Here's how Noblesville leans on history to make itself new again

Of Hamilton County’s three largest cities, Noblesville might be considered the middle child — brimming with potential but sometimes overlooked.

The suburb, after all, has a historic town square, and a river runs through it — combined features Carmel and Fishers can’t claim.

So rather than re-inventing itself, as many suburbs have done with “vibrant and walkable” downtown areas built from scratch by big developers, city officials are aiming to enhance its natural gifts.

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City officials want to spruce up and remodel the square and make the White River easier to access, providing a one-two punch in which residents and visitors could comfortably busy themselves for a whole day.

"As the county seat, we have the courthouse and the square and a river in the center of  downtown, and those are some major assets," Mayor John Ditslear said. "We can modernize them but without losing the historical significance. I can see people coming down here to shop and eat during the day and staying at night for a concert."

Increase downtown density

To add muscle to the vision, Ditslear announced this week that at least one and possibly two high-end apartments with first-floor retail space would be built downtown or near downtown. The city is still entertaining proposals from developers but will likely reach an agreement by the end of the year.

That part of the overall plan is consistent with what other cities — including Carmel and Fishers — are doing as they chase the prized demographic perfecta of young professionals and well-off retirees to increase their downtown populations and spur economic activity.

"We've wanted to increase density downtown for a long time," Ditslear said, "but things never really came together as they are starting to now." 

The improvements on the square are in the final planning stages. They include wider sidewalks, mini-parks with benches, public art and entertainment in alleyways. Light fixtures and benches would be re-designed, decorative pavement would be laid down and gateway arches put up.

The changes would preserve the historical aesthetic of the square, which is lined with several local restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, galleries and antique sellers. A survey by the consultant, Context, Inc., which did the downtown study, found the square has 16 restaurants, eight clothing stores and seven antique shops, with most of the rest of the businesses being legal services and insurance companies.

Parking a problem

Researchers said 68 percent of people who live, work or visit Noblesville like its historic charm more than any other element. But the study also found that their biggest complaint was a lack of parking and that they wanted to see a wider variety of businesses.

Many visitors downtown are most frustrated by a two-hour parking limit on the square, said Peggy Kumler, who has owned A Corner Cottage on the square for 20 years.

"When they get ticketed, some customers get so mad they say they are never coming back," Kumler said. "I've felt so bad for them that I've paid their tickets about 10 to 12 times over the years. When they get out of their cars they don't realize there's a time limit because they are so excited about shopping."

Mark Littler, who owns Noble Coffee and Tea Company with his wife, Robyn, said the city has to strike a delicate balance with parking restrictions.

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"For a business like mine, I don't want people taking up a space all day," he said. "My business depends on quick turnover. But if you have law practice on the square and are taking a deposition, you'll probably need more than two hours."

Widening the sidewalk would give cafes like Littler's more room for outdoor seating and pedestrians more space to window shop. But it would also mean changing the parking from vertical to parallel and that would eliminate about 20 spaces.

Deputy Mayor Steve Cooke said parking garages would be included in the new mixed-use developments, which should alleviate parking on the square.

"We also have several surface lots nearby in which you can park all day," Cooke said. 'We need to do a better job of letting the public know those lots are there."

White River development

It won't be the first time the city has upgraded the square. In the last 10 years it has spent nearly a million dollars on a program to fix up business fronts. Kumpler said she took advantage of the facade program about eight years ago, putting new windows and an awning on her shop with $14,000 from the city and $14,000 of her own.

The city is already well on its way to making the White River convenient to use. Last year, a half-mile trail along the east side of the river opened and another mile will be built soon. The Riverwalk trail will run from Division Street at Forest Park to Southside Park. Construction could begin this year.

Noblesville has also punched up development west of the river to expand the boundaries of what is commonly known as downtown. Blue Sky Technology opened a large headquarters building — into which the popular restaurant Bru Burger moved — on the river, and the city built the $6 million Federal Hills Commons, a versatile park that has a band shell and ice skating rink.

The land around the river was also designated as a redevelopment district, which gives the city unlimited liquor permits to sell at a fixed price of $1,000, as a way to entice more business.

To better link the two sides of downtown, a pedestrian walkway with a look-out is being designed for the Logan Street Bridge over the White River. The walkway will be 28 feet wide and 150 feet long, county highway Director Brad Davis said. It could accommodate musicians, artists or other entertainers.

"To connect these two parts of downtown we need to make it more walkable," Ditslear said.

Zip lines and flotillas 

The burgeoning riverfront development will be a starting point for further improvements being led by the city of Indianapolis and Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. The White River Master Plan will examine how to better use 58 miles of the river.

"The river is a great asset in Noblesville, but a lot of people don't even realize that it's there," said Brenda Myers, president of the tourism office.

Myers said there is a lot of potential for "activation," along the river. The county has nine parks near the water, most with at least some access. "There is a canoe rental and boat slips and other activity on the river, but we can do more," Myers said, listing as possibilities flotillas, fishing piers and ziplines. Planners visited several other cities, such as Columbus, Ohio, to see what they had done with their rivers and are holding a series of public hearings to receive input.

Coffee shop owner Littler said the city will thrive as long as it sticks to its roots. He said he urges city leaders all the time to improve what the city has and resist the temptation to simply imitate Carmel and Fishers.

"Noblesville offers something different," Littler said. "There is a historic feel to it. It is not an urban center. It still feels like a small town, which is why people come here."

Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418. Follow on Twitter and Facebook.