Carmel, Indiana

Focused on excellence

A Fast Growing City Offering a High Quality of Life, Amidst a Culture of Excellence

In central Indiana, just a few miles north of Indianapolis, Carmel has transformed from a quiet bedroom community into a thriving urban and suburban environment. The city stands out for its exceptional public schools, extensive parks, innovative infrastructure and rich arts scene.

“We have distinguished ourselves over the last 40 to 50 years as a community where people are focused on excellence,” says Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam.

Education and Athletics

With its highly educated population, one of the many aspects that makes Carmel shine is its top-rated schools. The Carmel Clay School District is home to one of the largest high schools in the state with close to 5,300 students, three middle schools, and eleven elementary schools. With a variety of academic, arts, and technical opportunities available, the district also has an extremely successful athletics program, boasting 194 state championships.

“We have a highly-rated school district that is one of the primary economic development drivers in our community,” Finkam explains. “Our schools continue to raise the bar. What I think our role is, is if we create an incredibly dynamic community that’s thriving, it also helps attract the best students. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

Carmel prides itself on its nationally-recognized School Resource Officer program that represents a collaborative effort between the Carmel Police Department and the schools to not only ensure safety, but also to foster positive relationships between students and law enforcement.

“They have a rockstar public safety professional who oversees their safety program. And it’s something special. The kids appreciate the officers in the schools and this permits us to put a different face on policing, for kids,” says Finkam.

Building for the Future

Carmel’s approach to urban planning exemplifies its dedication to smart growth and innovation.

“One of the things we’ve done best is to build a master plan for our community. That started with our first female mayor, who dedicated an interstate that goes through part of our community as our corporate corridor,” Finkam describes.

“This has allowed us to put our larger taller buildings along the corporate corridor and maintain and protect the residential corridor along Keystone Parkway where it’s more tree-lined and quieter.”

Guided by this strong master plan, Carmel has divided the core of the community into distinct areas- the Arts & Design District, Midtown and City Center.

“We’ve been investing heavily in those key areas from an infrastructure standpoint, with complete streets, beautified areas with flags and hanging flower planters, street-level public art, and beautiful public plazas where people can gather,” says Finkam.

A popular gathering space, Midtown Plaza, referred to fondly as Carmel’s living room, has garnered national recognition. “We have a public plaza with a green space, multi-use pathways, corporate headquarters, restaurants, retail and other amenities like swings, pool tables, ping-pong and outdoor fireplaces where friends and families can truly gather,” says Finkam.

This area also includes a giant outdoor theater screen where members of the community can watch movies and sports events. “We had 14 young people who qualified for the Olympic swim trials which were held in Indianapolis this summer. We had four Olympic swimmers and their coach and once Olympic tennis player who competed in Paris. It was exciting to cheer for our home town heroes on the big screen,” she adds.

Downtown Development

Featuring established community favorites like Bub’s Burgers and Joe’s Butcher Shop, Carmel’s Main Street also showcases an eclectic mix of art galleries, service-oriented businesses and boutiques.

Unique food and drink experiences are also plentiful ranging from local pubs like Woodys Library located in a 1913 historic Carnegie Library building to an array of international options from Thai to Greek to Italian.

1st ON MAIN, a new development spanning 1.7 acres is expected to bring continued vibrancy to the area. Finkam elaborates, “This is a $40 million project with 35 apartments, 8 two-story for-sale condominiums and a 310-space public parking garage. It features 73,000 square feet of office space with a private rooftop terrace. It’s a fantastic redevelopment project right in the heart of our city.”

Innovative Infrastructure

Another notable achievement in the city is the extensive network of roundabouts- more than 150- that have proven to significantly reduce traffic fatalities and improve walkability, while also cutting down on emissions. The Keystone Parkway corridor has received national attention for its implementation of the world’s first ‘Dog Bone’ roundabouts, used as interchanges onto and off of the parkway, which is at a lower elevation.

Continuous Development

As these efforts to maintain and enhance city infrastructure continue, Carmel is also working to meet housing demands.

“About 75 percent of our residential properties are single-family homes. We’ve added a lot of for-rent products in the past 10 years and will continue with that model.” says Finkam.

Ongoing initiatives include the creation of a Housing Task Force to look at the affordability and accessibility of housing stock in the community. “Like cities all across the country, we are challenged in providing enough housing for the demand and also making sure it’s affordable for residents,” said Finkam.

Finkam notes that Carmel is currently focusing on two major development areas. The first is a 78-acre site, owned and formerly occupied by CNO Financial Group.

“It is just west of our Midtown area, and we hope to find a partner with whom we can develop this area, as our economic development director describes it, into ‘Carmel’s next great neighborhood’.”

The aim is to transform it into a mixed-use development with public amenities while taking advantage of connected retention ponds for additional recreation opportunities. Additionally, the city is looking to update the corporate corridor along U.S. 31.

“We feel like this is an opportunity for us to reimagine the corridor; more mixed-use, more amenities next to these large office buildings because that’s what today’s worker is looking for and expects,” Finkam emphasizes.

Mayor Finkam also envisions an International District in Carmel, celebrating Carmel’s cultural diversity. “It will be an area where we can truly highlight all the different cultures represented in our community.”

Enhancing Quality of Life

Carmel’s park system, developed in partnership with Clay Township, is a big part of the city’s appeal, offering a wide range of amenities from accessible parks to an impressive water park with a lazy river and wave rider. These spaces are a treasured part of the community.

“Every park has its personality, its unique aspects that allow our residents to have free entertainment all year long, and spaces to spend time with their kids, pets, or each other,” Finkam conveys. With the development of two additional green spaces underway, Bear Creek and Thomas Marcuccilli Park, the City also offers an extensive trail network, including a five mile section of Indiana’s Monon Trail and the upcoming White River Greenway.

“We have more than 220 miles of trails here, and a river that borders our eastern edge,” says Finkam.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Mayor Finkam says the city is committed to enhancing community engagement, fiscal responsibility, and youth involvement in Carmel. City initiatives like the successful Community Survey which saw a remarkable 10 percent adult response rate and the launch of a transparency portal have helped achieve this goal.

“I’m super excited about the portal because people will have more understanding of how we spend their hard-earned tax dollars. I am committed to fostering greater understanding of what the city does and how we operate.”

Carmel is also rolling out a zero-based budgeting process, a first for the city. “The process gives us the opportunity as leaders to consider how we’re spending dollars and what we’re prioritizing, so we can be aligned with the needs of the community,” says Finkam.

Moving forward, the city will continue to embrace the innovation, diversity and quality of life amenities it is known for, and, in the words of Mayor Finkam, “highlight why Carmel is an incredible place to be.”

AT A GLANCE

Carmel, Indiana

What: A vibrant and innovative city north of Indianapolis

Where: Hamilton County, Indiana

Website: www.carmel.in.gov