The Ball State University Board of Trustees on Friday approved the scope, budget, and site plan for Village Green—Site 4 of the University’s Village Revitalization Plan.
Village Green will be located on the southwest corner of Martin Street and University Avenue in Muncie. It will be a welcoming gathering space designed to strengthen connections between campus and the broader Muncie community.
“Village Green represents the kind of thoughtful investment that makes The Village even more attractive to people in our community,” said Brian Gallagher, chair of the Ball State Board of Trustees. “With today’s action, we will construct a venue that will bring people together, support local businesses, and strengthen the connection between our campus and our neighbors.”
The plan for Village Green incorporates design insights gathered through a Fall 2025 Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (ECAP) student design competition, which drew 54 submissions and nearly 2,000 public votes. The plan includes green space, a signature gateway element featuring public art, shaded seating, game-ready hardscape, food-truck staging space, and enhanced lighting.
The plan also includes improvements to Martin Street that will create a more pedestrian-friendly corridor that better links The Village to the campus via the Alderdice Gates and the James Lowe East Mall. It includes a shared-street concept and intersection and streetscape enhancements.
“I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to this important milestone, from our campus partners and community collaborators to the talented students whose ideas helped inform the vision for Village Green,” Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns said. “This new gathering space strengthens connections between our campus and our community.”
The cost of Village Green’s development will be approximately $5.4 million, with the majority of funding coming from the $35 million grant that the University received in December 2023 from Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration initiative. Full design work will be completed in 2026, with construction anticipated to begin in Spring 2027. The project will be completed in Fall 2027.
“Village Green is designed to be flexible,” said Chris Palladino, director of real estate services at Ball State. “By pairing a welcoming green space with improvements to Martin Street, we’re creating a place that supports year-round activity, complements nearby businesses, and helps make The Village an even stronger destination for both students, faculty, and staff, as well as people from all across East Central Indiana.”
Later this year, Ball State expects major progress and openings across The Village, including the Performing Arts Center and the Center for Innovation and Collaboration (CIC)—each scheduled to open this Fall. The Cantio Hotel, part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, is also scheduled to open this Fall.