the work of many of the world's top makers of handmade bicycles, including sleek racers, sweet single-speed urban bikes and artful innovations such as bikes made of bamboo.
Since its founding in 2005, the show had always been in places such as San Jose, Calif., and Portland, Ore. -- regions with reputations as hip cycling hotbeds.
Walker said his decision to bring the show to Indianapolis was greeted with skepticism and even disappointment. Some complained that Indianapolis lacked a cycling culture, he said. About 25 previous exhibitors chose to stay home.
Indianapolis, though, proved its pedal power.
This year's show, held at the Indiana Convention Center, attracted 118 exhibitors and more than 6,400 attendees. While a little smaller than last year's show in Portland, the turnout was impressive, considering the huge economic downturn of the past year.
It was even more impressive given Indianapolis' cycling underdog status.
"In the cycling world, when people think of cycling towns they think of Portland, San Diego, Seattle . . . and Austin, Texas, maybe. Indianapolis, frankly, isn't one of those," said Zack Vestal, technical editor for the Colorado-based cycling publication VeloNews.
Yet in one of his VeloNews.com postings from the show, Vestal wrote this: "Exhibitors commented on Saturday's huge crowds, and many shared the feeling that this was the best NAHBS ever."
Oregon-based frame builder Sacha White, owner of the Vanilla Workshop in Portland, was impressed that the show attracted visitors from multiple states, including Minnesota, Georgia and Florida.
He also sensed that attendees appreciated the show's first stop in the Midwest.
"We found people to be really warm and welcoming," White said.
California-based frame builder Craig Calfee, whose bamboo-made bikes have been featured in Time and Newsweek, also seemed pleasantly surprised.
"The turnout for the show was much higher than expected, and the genuine interest was on par with the Portland show," he wrote in an e-mail. "Indianapolis was pitched to the frame-builder community as a great location because of the proximity to a lot of cities in the region. That was certainly true!"
The show even had an international feel, with multiple overseas exhibitors. De Rosa, a legendary family-run Italian bike maker, made its first-ever appearance at the show this year.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm hopelessly hooked on bicycling -- as a competitive sport that pushes human limits, as a healthy form of recreation that gets families outdoors, and as an efficient means of transportation that unclogs roads and conserves energy.
This column, however, is not just about bikes. It's about how business people in Indiana can succeed by believing in this region and, at times, by overcoming preconceived notions of our state.
On the show floor, Walker was a friendly figure wearing a badge identifying him as the "Big Cheese." Yet last week, he was all business when asked to assess the show and those skeptical of his decision to bring it to Indianapolis.
"It was a great way for me to prove them wrong," Walker said.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Pacers’ owners deserve accolades, not scorn
SPORTS: Sat. March 14 - 2009
Bill Benner
Special to IBJ
From the department of no good deed goes unpunished, I present to you Herb and Mel Simon.
You know, those “greedy billionaires” who have done so little for this city over the years.
Except to keep their business here and grow it into the largest of its kind in the country.
Except to personally employ thousands of Hoosiers and serve as the economic engine that has put countless others to work.
Except to erase the blight by filling in those holes in the heart of downtown with that little thing called Circle Centre mall.
Except to donate millions upon millions of dollars to local charities, hospitals, not for-profits … you name it.
Except to rescue the Indiana Pacers from out-of-state ownership—remember Sam Nassi?—26 years ago when no one else wanted them. Even if it meant absorbing enormous losses along the way. They did it not because they enjoy losing money, but because they considered the Pacers an important community asset worth saving (Quick quiz: Want to know how to become a millionaire? Start out as a billionaire and buy a small-market NBA team.)
Sure, they’re rich guys and you know what? Good for them. I wish I had the business savvy and personal chutzpah to be able to walk a mile or two in their Italian loafers.
I’m also old enough to recall a time in America when accumulation of wealth and providing livelihoods for others wasn’t considered an awful thing.
And unless I’m mistaken, there never has been a hint of scandal about how they advanced their fortunes. What I do know is that they took risks, and the risks paid off. They’re self-made men. Again, a trait that once was admired in this country.
Yet now they—younger brother Herb, especially—are being pilloried for bringing the Pacers’ financials problems to light and asking for relief with the operating expenses of Conseco Fieldhouse.
Suffice it to say there’s plenty of blame to go around for the fine mess the Pacers and the Capital Improvement Board find themselves in. But any criticism of the Simons must be kept in the perspective of their positive influence on Indianapolis and their investment in the Pacers.
I hasten to remind everyone that this is not a franchise that arrived via Mayflower moving vans (and that’s not a knock on the Colts) but was born of the blood, sweat and tears of good Indiana people who had the vision long ago of using professional basketball as a catalyst to make our burg a better place.
Herb and Mel Simon sustained that vision and never uttered a complaint through year after year of losing money.
Yet there’s a lot of undeserved garbage being tossed in their direction, balanced by little appreciation of the immense contribution they have played in the city’s development.
As for the Pacers, absolutely, beginning with The Brawl in Detroit, they had a bad run. But the last “incident” took place long ago. With Herb Simon’s imperative and direct involvement, this franchise has cleaned up its act and is putting forth a team that is busting its collective rear end and playing close to the maximum of its potential.
In a sincere attempt to reconnect to the public, the Pacers have offered tickets for as low as five bucks. That’s less than a movie. Oh, and even as they continue to lose money, the Pacers have announced an across-the-board reduction in season-ticket prices for next year.
Among NBA owners, few if any have worked or lobbied harder than Herb Simon in trying to convince Commissioner David Stern that the NBA salary and revenuesharing structure is out of whack. That’s not a fight he’s waging just for his own benefit, but for the good of the league, especially with two-thirds of the teams—including virtually all the midsize and small markets—bleeding red ink.
Unbelievably, Stern continues to put on a happy face about the state of his league. Wonder if he’ll still feel the same way when the NBA’s down to 16 teams.
By all accounts—especially his own—Herb Simon’s commitment to the Pacers is unwavering. Just like the commitment the Simons made to the city years ago.
Imagine Indianapolis without the jobs they’ve created. Imagine Indianapolis without the Pacers, or the fieldhouse, or Circle Centre, or a revitalized downtown, or the millions they’ve donated to charities.
A better place? I, for one, think not. And I’m glad the greedy billionaires chose Indianapolis as their home. •
Benner is director of communications for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and a former sports columnist for The Indianapolis Star. His column appears weekly. Listen to his podcast via podcast at www.ibj.com. He can be reached at bbenner@ibj.com. Benner also has a blog, www.indyinsights.com.
Center of Arsenal Tech High School campus eyed for Super Bowl Facility
By Andy Gammill
andy.gammill@indystar.com
At least six stories high -- tall enough to kick a field goal indoors -- the Super Bowl practice facility proposed for the Tech High School campus would tower over neighboring buildings and surrounding homes.
One of the three possible locations would put the facility flush up against the corner of Michigan and Oriental streets. Another would put it immediately west of two-story houses in Woodruff Place.
Just think of the late-afternoon shadow that would cast.
But Super Bowl planners are zeroing in on a third option, which they hope will have less impact on the neighborhood. That option would place the facility in the center of campus just south of the football field and at the current location of the baseball diamond. Still, the building will stand out.
"It will be an imposing structure on the campus, and that's why we need to be sensitive to how it's built," said Steve Young, facilities chief at Indianapolis Public Schools. "But we think that that can be done."
The neighbors are hopeful on that point, too, but they have expressed concerns. Besides the prospect of having such a building a few yards from the back of their homes, some wonder how it will fit into the historic Tech campus, where some buildings date to the Civil War.
The NFL requires that the city have two similar practice facilities when it hosts the Super Bowl in 2012. The Colts practice facility will serve as one, and the Super Bowl Host Committee plans to build the second at Tech and eventually turn it over to the school.
The overall feeling in the neighborhood is excitement about the attention to the Near Eastside and the potential of the building to be used by the community after the Super Bowl, said Tom Abeel, president of the Woodruff Place Civic League.
"It's a great thing for the community," he said. "Our main concern is that it blends in as much as possible with the historic fabric of not only our neighborhood but the Tech campus. Recently I drove out by Eagle Creek and looked at the current Colts facility. I thought, 'Oh, my God, that thing is huge.' "
Mark Miles, chairman of the Host Committee, said there are many options for the practice facility, including a temporary structure that is torn down after the game or a combination of a permanent structure and part that will go away.
All of the three proposed sites at Tech are still on the table, he said, and if they were to prove unworkable, the committee has backup options elsewhere.
He said the goal, though, is to leave a lasting structure that will benefit the community and the students in IPS, which has athletic facilities not on par with other nearby districts.
"It's an untenable situation," Miles said. "The IPS kids don't have nearly the same opportunities the kids in our suburban school districts do. If you compare their facilities to what's available to IPS kids, it's just wrong."
Additional Facts
» The cost: Organizers have suggested the practice facility at Tech could cost about $9 million, but that's little more than a guess.
» The location: Proposals include the southwest corner of campus near Michigan and Oriental streets; the far-east edge of campus near homes in Woodruff Place; or in the center of campus, the current location of the baseball field.
» The size: At more than 60 feet tall and potentially as wide as two football fields, the facility would tower over campus and the Near Eastside. The bell tower on campus is that tall, and so is an industrial building nearby on 10th Street.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Beech Grove Amtrak to get stimulus funds
Star report
Beech Grove's Amtrak repair facility will share $82 million in federal stimulus dollars to help rebuild or repair 68 stored or damaged Amtrak passenger train cars, the White House announced today.
The restoration will be shared with a Delaware repair facility.
In all, the project could mean 125 new jobs.
http://www.southindystar.com">SouthIndyStar.com: Click here for the latest local news on schools, sports, events and more.
Vice President Joe Biden made the announcement today. The overall package: $1.3 billion in grant funding for Amtrak. He was joined by a group of senators and representatives at the announcement, including Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis.
“Over 28 million passengers ride Amtrak each year. That’s about 500,000 passengers a week – or 80,000 a day,” Biden said in a statement released today.
“For too long, we haven’t made the investments we needed to make Amtrak as safe, as reliable, as secure as it can be. That ends now. The funds in the Recovery Act for Amtrak will help create jobs and at the same time, repair and update critical needs of our nation’s infrastructure.”
The funding will roughly double the size of Amtrak's capital investment.
Many of the damaged cars have been stored at the Beech Grove facility but little work has been done because of lacking funding. Once repaired, the cars will be used to alleviate congested portions of the Amtrak system or to begin new services.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
NCAA Hall of Champions Reopens Today
INDIANAPOLIS— The NCAA Hall of Champions is set to reopen March 12, offering a fresh look, new exhibits and interactive displays, and additional meeting space to make it more attractive to meeting planners and civic and community groups.
The new NCAA Hall of Champions will reopen with 23 state-of-the-art sport-specific exhibits and several interactive displays on the first and second floors. There is a new video presentation, new athletic and academic content, additional meeting and hospitality space and a new retail space in the 30,000 square foot facility, located in the heart of the White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis.
The Hall of Champions’ March 12 reopening is an exciting event for the NCAA said Dennis Cryder, NCAA senior vice president for branding and communications. ¯We are pleased to feature new exhibit content and state-of-the-art facilities that will further enhance the Hall’s presence in the White River State Park and downtown Indianapolis. The most important of the reopening is having an opportunity to offer new and refreshed content focused on our student-athletes, who offer a very inspiring message. The main areas now include: Great Hall (4,200 square feet) – entry way to welcome visitors; Kickoff Theater (1,000 square feet) –see, feel and hear the impact of the NCAA and celebrate the energy of the student-athlete through a video presentation; The Arena (4,200 square feet) – features the 23 championship sports with displays, banners, artifacts and memorabilia; Hall of Honor (470 square feet) – celebrates current and former NCAA student-athletes for their academic and athletic achievements, and their leadership and contributions to society Play (4,000 square feet) –main area on the second floor featuring dedicated meeting and reception space and interactive exhibits; Member Showcase (2,200 square feet) – pays tribute to NCAA member institutions through the perspective of NCAA student-athletes. Member schools and student-athletes will be honored throughout 2009 in this area; Media Room (500 square feet) – the bridge to technology that creates a fan-friendly experience for guests where they can view NCAA footage and features such as ¯One Shining Momen Champion Hall (3,200 square feet; capacity 100 people) – dedicated hospitality and meeting space for civic groups and individuals hosting receptions, events and activities; The Gallery (2,200 square feet; capacity 80 people) – dedicated hospitality space and temporary traveling exhibit area.
(Note: These are the main areas of the Hall of Champions. Additional square footage includes the foyer area, the vestibules and a section of the Great Hall above the main level.) The new NCAA Hall of Champions will focus on reaching five key audiences: civic and business leaders/event planners; visiting groups and conventions; Indianapolis and Indiana youth; NCAA member schools and conferences; and NCAA National Office staff. The Hall of Champions will serve as a bridge to the Indianapolis community where groups can come for activities in addition to connecting with the NCAA, its mission and the NCAA student-athlete. The NCAA already had been planning to renovate the Hall of Champions prior to fire and water damage suffered on Nov. 14, 2007. The occurrence provided an opportunity to update the multi-purpose facility, refocus its content and add more interactive displays. The Hall of Champions originally opened in March 2000, after the NCAA relocated to Indianapolis in 1999.
The NCAA Hall of Champions will reopen to the public on March 12 at 10 a.m. Public operating hours will be 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Hall will be closed on Mondays. Tickets will be $5 for general admission; $3 for youth (ages 6-18), and $3 for students and senior citizens (age 65 and older). Children under six years of age will be free of charge. The NCAA Hall of Champions also will host several receptions for civic and community leaders in advance of the March 12 opening. The receptions will provide an opportunity to communicate the enhancements of the facility to key audiences in the Indianapolis community.
Source: The NCAA Hall of Champions
Greenwood welcomes dental HQ
By William J. Booher
william.booher@indystar.com
A fast-growing, multistate dental business founded 23 years ago in the basement of an Indianapolis home has just relocated its corporate headquarters to Greenwood.
After all, said founder and chief executive officer Bill Mathews, 68, most of the 21 headquarters workers of Mid America Health Inc. live in the southern metropolitan region.
That includes Mathews, the company's chief executive officer, and his wife Jackie, the secretary-treasurer. They recently moved from Indianapolis to Bargersville.
The company relocated just a few weeks ago to the South Park Business Center along the west side of I-65 on Greenwood's Eastside. The modern office building provides more efficient working space, said Mathews, who moved his offices from an old warehouse building on State Avenue on Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
Greenwood Mayor Charles Henderson joined members of the Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce at a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 6, welcoming the company.
In this time of a struggling national economy, the relocation is fortunate for the Greenwood area. "This is even more exciting that ever," Henderson said. "We're blessed to have them here."
The company provides dental health services to inmates in correctional facilities in three states, including Indiana, and to military personnel at installations in 11 states across the nation.
Jackie Mathews has served as secretary-treasurer since 1986, when Bill started the company in the basement of their home on Dearborn Street, on Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
They were married in August 1968 in the first wedding held in the chapel of the new Louis Schwitzer Center on the campus of Indiana Central College, later renamed the University of Indianapolis, Bill Mathews said.
He is a 1968 graduate of the college and she attended while working for a finance company. They met in 1965 when both were working in New Castle at the finance company, she said.
Also, their son-in-law, Patrick Murphy, 38, Trafalgar, has been with the company nearly 12 years and has just been promoted to president.
"When I started, we had six employees. I was the seventh. Now there are about 420," Murphy said.
At least 60 of those workers, including dentists, are in Indiana, he said, and their average salary is $72,000 a year.
Mathews said he started his company with a $50,000 annual contract from the Indiana Department of Correction's Reception and Diagnostic Center in Plainfield. Now, he said, the company has grown to $30 million in contractual business a year.
Mathews majored in business administration and history in college and took some courses at the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis.
"I'm not a dentist," said Mathews, who was a captain in the Army. "I just recognized the need in the Department of Correction. They were receptive. We were successful."
In Indiana, the correctional facilities that use Mid America Health now include the state prisons, some juvenile facilities and the Marion County Jail Annex in Indianapolis and a jail in Terre Haute. The company also has dental contracts with correction departments in Ohio and Kentucky.
The company operates in-house clinics to provide services at the larger prisons, and mobile vans to take services to the smaller correctional facilities, Murphy said.
The military installations served by the company are in California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Additional Facts
MID AMERICA HEALTH INC.
What: Provides, under contract, dental health services to inmates in correctional facilities in three states, including Indiana, and to military personnel at installations in 11 states.
New home: Corporate headquarters relocated a few weeks ago to 1499 Windhorst Way in South Park Business Center on Greenwood's Eastside from Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
Information: Call toll free (888) 309-8239 or visit www.mahweb.com.
william.booher@indystar.com
A fast-growing, multistate dental business founded 23 years ago in the basement of an Indianapolis home has just relocated its corporate headquarters to Greenwood.
After all, said founder and chief executive officer Bill Mathews, 68, most of the 21 headquarters workers of Mid America Health Inc. live in the southern metropolitan region.
That includes Mathews, the company's chief executive officer, and his wife Jackie, the secretary-treasurer. They recently moved from Indianapolis to Bargersville.
The company relocated just a few weeks ago to the South Park Business Center along the west side of I-65 on Greenwood's Eastside. The modern office building provides more efficient working space, said Mathews, who moved his offices from an old warehouse building on State Avenue on Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
Greenwood Mayor Charles Henderson joined members of the Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce at a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 6, welcoming the company.
In this time of a struggling national economy, the relocation is fortunate for the Greenwood area. "This is even more exciting that ever," Henderson said. "We're blessed to have them here."
The company provides dental health services to inmates in correctional facilities in three states, including Indiana, and to military personnel at installations in 11 states across the nation.
Jackie Mathews has served as secretary-treasurer since 1986, when Bill started the company in the basement of their home on Dearborn Street, on Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
They were married in August 1968 in the first wedding held in the chapel of the new Louis Schwitzer Center on the campus of Indiana Central College, later renamed the University of Indianapolis, Bill Mathews said.
He is a 1968 graduate of the college and she attended while working for a finance company. They met in 1965 when both were working in New Castle at the finance company, she said.
Also, their son-in-law, Patrick Murphy, 38, Trafalgar, has been with the company nearly 12 years and has just been promoted to president.
"When I started, we had six employees. I was the seventh. Now there are about 420," Murphy said.
At least 60 of those workers, including dentists, are in Indiana, he said, and their average salary is $72,000 a year.
Mathews said he started his company with a $50,000 annual contract from the Indiana Department of Correction's Reception and Diagnostic Center in Plainfield. Now, he said, the company has grown to $30 million in contractual business a year.
Mathews majored in business administration and history in college and took some courses at the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis.
"I'm not a dentist," said Mathews, who was a captain in the Army. "I just recognized the need in the Department of Correction. They were receptive. We were successful."
In Indiana, the correctional facilities that use Mid America Health now include the state prisons, some juvenile facilities and the Marion County Jail Annex in Indianapolis and a jail in Terre Haute. The company also has dental contracts with correction departments in Ohio and Kentucky.
The company operates in-house clinics to provide services at the larger prisons, and mobile vans to take services to the smaller correctional facilities, Murphy said.
The military installations served by the company are in California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Additional Facts
MID AMERICA HEALTH INC.
What: Provides, under contract, dental health services to inmates in correctional facilities in three states, including Indiana, and to military personnel at installations in 11 states.
New home: Corporate headquarters relocated a few weeks ago to 1499 Windhorst Way in South Park Business Center on Greenwood's Eastside from Indianapolis' Near Eastside.
Information: Call toll free (888) 309-8239 or visit www.mahweb.com.
New Division Hopes to Create Premier Sports Destination
HAMILTON COUNTY, IN – The Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau announces a new division within the bureau - the Hamilton County Sports Authority, HCSA.
The HCSA, under supervision of Director of Sports Development, William Knox, will respond to a vibrant sports market in Hamilton County and further enhance its development as a premier sports destination.
A $6 billion national and $1.85 million locally industry, sports tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism markets across the country. The bureau has identified and worked with local sport venues, groups and events to help Hamilton County earn a portion of the business.
Officially, the Hamilton County Sports Authority will promote Hamilton County’s cities and towns as a sports destination to state, regional and national governing bodies. The office will seek out new events to bring to the county and build existing events to positively impact Hamilton County.
While the office will continue to provide local leadership and guidance in sports management and marketing, it will also become a central clearinghouse for sports facilities, organizations, leaders, events and other local sporting news and information while building relationships and increasing awareness regionally and nationally.
In 2009, Hamilton County added six major events to the calendar:
Indiana Rugby Tournament
AAU Girls Division II National Championship
Indiana Senior Games
IronKids Triathlon
Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series
U.S. Senior Open Golf Tournament
The Hamilton County Sports Authority is located at 37 East Main Street, Carmel, Indiana 46032. Visit HamiltonCountySports.com.
The Hamilton County Sports Authority supports the continued growth of youth sports in Hamilton County that contributes to local quality of life for residents, while providing outstanding opportunities for visitors to participate at premier sports facilities.
The HCSA, under supervision of Director of Sports Development, William Knox, will respond to a vibrant sports market in Hamilton County and further enhance its development as a premier sports destination.
A $6 billion national and $1.85 million locally industry, sports tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism markets across the country. The bureau has identified and worked with local sport venues, groups and events to help Hamilton County earn a portion of the business.
Officially, the Hamilton County Sports Authority will promote Hamilton County’s cities and towns as a sports destination to state, regional and national governing bodies. The office will seek out new events to bring to the county and build existing events to positively impact Hamilton County.
While the office will continue to provide local leadership and guidance in sports management and marketing, it will also become a central clearinghouse for sports facilities, organizations, leaders, events and other local sporting news and information while building relationships and increasing awareness regionally and nationally.
In 2009, Hamilton County added six major events to the calendar:
Indiana Rugby Tournament
AAU Girls Division II National Championship
Indiana Senior Games
IronKids Triathlon
Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series
U.S. Senior Open Golf Tournament
The Hamilton County Sports Authority is located at 37 East Main Street, Carmel, Indiana 46032. Visit HamiltonCountySports.com.
The Hamilton County Sports Authority supports the continued growth of youth sports in Hamilton County that contributes to local quality of life for residents, while providing outstanding opportunities for visitors to participate at premier sports facilities.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
No Rust Here:
Building Indiana's Business Belt
Gov. Daniels follows through on his plan to improve the
state's tax climate, work force and infrastructure.
http://www.siteselection.com/portal/
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels spoke at the grand opening of the new Honda factory in Greensburg. The company recently announced that it will build its natural-gas-powered car at this assembly plant.
by RON STARNER
ron.starner@conway.com
I
n his 2008 State of the State Address, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said, "Government does not create jobs; it only creates the conditions that make jobs more or less likely."
If that is the case, then Indiana's government has been racking up endorsements of its revamped business climate from many sources.
CNBC named the Hoosier State the Most Improved State for Business in 2008 and said it ranked third in the U.S. for business friendliness. Forbes magazine said the state's business tax climate scored best in the Midwest and sixth best in the nation; and Site Selection, in its November 2008 cover story, rated the Indiana business climate No. 5 in the U.S. and the most dramatic upward mover among the top states.
How did this happen? After all, the mainstream business press for years has been reporting that the "Rust Belt" of America is in a state of economic decline. According to Daniels, the demise of Indiana has been greatly exaggerated.
The new main terminal at the Indianapolis International Airport officially opened on Nov. 11 after three years of construction. The $1.1-billion facility will have a capacity of 12 million passengers a year.
"When I took office a few years ago, our tax structure was not terrible, but we have improved it significantly," Daniels tells Site Selection. "We cut property taxes on businesses and individuals dramatically last year. We no longer penalize businesses that have capital and head count in the state. We don't tax patent income for the first few years. We have the largest R&D tax credit around, and all of this is designed to spur the growth of a more diverse economy."
According to recent numbers, the governor's plan appears to be working. Driven by exports of auto parts, industrial machinery, electronics and pharmaceuticals, Indiana's overall export volume reached a record US$26 billion in 2007, up 14 percent from 2006.
In October, IBM-PLI named Indiana the top state for per-capita job attraction from international investment. Chief Executive named Indiana a "best place for investment" in 2008.
From January through October of 2008, some 137 businesses committed to create 17,297 jobs and invest more than $4.1 billion into Indiana operations – totals that nearly matched results from the same period in 2007.
Standard & Poor's took notice. Citing Indiana's strengthening economy, sound management and balanced budget, S&P raised the state's credit rating to AAA, marking the first time in history that Indiana had earned the agency's highest rating.
The success did not come by accident, the governor contends. Nor did it occur overnight.
"Improving our business climate has been a constant theme of ours for the past five years," he says. "When I talk about building the best sandbox, we try to take an all-in approach that makes a place more attractive. Companies tend to go where there is a more affordable cost structure."
Raytheon in Fort Wayne recently landed a $75-million Air Force contract to modify data link equipment for F-15 fighter aircraft.
Daniels focused on reducing business taxes, making energy costs more affordable, streamlining the "transaction costs imposed by government" and "making sure the litigation system is not subject to abuse."
Daniels supported bold but controversial moves like privatizing the state toll road to free up $4 billion that could be reinvested into the state's transportation infrastructure over the next 10 years. He pushed the state's conversion to Daylight Savings Time and privatized other functions of government. He abolished the Department of Commerce and replaced it with the Indiana Economic Development Corp.
The referendum on Daniels' overhaul came Nov. 4, when the governor won re-election in a 58 percent landslide.
It was not the only good news he would receive that month. Governing Magazine named him one of the eight public officials of the year, and the only governor to claim the honor.
Commenting on Daniels, Governing noted his challenge in taking over a state awash in red ink and "budgetary gimmicks." Today, the magazine noted, "the story is dramatically different, thanks in large part to the governor's leadership."
Why They Chose Indiana
Do business leaders agree with that assessment? Site Selection asked executives who have recently expanded facility operations in Indiana.
Jerry Jackson, president of Apex Precision Technologies, says that support from both state and local government made his firm's recent expansion in Hendricks County possible.
A major supplier to Toyota Forklift, Apex is investing $1.5 million in a facility and another $12 million in equipment in the city of Camby, about 20 minutes from the Indianapolis International Airport.
The project will double the size of Apex's manufacturing space to 65,000 sq. ft. (6,038 sq. m.) and add another 32 employees to the current work force of 70 over two years.
"We have a great governor," says Jackson. "He has done a lot of innovative things and has been active in promoting the economy. The transmission plants have been great for our area. Toyota, Honda and Subaru have all helped our area grow."
When asked why his firm selected Camby, Jackson noted the "proximity to Interstates and the airport, plus great support from economic development."
He is also high on the area's labor pool. "It is a neat work force here," he says. "They are well educated, but they still have the rural work ethic. Several employees are taking college classes. There are a lot of higher-ed opportunities here. IUPUI [Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis] is very close."
Dan Pace, a local entrepreneur, developer and racing industry leader in Hendricks County, recently purchased 25 acres (10 hectares) and built space for use by motorsports teams in the area.
After Dan Pace built this space in Hendricks County intended for motorports companies, it didn't take long before Alan Johnson Racing became the first tenant.
It didn't take long before Alan Johnson Racing became his first tenant. "Access to Interstate 74 really was the key, and he liked being in a brand new building," Pace says of Alan Johnson.
"They are very proactive in Hendricks County. I have been doing development for over 30 years," adds Pace. "They are always looking to get things done. They are always open to talk. As long as the business climate stays this way, you will see this area continue to grow."
Bruce Menshy, director of operations for the Fort Wayne site of defense contractor Raytheon, says his plant added 200 positions over two years and is on pace to grow more in 2009.
"We have hired over 100 employees in just the past year alone, primarily system software engineers for various programs for the U.S. military. Our total work force in Fort Wayne is about 1,200 employees, and they are predominantly in engineering," he says.
The firm recently landed a $75-million Air Force contract to modify data link equipment for F-15 fighter aircraft.
"We recruit primarily from the Midwest and nationally," notes Menshy. "We hire entry-level engineers from many of the area colleges and universities – schools like Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Purdue and Notre Dame."
Menshy says the area's best location assets are the "expertise and talent related to tactical communication systems and command-and-control systems. Plus, we are in a metro area of 300,000 people and there are several major defense contractors here – General Dynamics, BAE, Northrop Grumman and others."
Especially helpful to Raytheon, he adds, is a partnership with IUPUI in Fort Wayne "to enhance and grow their systems engineering program. We see that as a need in the future."
Michigan City's Bumper Crop
Perhaps no part of Indiana is reaping a better harvest of plant expansions than Michigan City, which recently landed three large projects.
Palatek, a manufacturer of rotary screw air compressors, built a 160,000-sq.-ft. (14,864-sq.-m.) facility on 34 acres (14 hectares), creating 52 jobs.
The project was made possible by $10 million of industrial revenue bonds issued by Michigan City government, plus tax credits and grants from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. In addition, the La Porte County Council approved tax abatement and loan offers to the company.
"Our business is growing and we need more space, but we ran out of land, so this project enables Palatek to realize its production potential," said Steve VanLoan, president of Palatek.
Also in Michigan City, Trainor Glass announced that it will expand its national drafting center and create up to 50 jobs by 2010. The designer, maker and installer of custom glass doors, walls and storefronts is investing $1.9 million into the 20,000-sq.-ft. (1,858-sq.-m.) facility in northwest Indiana.
"We are proud that Trainor selected Indiana for its new consolidated drafting center," said Gov. Daniels. "We have worked hard to create a competitive environment that encourages businesses like Trainor to grow in Indiana."
Vanair Manufacturing Inc., meanwhile, recently opened a 60,000-sq.-ft. (5,574-sq.-m.) manufacturing plant in Michigan City. The 60 factory jobs pay an average wage of $21 an hour.
The company relocated this operation from Michigan and, in the process, doubled the size of its manufacturing plant by constructing a $2.6-million facility.
"We're very excited about the move to Michigan City, and this new direction and location will give Vanair the opportunity to grow and expand our business," said Greg Kokot, president of Vanair, a maker of vehicle-mounted air compressors.
"Creating an environment that encourages growth is essential to Indiana's economic success," said Nathan Feltman, CEO of the IEDC. "Vanair's commitment to Indiana is yet another indication that Indiana is becoming one of the locations of choice for businesses around the world."
Still Work to Do
Despite the successes, the governor says the job of remaking Indiana's business climate is far from finished.
"We still have far too low a percentage of adults with a college degree," says Daniels, who's pushing a plan to subsidize two years of community college tuition for every student from a family that earns $60,000 a year or less.
The current economic crunch, along with the resulting decline in state lottery proceeds, makes the program unaffordable this year, but the governor vows to fund it once state revenues return to normal levels.
He also promises to further streamline state government and reduce regulatory red tape. "This work is never done," he adds. "We must raise the bar higher. The competition does not stand still, and we can't either."
Rolls-Royce flies high with center
Jet engine manufacturer celebrates opening of $4M global training facility
By Ted Evanoff
ted.evanoff@indystar.com
It doesn't rank with the zoo or the museums as a tourist draw, but a Rolls-Royce training center in Indianapolis is bringing in a steady trickle of international visitors.
The London-based jet engine maker on Tuesday celebrated its new $4 million Regional Customer Training Center at Indianapolis International Airport.
The center was opened during one of the worst recessions in half a century, although Rolls-Royce officials figure slow engine sales will rebound from the global recession with stronger demand later this year, particularly for helicopter engines. Analysts estimate demand for those engines will surpass 150,000 units over the next decade.
Rolls-Royce executive Axel Arendt, head of the company's defense aerospace business, came in from London for Tuesday's event, saying the new center would double the region's training capacity.
Rolls-Royce, which employs 4,000 in its Indianapolis jet engine complex, had been running the training classes for its engine customers in smaller facilities in the city before the current center was opened in October.
Crews from Mexicana Airlines and the U.S. Coast Guard were at the site Tuesday, learning how to care for Rolls-Royce engines used in their fleets.
The training center, covering 42,000 square feet, has seating for 144 students at a time, or about 7,000 students a year, figuring each would attend classes for five days and then depart.
Last year, about 1,200 students came for courses on 22 engine models and products. Visitors for such courses have hailed from Belgium, India, Indonesia, Turkey the United Kingdom, among other areas.
The facility employs 15.
Last month, the company signed a $35 million supply contract with the U.S. Army and a $400 million contract with Bell Helicopter.
Rolls-Royce's operations in the city trace to Allison Engineering, a company acquired in 1929 by General Motors and sold off in 1993 to investors, who resold it to the British company.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Carmel's success with roundabouts on local roads could transform major state routes, starting with the expansion of U.S. 31 into a six-lane interstate-style highway.
Engineers on the U.S. 31 project have recommended the use of the European-bred traffic devices at two interchanges and are considering them on at least three more by 2018.
As many as 100,000 drivers daily use U.S. 31, the main north-south route from Indianapolis to South Bend. That total could rise to 120,000 or 140,000 by 2035, experts estimate.
The Indiana Department of Transportation will decide whether to use roundabouts on U.S. 31 this summer, after a public hearing Thursday. INDOT built its first traditional roundabout last year in Northwest Indiana, but the U.S. 31 project would be the state's first use of roundabouts at highway interchanges.
More roundabouts on state-controlled routes could soon follow.
"Roundabout interchanges have increasingly come into fashion," said Will Wingfield, a spokesman for the department.
Roundabouts have safety advantages, including as much as a 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes, notes the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a national group that has studied the safety of the traffic devices. Roundabouts also can save fuel by reducing idling at traffic lights.
At a roundabout interchange, cars exit a major roadway and enter a ramp to a roundabout instead of a traffic light or stop sign. The roundabout also carries traffic on the cross-street.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard led the city's charge to install 35 roundabouts, and 15 more are planned in the next two years.
The prevalence of roundabouts there and increasingly in other Hamilton County communities helped spur INDOT's designs for U.S. 31.
"You're supposed to look at how interchanges fit into the context of their surroundings," said Steve Fleming, the project's manager with RW Armstrong. "The surrounding communities have roundabouts in them. Signals don't seem to fit."
Carmel is building similar roundabouts on the stretch of Keystone Avenue within city limits. Carmel took control of the roadway from the state in October. Keystone parallels U.S. 31 through Carmel, then merges with it just north of the city. In 2004, Keystone was used by up to 47,000 drivers a day in its southern two blocks, INDOT reports.
Richard Retting, an engineer with the insurance institute, said he knows of no other U.S. city, including much larger ones, that has been as ambitious with building roundabouts as Carmel.
"If I were handing out an award, it would go to Carmel," Retting said. "Carmel is to America what France is to the world."
Carmel received such an award, the city announced Friday. Brainard took first-place honors in the second annual Mayors' Climate Protection Awards Program, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores. In the small-cities category, Brainard was honored for making the case to install roundabouts by promoting their environmental friendliness, safety benefits, cost savings and ability to smooth traffic flow.
Safety and comfort concerns
In Carmel, city officials have calculated a 78 percent reduction in accidents with injuries at 24 intersections where roundabouts have been installed since 2001.
But roundabout advocates acknowledge there are downsides to using the traffic device for a highway interchange.
Roundabouts built on exit ramps of highways in other parts of the country have had to be modified because they couldn't accommodate heavy traffic volume and have led to a lot of fender benders.
"There's more going on (in roundabout interchanges) than with a low-volume residential street, where you can get away with any sort of circle and it will work," said Mark Johnson of Wisconsin-based MTJ Engineering, which has designed several U.S. roundabouts.
Also, many drivers on state highways may not be accustomed to roundabouts.
That's evident in Valparaiso, where the first INDOT roundabout opened in September on Ind. 130 at the intersections with LaPorte Avenue and North Sturdy Road.
Although city leaders say the device has reduced the number of accidents at the busy intersection, it remains unpopular among some drivers.
"I try to avoid it because I don't like driving it," said Liz Gerometta, 17, who occasionally visits Valparaiso University from her home in Chesterton, about 15 miles away. "It's hazardous. It's too crowded in that area."
More to come?
Still, roundabout interchanges are gaining traction not only in Indiana, but across the U.S.
A 2005 report by Lee Rodegerdts, an Oregon-based traffic engineer and an author of a 2000 Federal Highway Administration guide on roundabouts, expected the nation would soon have more than 1,000.
Although traffic circles have long existed on roadways, particularly on the East Coast -- Dupont Circle in Washington and Monument Circle in Indianapolis are not roundabouts -- the first modern roundabout was built outside Las Vegas in 1990, Retting said. From that point forward, they began cropping up on local roadways and highway projects, with some state agencies embracing them as the default design option.
About 100 U.S. interchanges have been built with roundabouts since 1990, and at least a dozen states have roundabout programs, Rodegerdts said.
"Over the decades, more and more people are sort of getting on board with them," Johnson said.
"Slowly, the resistance sort of fades."
What's going on in the metro area
The current suggestions on U.S. 31 call for a large roundabout shaped like a dog bone at 131st Street and a series of four smaller roundabouts at 136th Street. Engineers also are considering them at 106th, 116th and 161st streets.
On U.S. 31 and elsewhere, rising bills for asphalt and fuel are forcing INDOT to think of different ways to do things, Wingfield said. Roundabouts could save operating and maintenance costs on thousands of stoplights. INDOT pays about $270 a year to power the stoplight from I-465 East to U.S. 31 (Meridian Street).
Noblesville, Fishers and Westfield have started building roundabouts. Outside Hamilton County, Avon opened one in November and has three more under design. Greenfield put in a roundabout two years ago and created a long-term plan for about five more.
"As more roundabouts are built around the Indy metro (area), that makes it easier for us to consider it a solution for other state highways," INDOT's Wingfield said. "This may increasingly become a play in the playbook that we look to as we consider design options."
Additional Facts
POTENTIAL TIME SAVINGS
Based on engineers' estimates, taking stoplights off U.S. 31 as part of the project to reconfigure the highway could cut the average commute time from I-465 in Indianapolis to 216th Street north of Westfield by 10 minutes.
That's based on a southbound commute time of 25 minutes and a northbound commute time of 24 minutes.
With a 55 mph limit along the 13-mile stretch, the new commute time would be 14 minutes when the road is stoplight-free.
Source: Jennifer Dzwonar, spokeswoman on the U.S. 31 project in Hamilton County
MORE ONLINE
Learn more about the U.S. 31 reconfiguration at www.us31hamiltoncounty.in.gov.
WHAT DRIVERS THINK
We talked to residents in Carmel and Valparaiso, where a roundabout was installed on a state-controlled highway. Here are some of their thoughts:
"It does make the intersection go faster. However, I think people got their driver's license before manuals taught you the rules of a roundabout. It's a good idea, as along as it's in an area where people are used to slowing down and stopping."
-- Laura Czerwionka, Carmel
"I take the roads with them if I know where they are. I will seek them out to get to and from Castleton."
-- Mike Levine, Carmel
"I think it's working just fine, if you drive through with caution."
-- Ruth Weeden, Valparaiso, on that city's roundabout on Ind. 130
"I think they're terrible. The first time I got in it, I kept going around in a circle. I couldn't figure out how to get off of it."
-- Mary Grace, Winamac, who drives to Valparaiso once a week for shopping
--- Francesca Jarosz
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
Pros
» Improves traffic safety: Fatal crashes have been reduced up to 90 percent, according to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
» Helps the environment: Eliminates idling at stoplights, decreasing fuel emissions and saving gas.
Cons
» Driver confusion: For those who haven't driven on roundabouts, they can be confusing.
» Design complexity: They're harder to design than stoplight interchanges, leaving room for design flaws that could increase the number of fender benders.
Neutrals
» Cost: In some cases, they cost more; in others, less. It depends on the location and the amount and cost of land needed.
» Land use: As a general rule, they require more land at an interchange but less along a mainline road. The impact depends on the location of homes, businesses and other establishments in the area.
--- Francesca Jarosz
ions/roundabout_tri/
Engineers on the U.S. 31 project have recommended the use of the European-bred traffic devices at two interchanges and are considering them on at least three more by 2018.
As many as 100,000 drivers daily use U.S. 31, the main north-south route from Indianapolis to South Bend. That total could rise to 120,000 or 140,000 by 2035, experts estimate.
The Indiana Department of Transportation will decide whether to use roundabouts on U.S. 31 this summer, after a public hearing Thursday. INDOT built its first traditional roundabout last year in Northwest Indiana, but the U.S. 31 project would be the state's first use of roundabouts at highway interchanges.
More roundabouts on state-controlled routes could soon follow.
"Roundabout interchanges have increasingly come into fashion," said Will Wingfield, a spokesman for the department.
Roundabouts have safety advantages, including as much as a 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes, notes the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a national group that has studied the safety of the traffic devices. Roundabouts also can save fuel by reducing idling at traffic lights.
At a roundabout interchange, cars exit a major roadway and enter a ramp to a roundabout instead of a traffic light or stop sign. The roundabout also carries traffic on the cross-street.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard led the city's charge to install 35 roundabouts, and 15 more are planned in the next two years.
The prevalence of roundabouts there and increasingly in other Hamilton County communities helped spur INDOT's designs for U.S. 31.
"You're supposed to look at how interchanges fit into the context of their surroundings," said Steve Fleming, the project's manager with RW Armstrong. "The surrounding communities have roundabouts in them. Signals don't seem to fit."
Carmel is building similar roundabouts on the stretch of Keystone Avenue within city limits. Carmel took control of the roadway from the state in October. Keystone parallels U.S. 31 through Carmel, then merges with it just north of the city. In 2004, Keystone was used by up to 47,000 drivers a day in its southern two blocks, INDOT reports.
Richard Retting, an engineer with the insurance institute, said he knows of no other U.S. city, including much larger ones, that has been as ambitious with building roundabouts as Carmel.
"If I were handing out an award, it would go to Carmel," Retting said. "Carmel is to America what France is to the world."
Carmel received such an award, the city announced Friday. Brainard took first-place honors in the second annual Mayors' Climate Protection Awards Program, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores. In the small-cities category, Brainard was honored for making the case to install roundabouts by promoting their environmental friendliness, safety benefits, cost savings and ability to smooth traffic flow.
Safety and comfort concerns
In Carmel, city officials have calculated a 78 percent reduction in accidents with injuries at 24 intersections where roundabouts have been installed since 2001.
But roundabout advocates acknowledge there are downsides to using the traffic device for a highway interchange.
Roundabouts built on exit ramps of highways in other parts of the country have had to be modified because they couldn't accommodate heavy traffic volume and have led to a lot of fender benders.
"There's more going on (in roundabout interchanges) than with a low-volume residential street, where you can get away with any sort of circle and it will work," said Mark Johnson of Wisconsin-based MTJ Engineering, which has designed several U.S. roundabouts.
Also, many drivers on state highways may not be accustomed to roundabouts.
That's evident in Valparaiso, where the first INDOT roundabout opened in September on Ind. 130 at the intersections with LaPorte Avenue and North Sturdy Road.
Although city leaders say the device has reduced the number of accidents at the busy intersection, it remains unpopular among some drivers.
"I try to avoid it because I don't like driving it," said Liz Gerometta, 17, who occasionally visits Valparaiso University from her home in Chesterton, about 15 miles away. "It's hazardous. It's too crowded in that area."
More to come?
Still, roundabout interchanges are gaining traction not only in Indiana, but across the U.S.
A 2005 report by Lee Rodegerdts, an Oregon-based traffic engineer and an author of a 2000 Federal Highway Administration guide on roundabouts, expected the nation would soon have more than 1,000.
Although traffic circles have long existed on roadways, particularly on the East Coast -- Dupont Circle in Washington and Monument Circle in Indianapolis are not roundabouts -- the first modern roundabout was built outside Las Vegas in 1990, Retting said. From that point forward, they began cropping up on local roadways and highway projects, with some state agencies embracing them as the default design option.
About 100 U.S. interchanges have been built with roundabouts since 1990, and at least a dozen states have roundabout programs, Rodegerdts said.
"Over the decades, more and more people are sort of getting on board with them," Johnson said.
"Slowly, the resistance sort of fades."
What's going on in the metro area
The current suggestions on U.S. 31 call for a large roundabout shaped like a dog bone at 131st Street and a series of four smaller roundabouts at 136th Street. Engineers also are considering them at 106th, 116th and 161st streets.
On U.S. 31 and elsewhere, rising bills for asphalt and fuel are forcing INDOT to think of different ways to do things, Wingfield said. Roundabouts could save operating and maintenance costs on thousands of stoplights. INDOT pays about $270 a year to power the stoplight from I-465 East to U.S. 31 (Meridian Street).
Noblesville, Fishers and Westfield have started building roundabouts. Outside Hamilton County, Avon opened one in November and has three more under design. Greenfield put in a roundabout two years ago and created a long-term plan for about five more.
"As more roundabouts are built around the Indy metro (area), that makes it easier for us to consider it a solution for other state highways," INDOT's Wingfield said. "This may increasingly become a play in the playbook that we look to as we consider design options."
Additional Facts
POTENTIAL TIME SAVINGS
Based on engineers' estimates, taking stoplights off U.S. 31 as part of the project to reconfigure the highway could cut the average commute time from I-465 in Indianapolis to 216th Street north of Westfield by 10 minutes.
That's based on a southbound commute time of 25 minutes and a northbound commute time of 24 minutes.
With a 55 mph limit along the 13-mile stretch, the new commute time would be 14 minutes when the road is stoplight-free.
Source: Jennifer Dzwonar, spokeswoman on the U.S. 31 project in Hamilton County
MORE ONLINE
Learn more about the U.S. 31 reconfiguration at www.us31hamiltoncounty.in.gov.
WHAT DRIVERS THINK
We talked to residents in Carmel and Valparaiso, where a roundabout was installed on a state-controlled highway. Here are some of their thoughts:
"It does make the intersection go faster. However, I think people got their driver's license before manuals taught you the rules of a roundabout. It's a good idea, as along as it's in an area where people are used to slowing down and stopping."
-- Laura Czerwionka, Carmel
"I take the roads with them if I know where they are. I will seek them out to get to and from Castleton."
-- Mike Levine, Carmel
"I think it's working just fine, if you drive through with caution."
-- Ruth Weeden, Valparaiso, on that city's roundabout on Ind. 130
"I think they're terrible. The first time I got in it, I kept going around in a circle. I couldn't figure out how to get off of it."
-- Mary Grace, Winamac, who drives to Valparaiso once a week for shopping
--- Francesca Jarosz
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
Pros
» Improves traffic safety: Fatal crashes have been reduced up to 90 percent, according to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
» Helps the environment: Eliminates idling at stoplights, decreasing fuel emissions and saving gas.
Cons
» Driver confusion: For those who haven't driven on roundabouts, they can be confusing.
» Design complexity: They're harder to design than stoplight interchanges, leaving room for design flaws that could increase the number of fender benders.
Neutrals
» Cost: In some cases, they cost more; in others, less. It depends on the location and the amount and cost of land needed.
» Land use: As a general rule, they require more land at an interchange but less along a mainline road. The impact depends on the location of homes, businesses and other establishments in the area.
--- Francesca Jarosz
ions/roundabout_tri/
Nestle plant opens in Anderson
By Ted Evanoffted.evanoff@indystar.com
Gov. Mitch Daniels today joined Nestle SA executives and state and local economic development leaders to officially open Nestle's Factory and Beverage Distribution Center in Anderson.
Nestle, in the process of hiring 300 workers for the $359 million facility, announced in August that it would hire 135 more workers and invest $200 million more to expand the site's capacity by 2011.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/%3Ca%20href=">State roundup: Click here for the latest headlines from around Indiana.
The new Anderson location is one of 25 manufacturing operations and six distribution centers the company operates in the United States. It's a welcome addition to a city hard-hit by years of automotive industry cutbacks.
"In a span of five years, Nestlé will have invested $529 million in this facility, its largest capital investment in the United States," said Nestlé USA Chairman and CEO Brad Alford in a statement. This is the company's fourth investment in Indiana in the past two years, which includes a $30 million water bottling operation in Greenwood for Nestle Pure Life.
"Today, I am honored to welcome global representatives of Nestlé to Anderson," said Mayor Kris Ockomon in a statement. "Already, Nestlé has touched the lives of our citizens through capital investment, employment and charitable giving. We know that the long term relationship between Nestlé and Anderson is just beginning and we look forward to all the good things the future holds."
Gov. Mitch Daniels today joined Nestle SA executives and state and local economic development leaders to officially open Nestle's Factory and Beverage Distribution Center in Anderson.
Nestle, in the process of hiring 300 workers for the $359 million facility, announced in August that it would hire 135 more workers and invest $200 million more to expand the site's capacity by 2011.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/%3Ca%20href=">State roundup: Click here for the latest headlines from around Indiana.
The new Anderson location is one of 25 manufacturing operations and six distribution centers the company operates in the United States. It's a welcome addition to a city hard-hit by years of automotive industry cutbacks.
"In a span of five years, Nestlé will have invested $529 million in this facility, its largest capital investment in the United States," said Nestlé USA Chairman and CEO Brad Alford in a statement. This is the company's fourth investment in Indiana in the past two years, which includes a $30 million water bottling operation in Greenwood for Nestle Pure Life.
"Today, I am honored to welcome global representatives of Nestlé to Anderson," said Mayor Kris Ockomon in a statement. "Already, Nestlé has touched the lives of our citizens through capital investment, employment and charitable giving. We know that the long term relationship between Nestlé and Anderson is just beginning and we look forward to all the good things the future holds."
Hendricks County commissioners OK $9.8 million bid to complete 56th Street widening
56th Street / Raceway Road intersection will get extra turn lanes
By Josh Duke josh.duke@indystar.com
Berns Construction will be allowed to finish what it started after Hendricks County officials approved its bid to complete the widening of 56th Street from the Brownsburg town limits to Raceway Road.
Berns already completed the town's portion of the project last summer, widening 56th Street from two to four lanes from Northfield Drive to County Road 900 East. Now, residents living east of County Road 900 East will have to endure construction delays.
County Commissioners on Tuesday approved Berns Construction's bid of $9.8 million to widen the remaining two miles of 56th Street to Raceway Road from two to four lanes, which includes shifting the road slightly to the north. The project's cost came in well below the county engineer's estimate of $13.7 million.
County Engineer John Ayers said the county likely would give Berns the go ahead to begin construction within two months. Utility companies already have been working to move poles, he said.
Ayers said the entire Raceway Road-56th Street intersection would be widened with extra turn lanes. However, 56th Street heading east into Marion County will taper back down to two lanes, because Marion County officials have no plans to widen the road.
The county plans to keep the road open during construction, though Ayers didn't rule out some temporary closures, especially when they begin replacing a bridge along the route.
Ayers said improvements would take more than one construction season, but he didn't have a timetable for completion. An agreement between the county and Brownsburg stipulates construction must be completed by December 2011.
Hendricks County officials agreed to pay for $5.7 million of the project. A 20-year bond will pay for the remainder of the cost, with the county initially making payments on the bond. Brownsburg agreed to take over payments if the town annexes any part of the road.
County officials agree that finishing the project is important to economic development.
The newly opened I-74 interchange at Ronald Reagan Parkway, which Berns Construction also built, is nearby and is expected to bring retail and industrial growth.
By Josh Duke josh.duke@indystar.com
Berns Construction will be allowed to finish what it started after Hendricks County officials approved its bid to complete the widening of 56th Street from the Brownsburg town limits to Raceway Road.
Berns already completed the town's portion of the project last summer, widening 56th Street from two to four lanes from Northfield Drive to County Road 900 East. Now, residents living east of County Road 900 East will have to endure construction delays.
County Commissioners on Tuesday approved Berns Construction's bid of $9.8 million to widen the remaining two miles of 56th Street to Raceway Road from two to four lanes, which includes shifting the road slightly to the north. The project's cost came in well below the county engineer's estimate of $13.7 million.
County Engineer John Ayers said the county likely would give Berns the go ahead to begin construction within two months. Utility companies already have been working to move poles, he said.
Ayers said the entire Raceway Road-56th Street intersection would be widened with extra turn lanes. However, 56th Street heading east into Marion County will taper back down to two lanes, because Marion County officials have no plans to widen the road.
The county plans to keep the road open during construction, though Ayers didn't rule out some temporary closures, especially when they begin replacing a bridge along the route.
Ayers said improvements would take more than one construction season, but he didn't have a timetable for completion. An agreement between the county and Brownsburg stipulates construction must be completed by December 2011.
Hendricks County officials agreed to pay for $5.7 million of the project. A 20-year bond will pay for the remainder of the cost, with the county initially making payments on the bond. Brownsburg agreed to take over payments if the town annexes any part of the road.
County officials agree that finishing the project is important to economic development.
The newly opened I-74 interchange at Ronald Reagan Parkway, which Berns Construction also built, is nearby and is expected to bring retail and industrial growth.
Monday, March 9, 2009
More positives to ponder
<http://theurbanophile.blogspot.com/2009/03/indy-could-marion-county-implode.html
Indianapolis is arguably the best performing large metro are in the Midwest. Its southern influence has long been noted, but one of the things that has come with this is a growth profile that is closer to the Sun Belt than the Rust Belt. Pro-sprawl, anti-transit writer Wendell Cox noted this in a recent column on the city, "Sunbelt Indianapolis <http://www.newgeography.com/content/00639-sunbelt-indianapolis> ", which sings the city's praises. In time where most of us are justly worried about our economic future, it is worth noting a few of the things that are going right in Indianapolis, and where it really distinguishes itself versus Midwest peers: * It is the fastest growing major metro in the Midwest, with an annual growth rate of 1.5%, exceeding the national average by 50%* It is the top city in the Midwest for net domestic in-migration. This is arguably the most telling stat for any city. Are people voting with their feet to move to it or move from it? The vast majority of the Midwest is experiencing net out migration. But Cox notes that just since 2000, 55,000 people have moved to the Indianapolis region, a 3.6% growth rate. Its next nearest regional competitor only grew by 1.2% in this category. Amazing if you think about it.* It is also leading the pack in international in-migration. Indy started from a very low base, with a nearly non-existent international population in 2000 or so, but is now outgrowing even Chicago on a percentage basis. One needs to only cruise around the city to see the exploding number of Asian, Indian, and Latino businesses that are changing the face of the city and pumping life into failing neighborhoods.* It has one of the best and healthiest downtowns of any city its size. Most regional cities would kill to have something like the Wholesale District, with its shopping, dining, and entertainment options. While downtown is far from standing on its own two feet and has lots of problems to be sure, it's hard to name another city of its size that is doing this well.* It has a brand new airport terminal that is the best in the country and the most environmentally friendly in the world.* It has international brand recognition via the Indianapolis 500.* It has some of the most progressive suburban developments in America going on. Indy is the national leader in modern roundabouts. Its suburban parkways and trails are as good as any city. New urbanist developments are proposed everywhere and there are many town center projects in the works.* While it is taking a hit in the recession, Indy has been a jobs leader in the Midwest, no doubt part of its attraction to people moving there.* Part of this is its extremely low costs. Indianapolis is the lowest cost major housing market in America and should stay among the cheapest indefinitely thanks to pro-development policies and a surfeit of easily developable land.* Indy is catching up in areas where it has lagged, including bike culture and facilities, sustainable development, the arts, etc. In some cases, I don't think people realize how good they have it. People on the coasts can only dream of having access to the quality artisanal agricultural products that Hoosiers do, for example. * It has favorable geography, being located in the center of the state, being the state capital, etc. So there is definitely a lot to celebrate. While other cities see their major projects die, a fully funded convention center expansion is underway downtown, a new Nestle plant that will employ 400 just opened in Anderson, and the 1,200 employee Medco mail order center in Whitestown is ramping up this year. E-commerce marketing firm ExactTarget employs 400, is having a record year, and wants to go public. Compendium Blogware is hiring. So again, while there are definitely net job losses, there's a lot of positive momentum too.
Indianapolis is arguably the best performing large metro are in the Midwest. Its southern influence has long been noted, but one of the things that has come with this is a growth profile that is closer to the Sun Belt than the Rust Belt. Pro-sprawl, anti-transit writer Wendell Cox noted this in a recent column on the city, "Sunbelt Indianapolis <http://www.newgeography.com/content/00639-sunbelt-indianapolis> ", which sings the city's praises. In time where most of us are justly worried about our economic future, it is worth noting a few of the things that are going right in Indianapolis, and where it really distinguishes itself versus Midwest peers: * It is the fastest growing major metro in the Midwest, with an annual growth rate of 1.5%, exceeding the national average by 50%* It is the top city in the Midwest for net domestic in-migration. This is arguably the most telling stat for any city. Are people voting with their feet to move to it or move from it? The vast majority of the Midwest is experiencing net out migration. But Cox notes that just since 2000, 55,000 people have moved to the Indianapolis region, a 3.6% growth rate. Its next nearest regional competitor only grew by 1.2% in this category. Amazing if you think about it.* It is also leading the pack in international in-migration. Indy started from a very low base, with a nearly non-existent international population in 2000 or so, but is now outgrowing even Chicago on a percentage basis. One needs to only cruise around the city to see the exploding number of Asian, Indian, and Latino businesses that are changing the face of the city and pumping life into failing neighborhoods.* It has one of the best and healthiest downtowns of any city its size. Most regional cities would kill to have something like the Wholesale District, with its shopping, dining, and entertainment options. While downtown is far from standing on its own two feet and has lots of problems to be sure, it's hard to name another city of its size that is doing this well.* It has a brand new airport terminal that is the best in the country and the most environmentally friendly in the world.* It has international brand recognition via the Indianapolis 500.* It has some of the most progressive suburban developments in America going on. Indy is the national leader in modern roundabouts. Its suburban parkways and trails are as good as any city. New urbanist developments are proposed everywhere and there are many town center projects in the works.* While it is taking a hit in the recession, Indy has been a jobs leader in the Midwest, no doubt part of its attraction to people moving there.* Part of this is its extremely low costs. Indianapolis is the lowest cost major housing market in America and should stay among the cheapest indefinitely thanks to pro-development policies and a surfeit of easily developable land.* Indy is catching up in areas where it has lagged, including bike culture and facilities, sustainable development, the arts, etc. In some cases, I don't think people realize how good they have it. People on the coasts can only dream of having access to the quality artisanal agricultural products that Hoosiers do, for example. * It has favorable geography, being located in the center of the state, being the state capital, etc. So there is definitely a lot to celebrate. While other cities see their major projects die, a fully funded convention center expansion is underway downtown, a new Nestle plant that will employ 400 just opened in Anderson, and the 1,200 employee Medco mail order center in Whitestown is ramping up this year. E-commerce marketing firm ExactTarget employs 400, is having a record year, and wants to go public. Compendium Blogware is hiring. So again, while there are definitely net job losses, there's a lot of positive momentum too.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Analysts say operation that employs 400 at airport site could bring $5 billion offer
WellPoint could sell drug benefits unitAnalysts say operation that employs 400 at airport site could bring $5 billion offerBy Jeff Swiatekjeff.swiatek@indystar.com
WellPoint is said to be shopping its pharmaceutical benefits management business, creating uncertainty for the 400 workers it employs in a converted portion of the former United Airlines repair hub in Indianapolis.
Wall Street analysts think it could be an attractive move because the sale could generate up to $5 billion for WellPoint.
Executives at the health benefits giant, headquartered on Monument Circle, have given vague replies to questions from analysts and the media about the sale rumors.
WellPoint executives' public comments on the issue have seemed to indicate a sale isn't in the offing. At meetings as recently as the Jan. 28 fourth-quarter earnings teleconference, WellPoint executives said they want to provide integrated and coordinated care to their members.
That suggests they want to keep pharmacy management functions in-house because they're a key part of controlling health-care costs. Pharmacy management involves handling complicated prescriptions that are costly to health insurers to provide.
But John Rex, a stock analyst for J.P. Morgan who follows WellPoint, said in an investor report this week that "we have noted a softening of that tone by current leadership."
If WellPoint executives change their strategy, it "would mark a significant turn from the former senior management's long-held belief" that it could serve its members better by keeping the business, Rex wrote.
Asked about sale rumors, WellPoint spokeswoman Cheryl Leamon said Thursday, "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."
A sale could be an economic blow to Indianapolis if the buyer decided to close the WellPoint facility at Indianapolis International Airport.
The facility opened in October 2007 and employs 400 people, many of them highly paid pharmacists and technicians. Employment is expected to more than double as usage of high-cost drugs grows.
WellPoint has two other large facilities, in Ohio and Texas, that are used in its pharmacy benefits management business, which employs 2,100 people overall.
One major pharmacy benefits player, Medco, is opening a large mail-order pharmacy of its own in Boone County later this year. The $150 million distribution center will eventually employ 1,300 people.
A spokeswoman for Medco said it won't comment on speculation that it might be interested in buying the WellPoint business.
Rex, the analyst, said one reason a health-care company might sell its pharmacy benefits business is to redeem its true value. Publicly traded companies that primarily do pharmacy benefits management are valued higher in the market than health companies that own a captive pharmacy benefits business, he said.
WellPoint is said to be shopping its pharmaceutical benefits management business, creating uncertainty for the 400 workers it employs in a converted portion of the former United Airlines repair hub in Indianapolis.
Wall Street analysts think it could be an attractive move because the sale could generate up to $5 billion for WellPoint.
Executives at the health benefits giant, headquartered on Monument Circle, have given vague replies to questions from analysts and the media about the sale rumors.
WellPoint executives' public comments on the issue have seemed to indicate a sale isn't in the offing. At meetings as recently as the Jan. 28 fourth-quarter earnings teleconference, WellPoint executives said they want to provide integrated and coordinated care to their members.
That suggests they want to keep pharmacy management functions in-house because they're a key part of controlling health-care costs. Pharmacy management involves handling complicated prescriptions that are costly to health insurers to provide.
But John Rex, a stock analyst for J.P. Morgan who follows WellPoint, said in an investor report this week that "we have noted a softening of that tone by current leadership."
If WellPoint executives change their strategy, it "would mark a significant turn from the former senior management's long-held belief" that it could serve its members better by keeping the business, Rex wrote.
Asked about sale rumors, WellPoint spokeswoman Cheryl Leamon said Thursday, "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."
A sale could be an economic blow to Indianapolis if the buyer decided to close the WellPoint facility at Indianapolis International Airport.
The facility opened in October 2007 and employs 400 people, many of them highly paid pharmacists and technicians. Employment is expected to more than double as usage of high-cost drugs grows.
WellPoint has two other large facilities, in Ohio and Texas, that are used in its pharmacy benefits management business, which employs 2,100 people overall.
One major pharmacy benefits player, Medco, is opening a large mail-order pharmacy of its own in Boone County later this year. The $150 million distribution center will eventually employ 1,300 people.
A spokeswoman for Medco said it won't comment on speculation that it might be interested in buying the WellPoint business.
Rex, the analyst, said one reason a health-care company might sell its pharmacy benefits business is to redeem its true value. Publicly traded companies that primarily do pharmacy benefits management are valued higher in the market than health companies that own a captive pharmacy benefits business, he said.
Rolls-Royce wins $400M deal to produce helicopter engines
Rolls-Royce Lands Helicopter ContractInsideINdianaBusiness.com Report
Rolls-Royce Corp. has announced a 10-year contract to provide Bell Helicopter with Model 250 engines for Bell 206 and 407 helicopters. The agreement is valued at up $400 million. The engines are produced at Rolls-Royce's Indianapolis operations. Rolls-Royce has worked with Bell Helicopter since 1961, delivering more than 18,000 engines.
Source: Inside INdiana Business
Glick Cultural Trail
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick is a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that connects neighborhoods, Cultural Districts and entertainment amenities, and serves as the downtown hub for the entire central Indiana greenway system.The five downtown cultural districts connected by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail include Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, The Canal & White River State Park, and the Wholesale District. The Cultural Trail will also connect with the Monon Trail, allowing visitors easy access to Broad Ripple Village from downtown.
The Cultural Trail is made possible by a large public and private collaboration led by Central Indiana Community Foundation, the City of Indianapolis and several not-for-profit organizations devoted to building a better city..
Indy - Most Affordable City in the Nation
By Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Last Updated: February 23, 2009: 2:17 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Crashing home prices have led to the most affordable housing market in at least five years, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index released Thursday.
More than 60% of all U.S. homes sold during the last three months of 2008 were affordable - meaning that a family making the national median of $61,500 a year would pay 28% or less of their total income toward housing expenses.
At 62.4% affordable, the figure is up considerably from 56.1% in the previous quarter and 46.6% at the end of 2007, according to the report.
Topping the list of most affordable U.S. metro areas, which ranks areas with more than 500,000 in population, was Indianapolis. This is the city's 14th consecutive quarter in first place; it boasts a full 93% of all homes sold being affordable to median family households.
The least affordable was the New York City metro area, where only 13.9% of homes sold met the criteria.
In the fourth quarter, the national median home price fell to $190,000 from $205,700 in the previous-year period, according to a report issued last week by the National Association of Realtors. That combined with falling mortgage rates has made home buying the most affordable it has been since early 2002.
"Falling home prices and very favorable mortgage rates both contributed to the housing affordability gains we saw in the fourth quarter of 2008," NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a homebuilder from Tulsa, Okla., said in a prepared statement.
That still wasn't enough to get moribund housing markets moving again. Existing homes sold at an annualized rate of 4.74 million in December, according to the National Association of Realtors, down from more than 7 million during the boom.
And a government report revealed that new home sales crashed to an annualized rate of 331,000 in December, the lowest since record keeping began in 1963.
"Worsening economic conditions, historically low consumer confidence and uncertainty about future home prices kept many qualified buyers on the sidelines," Robson said.
Still no buying push
That affordability has improved so much does not necessarily make people go house hunting, according to Mike Larson, a real estate analyst with Weiss Research.
"You could argue that house affordability indexes are improving but that may not be the best way of defining whether it's a good time to buy," he said. "Concerns about the economy and whether they're going to still have a job have kept many homebuyers from stepping up to the plate."
During the boom, when house affordability plunged, buyers came out in droves. They were confident in the economy and afraid that home prices would soar out of reach. Today, just the opposite applies.
"Affordability is going to get even better," said Larson. "Home prices are not done falling. Buyers recognize this. There's no sense of urgency, and rightly so."
Indeed, according to Nicholas Retsinas, director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, affordability, which was a major factor in homebuying during the boom, no longer matters very much. In most parts of the United States, affordability has returned to where it was in 2002 or 2003.
"The new barrier is willingness to buy," he said.
That's why one major goal of President Obama's housing-rescue plan involves slowing foreclosures to stabilize housing markets and foster consumer confidence.
"If that happens, maybe people will start thinking, 'Hey, maybe prices won't go down tomorrow,'" said Retsinas.
Most and least affordable
Affordability in Indianapolis, the 33rd largest metro area in the United States with 1.7 million people, was buoyed by fairly high median income of $65,100 and rock-bottom home prices. The median price for a home sold during the quarter was just $103,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders report.
Those prices, combined with reasonable mortgage interest rates, make home-buying in the area a snap. A buyer of a median-priced home putting 20% down would pay only about $450 a month in mortgage expenses.
But even though house buying costs are reasonable, the city's weakening economy meant it did not escape the foreclosure plague. More than 20,000 homes, representing nearly 3% of the city, received a foreclosure filing of some kind in 2008, the 26th highest rate in the nation.
Other most affordable towns were: Warren, Mich. (89.6%); Youngstown, Ohio (89.4%); and Detroit (89.3%).
In the New York City metro area, home prices took a steep dive during the quarter, to $455,000 from $500,000 three months earlier. But even that was not enough to dislodge the city from its rank as the most unaffordable metro area in the land.
Median income in the area is $63,000, less than in Indianapolis and, with home prices more than four times higher than in the Midwestern metropolis, only 13.9% of the homes sold there were affordable to median income families.
That was still a major improvement from two years ago, when only 5.1% of homes sold during the fourth quarter of 2006 were affordable. And New York households have been barely brushed by foreclosure so far with only 0.71% receiving some kind of foreclosure filing during 2008.
Other least-affordable metro areas included San Francisco at 20.6%, where affordability improved greatly from 5.7% during the second quarter of 2007; suburban Long Island, where 25.5% were affordable; and Los Angeles, where 26.9% were.
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium (LOS) is a state-of-the-art, 63,000-seat, retractable roof, multi-purpose stadium featuring spectacular views of the Indianapolis skyline. In addition, the stadium has an infill playing surface, 7 locker rooms, exhibit space, meeting rooms, operable north window, dual two-level club lounges, 137 suites, retractable sideline seating, house reduction curtains, two large video boards, ribbon boards, spacious concourses, interior and exterior plaza space, 11 indoor docks, two vehicle ramps to the event level and much, much more. In 2010, LOS will be connected to the newly expanded convention center and several hotels and entertainment options by a new pedestrian connector.
Tradeshows can take advantage of an indoor 30,000 square foot loading dock with 11 bays, retractable seating and operable walls to utilize up to 183,000 contiguous square feet of space.
Football games can be played indoors or outdoors using the retractable roof and operable north window. The house reduction curtain system covers the entire Terrace Level seating, reducing capacity from 63,000 to approximately 41,000.
Basketball and other half-house events have the option of playing in the round for up to 70,000 fans or in a much smaller configuration with a house reduction curtain system unlike any other stadium.
Conventions may use the stadium for general sessions in a variety of configurations. The twelve backstage meeting rooms plus the 25,000 square foot Exhibition Hall 1 and 18,000 square foot Exhibition Hall 2 may be utilized for additional convention space.
Concerts may be played indoors or outdoors in full stadium or reduced house configurations. Seating configurations range in size from 15,000-65,000
Tradeshows can take advantage of an indoor 30,000 square foot loading dock with 11 bays, retractable seating and operable walls to utilize up to 183,000 contiguous square feet of space.
Football games can be played indoors or outdoors using the retractable roof and operable north window. The house reduction curtain system covers the entire Terrace Level seating, reducing capacity from 63,000 to approximately 41,000.
Basketball and other half-house events have the option of playing in the round for up to 70,000 fans or in a much smaller configuration with a house reduction curtain system unlike any other stadium.
Conventions may use the stadium for general sessions in a variety of configurations. The twelve backstage meeting rooms plus the 25,000 square foot Exhibition Hall 1 and 18,000 square foot Exhibition Hall 2 may be utilized for additional convention space.
Concerts may be played indoors or outdoors in full stadium or reduced house configurations. Seating configurations range in size from 15,000-65,000
Indianapolis International Airport
READY FOR TAKE-OFF BY By Daniel S. Comiskey
Behold, The Gateway. The Front Door. The Vestibule. The Welcome Mat. City planners, business leaders, and architects may have different metaphors for it, but they all amount to the same thing: The airport provides most visitors with their first glimpse of a city, and the last before they leave. At their best, airports serve the same purpose as the great train stations of old—marking departures and arrivals in a memorable way, welcoming visitors to town.Yet, until now, Indy hasn’t exactly made the best impression. In the reluctant-to-be-critical style typical of Hoosiers, those involved in creating the new Indianapolis International Airport, which opens November 11 after 30 years of planning, speak cautiously about the original building. John Kish, executive director of the Airport Authority: “It was what it was.” Bob Schultz, director of communications at the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association: “A forgettable regional airport.” Randall Tobias, president of the Airport Authority Board: “Just look at it.”In other words, it was plain, worn down, and overcrowded. The old Weir Cook terminal, later renamed the Indianapolis International Airport, reflected the Indy of the 1950s, a city with little to offer downtown and a lack of tourism to match. About the only reason to fly here was on business with Eli Lilly or to attend the Indianapolis 500. Sure, the old airport functioned. But that amounted to the highest praise you could give it.A small group of bureaucrats saw the city would need something more. In 1975, the Airport Authority—a municipal corporation that owns the facility—began buying land where the two main runways lie today, and planning for a terminal that would someday sit between them. But in the years that followed, planners and architects did more than simply update the facility. They created a 21st-century landmark for Indianapolis to live up to. “When I was hired,” says Ripley Rasmus, lead architect of the project, “the powers that be told me, ‘This is not about racecars or Brown County. This is about our future.’”In an era of local civic projects that have stumbled into pitfalls of overspending and unimaginative design, the new airport soars. Architecturally, the terminal, walled with glass and capped by an undulating roofline that evokes flight, welcomes in natural light from every direction. Environmentally, the structure expects to be the largest LEED-certified building in the Midwest (a national distinction for the use of “green” building materials and methods). Economically, without requiring a single local tax dollar for construction, it has already lured several advanced manufacturing companies nearby. Convention business promises to explode in conjunction with the updated Convention Center. And officials hope, perhaps against hope, to use the terminal as leverage to convince the airlines we deserve more direct flights.Lofty expectations? Maybe. Some say it’s unreasonable to expect anything more from the new airport than to provide passengers a better experience. That much is not in doubt. Herman Miller seating replaces shredded, coffee-stained chairs. Civic Plaza, the new terminal’s rotunda for local shopping and dining, provides an unmatched view of the airspace and city skyline. Almost $4 million in commissioned art, including glass murals and tile mosaics, enlivens the concourses. All these things work in concert to provide a more pleasant hour or two surrounding takeoffs and landings. And given the nature of the airport as a gateway, maybe providing that experience entices travelers to return. As Tobias says, “The way it affects passengers is the way it will change the city.”
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