Speaker 1
Looking good. All right. Hello, and welcome to ask the mayor on Wi Fi you. We had some scheduling issues last week. But we're really glad to have Mayor John Hamilton from Bloomington here this week. Hello, and welcome.
Speaker 2
Thank you, Joe. Good to be with you again. Thanks for being flexible on the schedule. Yeah.
Speaker 1
So you know, a lot of things to catch up on. But I have to mention that we're getting down to only three more shows left. That's including this one before. It's all done with Mayor Hamilton here on Ask the mayor, hard to believe it's hard to believe and I'm sure for you more than anyone. Do you feel like things are starting to wind up? Or do you feel like they're, they're going in the opposite direction?
Speaker 2
Well, you know, eight years is kind of like life, right? Sometimes eight years seems like it's a long time that you've been mayor. But then other times, it seems like just a brief period of being able to carry this torch. There's a lot still to be done. I'm definitely aware of the of the schedule of the year and have more work to get done. But but it's you know, it's it feels good. I feel like I'm handing the city over in great shape and it but I do confess, you know, I'll say, Well, this is the last time I'm doing this event. And you know, coming up, we'll have the lighting of the square a dank day after Thanksgiving. That'll be the last time to get to do that. But it's a pleasure.
Speaker 1
So I know we have a few things that we're going to go over. But before we get to those do you have like two or three things that you're really, really trying to get done right now?
Speaker 2
Joe? Really, it's a it's a list of a few things we've got, we've got the showers West project, that's a big important thing to be getting done. We've got trades district moving, we've got the convention center moving, we've got Hopewell moving, and then of course finishing it, we got the budget passed, but we want to do the last steps of that. And just taking care of people and relationships. So it's it's really a pretty big list still.
Speaker 1
Okay, well, let's get to some of these things that caught our eye and we have to start with the monolith. Last month we were here you said that it was being constructed or complete by the builders itself. The installation stopped due to protests from residents over the cost and appearance. Now the city is saying we have to wait until next year to decide what to do with it. So where is it right now? I guess, can it be changed? And obviously if it has to wait till next year, you won't be here.
Speaker 2
Right? Right. So again, this is a gateway to the city, it was part of the Bicentennial bond project back in 2018. And COVID came in and interrupted some of that and we as far as I intend, Joe, we're going to have a gateway at Miller showers Park, it's a great place for people to see Bloomington as they're coming in, even if they're going across the bypass and that kind of thing. I think we may be doing some infrastructure work there that that park crossing, right at Old 37 needs some substantial work, regardless of what kind of gateway is put in, you know, the Parks Department will continue doing what they do, which is get feedback on the design, it may change some it may change none, it may change a lot a little as the time goes passed, but we still have to decide this year about doing some of that infrastructure work to get it ready. There's a bunch of invasive pear trees that are gonna get replaced and the timing of that will be settled. But it will carry on into next term the next administration and and people will still be able to weigh in on it.
Speaker 1
So can the actual object be changed? It could be it could so it's not completely completed sitting in a warehouse somewhere well to go
Speaker 2
up know, there's contract to do it, but it's not completely done. There's there's a flexibility to change it. And again, the Parks Department will be really it's in charge of that process. And they'll Tim St. Who's the new interim parks director will will take that on. So what about
Speaker 1
the contractors, subcontractors, you know, they were awarded the project could they lose the project will they get paid?
Speaker 2
Well, we pay for anything work that any work that they've done. The biggest bulk of the money though, actually was for the release the infrastructure, it's like the crossing and putting in new sidewalks and putting in some new ADA accessible ramps and upgrading the the north end of the park. The actual gateway feature itself was not the larger part of those investments. We may go forward with some of that infrastructure. I think it's it's still be decided in the next week or two with the Public Works Board. But anybody who does work for us, we will pay them. If it ends up being a very different gateway and it's not the same provider then we may owe them some money for design if that gets changed and you know that can happen but Will it'll get worked out?
Speaker 1
Well, there'll be any more opportunity for public input, or is that boat sale?
Speaker 2
It's really up to the parks department. I think there may be some we've gotten a lot. And as you know, we talked about last time, there's a whole lot of public input. I mean, part of this is public input happens. And then there's a decision or going forward and then public, other people in the public like, wait a minute, I didn't, I didn't pay attention that I want to weigh in now. So the parks will manage that process.
Speaker 1
So this whole process, is this something that you can say this is how government works, or was this a breakdown in the government?
Speaker 2
Well, it's interesting, Joe, I, I think, look, I think it's how government works. I mean, I think sometimes you get a process of input, whether it's on a park or it's on a gateway, or it's on a plan, and we get a lot of public input. And then people may look at it later to, Hey, I didn't get to weigh in on that. I want to weigh in on that. Sometimes it's too late. Sometimes it's not government tries to accommodate as best we can.
Speaker 1
All right, annexation proceedings are back in the schedule. Just wanted to clarify a couple of things that we talked about this is long, we've been talking about this and many different court situations. I'm not a lawyer, or an attorney. And I've been trying to do my best to the following and how all this works and get the right information to the public. But this moving forward are the annexation hearings. This is the appeal trial for that that the the courts are allowing you to schedule a trial date for
Speaker 2
we're finally getting a trial on the parts of the annexation that are subjected to trial. And that's the west side, one A and one B is technically called but it's basically the Big West side parts of the annexation, where we didn't do reminds traitors didn't get past a certain level but got to a certain level that goes to trial. We actually thought that that case began 19 months ago, and we're still not at trial or still months away. So that's been a little frustrating. But we do finally are in the process to schedule the trial on that West Side annexation as a reminder that separate from the other trial, which is basically a constitutional issue about the whole remonstrance validity. And that's going to have an oral argument yet this year, probably but won't be decided for a while.
Speaker 1
And that one that you just mentioned, though the city has dropped one A and one B Exactly, but not the other correct areas. That is correct. So that is still it's not gone. It's not like that whole thing has been dropped.
Speaker 2
That's not gone. It's just to remind people I mean, I know we get into all this technical stuff. But one of the big things that happened was the state legislature in the midst of the illegal stoppage of four years in the midst of that the state legislature changed the validity of of waivers where people had exchanged sewer service, to agree not to protest the the eventual annexation, when they changed that rule. We think that pulled the rug out from under the city and the agreements we've made. And so that constitutional litigation, was the legislature inappropriately doing that that's still going on for the other areas.
Speaker 1
And I mean, I think we can say at this point, both of those will most likely happen when this administration,
Speaker 2
they are likely. Well, the argument for the constitutional and will happen this year, we think but it won't get decided probably until at least next year, and then the trial will very likely be early next year.
Speaker 1
So how does that work with a new administration?
Speaker 2
Well, well, the new mayor, and we expect that to happen very soon. We know there's only one candidate, we've been talking I've been offering to talk to that expect after the after the election, we'll have a number of transition engagements on that and a whole other a whole set of other issues to try to help make that smooth. And there's of course a new council too and the council with with five new members can take different actions. But I'm confident as they look into this the importance of annexation for Bloomington is future that they'll want to keep it going. I hope so I think it's the right thing.
Speaker 1
So if those two areas, one A and one B are obtained by the city through annexation, most likely that wouldn't happen probably next year, or maybe next couple of years, depending on appeals and Yeah, and so forth. Will the next administration be able to provide city services for those two areas? Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 2
I mean, we've done two now very extensive fiscal analyses to make sure we can do that. Whether it's from sanitation, sanitation services, or street services or park services or police services, all those things that we do the the arts and the housing and neighborhood development and community block grant grants, all those things will be available. It'll be a phasing period that's normal in an annexation process is that you phase those in Over a period of time, but I'm very confident that we would be providing great services to these urban nearby neighborhoods.
Speaker 1
There was a I think, a hearing a scheduling hearing yesterday, but we won't know right? The the trial
Speaker 2
day don't have that yet that did not get set. We're still trying to figure out the exact week. It's basically setting aside a week for a trial early next year. Okay, let's
Speaker 1
talk something we didn't talk about last month, you want to amend the city's zoning code to remove 47 billboards by 2031, as part of the beautification process, here in the city, other state hurts businesses to wait to communicate to people, there's property rights. So why ban all these billboards and not just try to regulate?
Speaker 2
Well, we do regulate them. Now, Joe, in the zoning code for dozen, two decades, I think now we've said you can't put up big billboards, we have pretty strict restrictions on signage, whether it's on your own building, or an independent sign. And these score, dozens of billboards are grandfathered in from the old rules. And I do think it's a good idea to try to modernize and get everybody consistent. It is a little complicated there legal twists and turns that we have to go through. But we're still working with the council on that. And I understand there are people who say they like billboards. We as a community have said, we don't like billboards, if you will. We've said we don't want new billboards. So are these billboards going to be here forever? is kind of the question as grandfathered, or should we phase them out? So that's the question in front of the council. You know, if you think about it, too, the way most people get information now is so different from driving into town and seeing a billboard for a restaurant. Most everybody these days is using their digital access, say, Where am I going to eat or what kind of services are available? So we're still working on that one.
Speaker 1
Capital Improvement Board is almost completed, they get to elect a final member soon. It looks like their first official meeting is already scheduled in January, at least that I would when I mean official, I mean, probably starting to actually to get the the convention center expansion going. Part of this, though, is that they need a roadmap and something that we've talked about a lot here. Where is that process right now?
Speaker 2
Well, this is another issue we've talked about for quite a few years, isn't it? Yeah. And I am pleased, I believe where we are very close to settling that roadmap, the interlocal agreement between the city and the county to kind of frame up how the CIB to Capital Improvement Board can operate to move forward. As I've talked with you before, my fundamental objective has been to try to make sure that a expanded convention center is a great quality project that is going to enhance the downtown, that it will provide the excellence of design and construction and development that we want to see. I think we're very close to that on the inter local to make sure that we don't have too many cooks in the kitchen that we can we can empower the board of good people to get that done. So I actually expect in the next week or two or three, we'll be able to share that and get to CIB with that with that marching on now, to get that up in our local approve actually takes four bodies to approve it. The mayor, county commissioners county council and city council so that process of approval I hope will take place over the next few weeks.
Speaker 1
Is that something all all of these groups are working on right now?
Speaker 2
Well, there's negotiation that's led by the city and the county, the commissioners and this office that's trying to frame that up. We're keeping our councils informed. I know they've seen the document and drafts of it. So now we're really close to a very final document that we can then hopefully get all four of us to sign and then move forward and give to the Capital Improvement Board to do the work. Get it going
Speaker 1
going. Seen a lot of news of the tech hub grants from the Biden administration, state officials praising the millions that are coming into the state. Have you heard about any trickle down to Bloomington and of course we're sitting though I have to mention right next to the trades district which I'm sure was very happy to see that announcement yesterday.
Speaker 2
Look, Joe, there's so much going on. We're very excited that guy the dirt is actually moving in the trades district I went by there yesterday they they're starting to prepare for the construction there of that exciting new tech center. We are working very closely with Indiana University. We've just submitted a really important grant to the Lilly Endowment together to ask for support with crane with IU with us with West Gate. I think there's enormous opportunities ahead with good signals of that but look, we always have to be with our hand up with our with our applications in and that'll it'll actually be a multi year process but I'm very bullish and optimistic about that impact on Bloomington, Indiana University, our economy, the jobs here, and frankly being part of the climate response going forward in the new tech world.
Speaker 1
You mentioned the dirt bank. I saw that too, for the tech center, where there was talk about, I think, a boutique hotel interested in building there in a corner. Any news on on new developments going up in there?
Speaker 2
We don't have a new news on that. But you're right, Joe, we've signed a letter of intent with a with a hotel that wants to put in that with some retail and other things, which would be exciting, kind of right next to that tech center. We continue to talk with other folks about it. You may you may see the KILM. Their work in the admin Administration Building is upgrading, getting ready to go on the market, too. So there's a lot going on. And it's all good. You know, look, the world has changed to kind of the office space and the use of office space. But the tech district really has the trace district really has a lot of good momentum going on.
Speaker 1
Yeah. And I noticed if you look at the trades district has a master plan. If you look at where they want to put the hotel commercial, that the master plan doesn't call for that in that section or something that would have maybe eight or nine stories, is that something that could change? Well, I mean, estimate, can the master plan change, the Master
Speaker 2
Plan definitely can Well, it's an old master plan, I inherited it. So it's at least 10 years old, eight or 10 years old, I think. And it's meant to be a plan, a master plan, but circumstances always change. We have master plan for switchyard and Hopewell and they give us the map, but we sometimes navigate a little differently as we go. And, you know, we now have the mill in that group is integrally involved in in developing the trace District, which is exciting and things things do evolve. But we have a wonderful process, a lot of input on that. And then it depends on what the market will do. Right? So if we have a great investor come in and say, hey, I want to do X, Y, and Z and we want to w x and y sometimes we say let's go with X, Y and Z.
Speaker 1
That was all I had. I know we're about out of time. I'd always like to leave the last minute to for you any big announcements or things you'd like to let us know.
Speaker 2
It's just a good time of year the city is beautiful. hope everybody's enjoying the leaves and the way our we're turning into fall. I'm excited about Bloomington future Joe, you know, there's a lot of things running on all cylinders. It's fun to think about that as we hand the torch over and hope people keep taking good care of our city as we do.
Unknown Speaker
Thank you so much. Thank you Joe.
Looking good. All right. Hello, and welcome to ask the mayor on Wi Fi you. We had some scheduling issues last week. But we're really glad to have Mayor John Hamilton from Bloomington here this week. Hello, and welcome.
Speaker 2
Thank you, Joe. Good to be with you again. Thanks for being flexible on the schedule. Yeah.
Speaker 1
So you know, a lot of things to catch up on. But I have to mention that we're getting down to only three more shows left. That's including this one before. It's all done with Mayor Hamilton here on Ask the mayor, hard to believe it's hard to believe and I'm sure for you more than anyone. Do you feel like things are starting to wind up? Or do you feel like they're, they're going in the opposite direction?
Speaker 2
Well, you know, eight years is kind of like life, right? Sometimes eight years seems like it's a long time that you've been mayor. But then other times, it seems like just a brief period of being able to carry this torch. There's a lot still to be done. I'm definitely aware of the of the schedule of the year and have more work to get done. But but it's you know, it's it feels good. I feel like I'm handing the city over in great shape and it but I do confess, you know, I'll say, Well, this is the last time I'm doing this event. And you know, coming up, we'll have the lighting of the square a dank day after Thanksgiving. That'll be the last time to get to do that. But it's a pleasure.
Speaker 1
So I know we have a few things that we're going to go over. But before we get to those do you have like two or three things that you're really, really trying to get done right now?
Speaker 2
Joe? Really, it's a it's a list of a few things we've got, we've got the showers West project, that's a big important thing to be getting done. We've got trades district moving, we've got the convention center moving, we've got Hopewell moving, and then of course finishing it, we got the budget passed, but we want to do the last steps of that. And just taking care of people and relationships. So it's it's really a pretty big list still.
Speaker 1
Okay, well, let's get to some of these things that caught our eye and we have to start with the monolith. Last month we were here you said that it was being constructed or complete by the builders itself. The installation stopped due to protests from residents over the cost and appearance. Now the city is saying we have to wait until next year to decide what to do with it. So where is it right now? I guess, can it be changed? And obviously if it has to wait till next year, you won't be here.
Speaker 2
Right? Right. So again, this is a gateway to the city, it was part of the Bicentennial bond project back in 2018. And COVID came in and interrupted some of that and we as far as I intend, Joe, we're going to have a gateway at Miller showers Park, it's a great place for people to see Bloomington as they're coming in, even if they're going across the bypass and that kind of thing. I think we may be doing some infrastructure work there that that park crossing, right at Old 37 needs some substantial work, regardless of what kind of gateway is put in, you know, the Parks Department will continue doing what they do, which is get feedback on the design, it may change some it may change none, it may change a lot a little as the time goes passed, but we still have to decide this year about doing some of that infrastructure work to get it ready. There's a bunch of invasive pear trees that are gonna get replaced and the timing of that will be settled. But it will carry on into next term the next administration and and people will still be able to weigh in on it.
Speaker 1
So can the actual object be changed? It could be it could so it's not completely completed sitting in a warehouse somewhere well to go
Speaker 2
up know, there's contract to do it, but it's not completely done. There's there's a flexibility to change it. And again, the Parks Department will be really it's in charge of that process. And they'll Tim St. Who's the new interim parks director will will take that on. So what about
Speaker 1
the contractors, subcontractors, you know, they were awarded the project could they lose the project will they get paid?
Speaker 2
Well, we pay for anything work that any work that they've done. The biggest bulk of the money though, actually was for the release the infrastructure, it's like the crossing and putting in new sidewalks and putting in some new ADA accessible ramps and upgrading the the north end of the park. The actual gateway feature itself was not the larger part of those investments. We may go forward with some of that infrastructure. I think it's it's still be decided in the next week or two with the Public Works Board. But anybody who does work for us, we will pay them. If it ends up being a very different gateway and it's not the same provider then we may owe them some money for design if that gets changed and you know that can happen but Will it'll get worked out?
Speaker 1
Well, there'll be any more opportunity for public input, or is that boat sale?
Speaker 2
It's really up to the parks department. I think there may be some we've gotten a lot. And as you know, we talked about last time, there's a whole lot of public input. I mean, part of this is public input happens. And then there's a decision or going forward and then public, other people in the public like, wait a minute, I didn't, I didn't pay attention that I want to weigh in now. So the parks will manage that process.
Speaker 1
So this whole process, is this something that you can say this is how government works, or was this a breakdown in the government?
Speaker 2
Well, it's interesting, Joe, I, I think, look, I think it's how government works. I mean, I think sometimes you get a process of input, whether it's on a park or it's on a gateway, or it's on a plan, and we get a lot of public input. And then people may look at it later to, Hey, I didn't get to weigh in on that. I want to weigh in on that. Sometimes it's too late. Sometimes it's not government tries to accommodate as best we can.
Speaker 1
All right, annexation proceedings are back in the schedule. Just wanted to clarify a couple of things that we talked about this is long, we've been talking about this and many different court situations. I'm not a lawyer, or an attorney. And I've been trying to do my best to the following and how all this works and get the right information to the public. But this moving forward are the annexation hearings. This is the appeal trial for that that the the courts are allowing you to schedule a trial date for
Speaker 2
we're finally getting a trial on the parts of the annexation that are subjected to trial. And that's the west side, one A and one B is technically called but it's basically the Big West side parts of the annexation, where we didn't do reminds traitors didn't get past a certain level but got to a certain level that goes to trial. We actually thought that that case began 19 months ago, and we're still not at trial or still months away. So that's been a little frustrating. But we do finally are in the process to schedule the trial on that West Side annexation as a reminder that separate from the other trial, which is basically a constitutional issue about the whole remonstrance validity. And that's going to have an oral argument yet this year, probably but won't be decided for a while.
Speaker 1
And that one that you just mentioned, though the city has dropped one A and one B Exactly, but not the other correct areas. That is correct. So that is still it's not gone. It's not like that whole thing has been dropped.
Speaker 2
That's not gone. It's just to remind people I mean, I know we get into all this technical stuff. But one of the big things that happened was the state legislature in the midst of the illegal stoppage of four years in the midst of that the state legislature changed the validity of of waivers where people had exchanged sewer service, to agree not to protest the the eventual annexation, when they changed that rule. We think that pulled the rug out from under the city and the agreements we've made. And so that constitutional litigation, was the legislature inappropriately doing that that's still going on for the other areas.
Speaker 1
And I mean, I think we can say at this point, both of those will most likely happen when this administration,
Speaker 2
they are likely. Well, the argument for the constitutional and will happen this year, we think but it won't get decided probably until at least next year, and then the trial will very likely be early next year.
Speaker 1
So how does that work with a new administration?
Speaker 2
Well, well, the new mayor, and we expect that to happen very soon. We know there's only one candidate, we've been talking I've been offering to talk to that expect after the after the election, we'll have a number of transition engagements on that and a whole other a whole set of other issues to try to help make that smooth. And there's of course a new council too and the council with with five new members can take different actions. But I'm confident as they look into this the importance of annexation for Bloomington is future that they'll want to keep it going. I hope so I think it's the right thing.
Speaker 1
So if those two areas, one A and one B are obtained by the city through annexation, most likely that wouldn't happen probably next year, or maybe next couple of years, depending on appeals and Yeah, and so forth. Will the next administration be able to provide city services for those two areas? Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 2
I mean, we've done two now very extensive fiscal analyses to make sure we can do that. Whether it's from sanitation, sanitation services, or street services or park services or police services, all those things that we do the the arts and the housing and neighborhood development and community block grant grants, all those things will be available. It'll be a phasing period that's normal in an annexation process is that you phase those in Over a period of time, but I'm very confident that we would be providing great services to these urban nearby neighborhoods.
Speaker 1
There was a I think, a hearing a scheduling hearing yesterday, but we won't know right? The the trial
Speaker 2
day don't have that yet that did not get set. We're still trying to figure out the exact week. It's basically setting aside a week for a trial early next year. Okay, let's
Speaker 1
talk something we didn't talk about last month, you want to amend the city's zoning code to remove 47 billboards by 2031, as part of the beautification process, here in the city, other state hurts businesses to wait to communicate to people, there's property rights. So why ban all these billboards and not just try to regulate?
Speaker 2
Well, we do regulate them. Now, Joe, in the zoning code for dozen, two decades, I think now we've said you can't put up big billboards, we have pretty strict restrictions on signage, whether it's on your own building, or an independent sign. And these score, dozens of billboards are grandfathered in from the old rules. And I do think it's a good idea to try to modernize and get everybody consistent. It is a little complicated there legal twists and turns that we have to go through. But we're still working with the council on that. And I understand there are people who say they like billboards. We as a community have said, we don't like billboards, if you will. We've said we don't want new billboards. So are these billboards going to be here forever? is kind of the question as grandfathered, or should we phase them out? So that's the question in front of the council. You know, if you think about it, too, the way most people get information now is so different from driving into town and seeing a billboard for a restaurant. Most everybody these days is using their digital access, say, Where am I going to eat or what kind of services are available? So we're still working on that one.
Speaker 1
Capital Improvement Board is almost completed, they get to elect a final member soon. It looks like their first official meeting is already scheduled in January, at least that I would when I mean official, I mean, probably starting to actually to get the the convention center expansion going. Part of this, though, is that they need a roadmap and something that we've talked about a lot here. Where is that process right now?
Speaker 2
Well, this is another issue we've talked about for quite a few years, isn't it? Yeah. And I am pleased, I believe where we are very close to settling that roadmap, the interlocal agreement between the city and the county to kind of frame up how the CIB to Capital Improvement Board can operate to move forward. As I've talked with you before, my fundamental objective has been to try to make sure that a expanded convention center is a great quality project that is going to enhance the downtown, that it will provide the excellence of design and construction and development that we want to see. I think we're very close to that on the inter local to make sure that we don't have too many cooks in the kitchen that we can we can empower the board of good people to get that done. So I actually expect in the next week or two or three, we'll be able to share that and get to CIB with that with that marching on now, to get that up in our local approve actually takes four bodies to approve it. The mayor, county commissioners county council and city council so that process of approval I hope will take place over the next few weeks.
Speaker 1
Is that something all all of these groups are working on right now?
Speaker 2
Well, there's negotiation that's led by the city and the county, the commissioners and this office that's trying to frame that up. We're keeping our councils informed. I know they've seen the document and drafts of it. So now we're really close to a very final document that we can then hopefully get all four of us to sign and then move forward and give to the Capital Improvement Board to do the work. Get it going
Speaker 1
going. Seen a lot of news of the tech hub grants from the Biden administration, state officials praising the millions that are coming into the state. Have you heard about any trickle down to Bloomington and of course we're sitting though I have to mention right next to the trades district which I'm sure was very happy to see that announcement yesterday.
Speaker 2
Look, Joe, there's so much going on. We're very excited that guy the dirt is actually moving in the trades district I went by there yesterday they they're starting to prepare for the construction there of that exciting new tech center. We are working very closely with Indiana University. We've just submitted a really important grant to the Lilly Endowment together to ask for support with crane with IU with us with West Gate. I think there's enormous opportunities ahead with good signals of that but look, we always have to be with our hand up with our with our applications in and that'll it'll actually be a multi year process but I'm very bullish and optimistic about that impact on Bloomington, Indiana University, our economy, the jobs here, and frankly being part of the climate response going forward in the new tech world.
Speaker 1
You mentioned the dirt bank. I saw that too, for the tech center, where there was talk about, I think, a boutique hotel interested in building there in a corner. Any news on on new developments going up in there?
Speaker 2
We don't have a new news on that. But you're right, Joe, we've signed a letter of intent with a with a hotel that wants to put in that with some retail and other things, which would be exciting, kind of right next to that tech center. We continue to talk with other folks about it. You may you may see the KILM. Their work in the admin Administration Building is upgrading, getting ready to go on the market, too. So there's a lot going on. And it's all good. You know, look, the world has changed to kind of the office space and the use of office space. But the tech district really has the trace district really has a lot of good momentum going on.
Speaker 1
Yeah. And I noticed if you look at the trades district has a master plan. If you look at where they want to put the hotel commercial, that the master plan doesn't call for that in that section or something that would have maybe eight or nine stories, is that something that could change? Well, I mean, estimate, can the master plan change, the Master
Speaker 2
Plan definitely can Well, it's an old master plan, I inherited it. So it's at least 10 years old, eight or 10 years old, I think. And it's meant to be a plan, a master plan, but circumstances always change. We have master plan for switchyard and Hopewell and they give us the map, but we sometimes navigate a little differently as we go. And, you know, we now have the mill in that group is integrally involved in in developing the trace District, which is exciting and things things do evolve. But we have a wonderful process, a lot of input on that. And then it depends on what the market will do. Right? So if we have a great investor come in and say, hey, I want to do X, Y, and Z and we want to w x and y sometimes we say let's go with X, Y and Z.
Speaker 1
That was all I had. I know we're about out of time. I'd always like to leave the last minute to for you any big announcements or things you'd like to let us know.
Speaker 2
It's just a good time of year the city is beautiful. hope everybody's enjoying the leaves and the way our we're turning into fall. I'm excited about Bloomington future Joe, you know, there's a lot of things running on all cylinders. It's fun to think about that as we hand the torch over and hope people keep taking good care of our city as we do.
Unknown Speaker
Thank you so much. Thank you Joe.
