Fastest Growing Community Maps Plan for Future
Fastest-Growing Community Maps Plan for Future
July 2002 - Hamilton County Business
By: Amy Cahill, Editor
Throughout the 1990s, Fishers led the way for Hamilton County’s growth. As development continues, local officials are putting plans in place to make the most of the town’s remaining open space.
From 1990 to 2000, the population of Fishers grew by more than 400 percent, going from 7,508 people to 37, 835, U.S. Census figures show. During the same period, the community experienced a significant growth in the number of jobs available, Director of Development Wesley Bucher said.
The Hamilton County Alliance estimates that Fishers is adding about 4,000 jobs per year.
“That almost keeps up with our population growth,” added Bucher.
Since 1995, Fishers has added 6.8 million square feet of commercial development and 7,901 new homes.
The community benefited from advanced planning by town leaders in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They recognized the growth potential of the Interstate 69 Corridor and did some of the first planned development and flexible zoning in the state.
Now, the town has developed a future land-use map spelling out the necessary balance between commercial and residential development to keep the community’s tax rate affordable for homeowners. The plan is the result of cooperative venture between the Fishers Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Fishers.
“It’s basically, as of now, ‘What is the future?” Bucher said.
A new partnership is underway to determine how to market the community to the types of commercial entities the town wants to attract. The study is expected to be completed by October.
Even without the study, Fishers has managed to attract the regional headquarters for ADT, which employs 500 people, and Irwin Financial Group’s new headquarters, which will employ about 750 people.
“We’re reasonably proud of attracting the two largest new projects here in Hamilton County in probably the last three or four years,” Bucher said.
Republic Development, a Toledo, Ohio-based company, currently has a 400-acre project, Saxony, underway on the south side of the I-69 and Indiana 238 exchange. Another 280-acres of development are planned on the Noblesville side of the intersection.
The Fishers development is planned to offer a “live-work-play” environment where residents can walk to work, dine, shop, or enjoy entertainment. It will incorporate traditional neighborhood and new urbanism elements.
