7 INDIANAPOLIS REGIONAL CENTER PLAN 2020 PLANNING DOWNTOWN�fS FUTURE TODAY PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW The Regional Center Plan (RCP) 2020 is a partnership between the City of Indianapolis, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.  Ball State University's College of Architecture and Planning: Indianapolis Center assisted in the facilitation of the planning process and operation of the Regional Center storefront office.  The plan builds on a tradition of Downtown planning dating back to 1958, when the first Central Business District Plan was adopted.  Subsequent Regional Center Plans in 1970, 1980 and 1990 have set the stage and helped guide the tremendous rebirth of Downtown Indianapolis. The plan is adopted by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission as a segment of the Marion County Comprehensive Land Use Plan.  Deputy Mayor Carolyn Coleman and David Johnson served as co-chairs of the planning process and provided instrumental leadership throughout. STOREFRONT OFFICE As in past Regional Center Plan updates, a storefront office was opened in the core Downtown to promote the planning efforts, provide a dedicated discussion and meeting center and solicit the involvement of Downtown users.  The storefront, located at 26 West Washington Street across from Circle Centre mall, welcomed more than 500 visitors in addition to the 350 active committee members who met there monthly.  The office offered displays of Urban Design Workshop results, public internet access for the Regional Center website, aerial photos and maps and changing exhibits from the City of Indianapolis and Ball State University that related to Downtown. REGIONAL CENTER WEBSITE With assistance from Ball State University, the Regional Center Plan developed a comprehensive, interactive web-based resource dedicated to the plan.  The website (http: //www.indyrc2020.org), provided information resources including maps and aerial photos, summaries of existing plans and initiatives, the history of the Regional Center and sources for additional data.  During the Urban Design Workshops, the site provided up-to-the- minute information on workshop progress and opportunities for public feedback.  The website was instrumental in communicating with committee members during the committee phase of the process by providing a repository for meeting agendas, notes, presentations and maps.  Online discussion forums allowed community members to discuss topics such as affordable housing, retail, transit and design issues.  The website also offered merchandise for sale featuring some of the best images of Downtown's future from the urban design workshops. URBAN DESIGN WORKSHOPS Between June and November 2001, the Regional Center Plan 2020 sponsored three urban design workshops.  The workshops were designed as brainstorming exercises to stimulate discussion about the future of the Regional Center and were not meant to develop detailed proposals.  These workshops were targeted at specific areas Downtown that did not have existing plans at the time or for which planners saw a possibility for significant change in the next 20 years.   South Urban Design Workshop, held June 14-18, 2001, looked at the south side of Downtown from the railroad tracks leading to Union Station on the north, I-65 and I-70 on the east and south and White River on the west.  The East Urban Design Workshop was held September 20-24, 2001 and focused on the area surrounding the site of Market Square Arena.  The Northwest Urban Design Workshop, held November 4-8, 2001, focused on a large area of the northwest quadrant of Downtown including all of the areas studied for potential life sciences development. PLANNING PROCESS Regional Center Plan office at 26 West Washington Street Regional Center Plan office displays and public access website terminal Regional Center Plan website