Business View Civil & Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 11

89 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 11 LAWRENCE , INDI ANA naval hero Captain James Lawrence. It has since become a thriving and diverse community that boasts the convenience of a metropolitan city with the laidback atmosphere of a suburb, thanks to its prime location just 10 miles outside of Indianapolis. “Although we are a suburb of Indianapolis, we are our own city,” says Scott Salsbery, Lawrence’s Utilities Superintendent. “We’re a big city, but we have a small-town feel. That is especially true with our city government. We like to have that personal touch involved in city government in dealing not only with our residents, but with the business community as well. Plus, we’ve got a lot of great amenities here.” Located in the center of the city is the former Fort Benjamin Harrison, an active military fort from 1906 to 1991. The area has since been redeveloped to include residential neighborhoods, a golf course and the site of the Fort Harrison State Park. The former fort continues to be developed to meet the changing needs of the community, adding new housing and amenities to suit the growing city. “We have a makerspace, we have an actual brewery in there,” says Collier. “The fort has become an oasis for the east side of Indianapolis Metro. Everybody wants to live here.” Work is set to begin next spring on Civic Plaza, the centerpiece of the fort, right in downtown Lawrence. The $1.2 million project will include a skating rink in the winter, space for the Lawrence farmers’ market, a Wind Tree, seating letters which spell ‘Fort Ben’, and entryway arches. “It’s a city park, but it’s also going to become our primary events space moving forward,” says Joe Murphy, Lawrence’s Deputy Chief of Staff. “The project will make it a fully hardscape space that will allow for a lot of city events to be held here. And it will become a great outdoor co-working space for people who live and work in the