Carmel, Indiana
Carmel | |
|---|---|
City | |
| City of Carmel | |
 City hall | |
 Location in the state of Indiana | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Hamilton |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | James Brainard (R) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 17.9 sq mi (46.4 km2) |
| • Land | 17.8 sq mi (46.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 853 ft (260 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 68,677 |
| • Density | 2,119/sq mi (818.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 46032, 46033, 46082 |
| Area code | 317 |
| FIPS code | 18-10342Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 0432143Template:GR |
| Website | www.ci.carmel.in.us |
Carmel (Template:PronEng) is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 37,733 at the 2000 census but has been growing very rapidly. In 2007, a special census recorded the city population at 68,677. [1]
Carmel is one of many affluent suburbs on the North side of Indianapolis. Until 1874, the settlement where present day Carmel now sits was called Bethlehem. Today, the plot first established in Bethlehem, located at the intersection of Rangeline Road and Main Street, is marked by a clock tower, donated by the local Rotary Club in 2002.
In 1924, one of the first automatic traffic signals in the United States was installed at the intersection of Main Street and Range Line Road. The signal that was installed was the invention of Leslie Haines and is currently in the old train station on the Monon.[2]
Geography
Carmel is located at 39°58′23″N 86°6′28″W / 39.97306°N 86.10778°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (39.972917, -86.107877)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²), of which, 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.61%) is water.
Major East-West streets in Carmel generally end in a 6, and include 96th Street (the Southern border), 106th, 116th, 126th, 131st, 136th and 146th (the Northern Border). The numbering system is aligned to that of Indianapolis. Main Street (131st) runs East-West through Carmel's Art & Design District; Carmel Drive runs East-West through a main shopping area; and City Center Drive runs East-West near Carmel's new City Center project.
North-South streets are not numbered, and include (West to East) Michigan, Shelborne, Towne, Ditch, Spring Mill, Meridian, Guilford, Range Line, Keystone, Carey, Gray, Hazel Dell, and River. Some of these roads are continuations of corresponding streets within Indianapolis. Towne Road replaces the name Township Line Road at 96th Street, while Westfield Boulevard becomes Rangeline north of 116th Street. Meridian Street (US-31) and Keystone Avenue (IN-431) are the major thoroughfares, extending from (within Carmel) I-465 in the south and merging just south of 146th Street.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 37,733 people, 13,597 households, and 10,564 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,118.4 people per square mile (818.0/km²). There were 14,107 housing units at an average density of 792.0/sq mi (305.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.63% White, 1.47% African American, 0.14% Native American, 4.38% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
Recent estimates (2005) indicate a substantial growth of population and housing. According to a special census in 2005, the results of which were shown in the Carmel Star, there were an estimated 80,000 people living in Carmel.
There are 13,597 households of which 43.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.3% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $81,583, and the median income for a family was $94,210. Males had a median income of $70,618 versus $38,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $38,906. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions
Carmel Monon Center
A new water park and mega-fitness center located in Carmel's Central Park opened in 2007. The Outdoor Aqua Park consists of two water slides, a drop slide, a diving board, a lazy river, and a kiddie pool. The fitness center consists of an indoor lap pool, a recreation pool with its own set of water slides, gymnasium, 1/8 mile indoor running track, and the Kids Zone childcare.
Flowing Well
Just north of 116th Street between Gray Road and Hazel Dell Parkway is Flowing Well Park, which contains a natural artesian well that provides high quality drinking water.
Monon Trail
The Monon Trail is a bicycle trail that is part of the Rails-to-Trails movement. It runs from 10th street, near downtown Indianapolis, through Broad Ripple, and then crosses into Carmel at 96th Street, and extends into Westfield. In the future, it is planned to run all the way to Sheridan. In January 2006 speed limit signs of 15 to 20 mph (30 km/h) have been added to sections of the trail north of 96th Street.
Carmel City Center
Carmel has begun construction of its Carmel City Center project near Carmel's Arts and Design District. It will feature 230,000 square feet (21,000 m2) of retail space and restaurants, 170,000 square feet (16,000 m2) of office space, 300 penthouses and apartments, a 102-room boutique hotel, a 500-seat performing arts theater, an outdoor amphitheater, and a 1,600-seat performance hall.
Schools
Public
Industry
Several large companies reside in Carmel such as the National Headquarters for Conseco and Pearson Education (formerly MacMillan Publishing), as well as the headquarters of ITT Technical Institute.[1] It is also home to many mid-sized and smaller companies, such as ChaCha Search, North American Advertising, Orchard Software Corporation, Autobase Inc., Electronic Evolution, Stratis Plastic Pallets, Waterstone Tech, Ritron, and Oxford Financial Group, LTD.
Current Issues
Annexation
The City of Carmel has annexed large portions of Clay Township in the past and is pressing forward to annex more in the south-west area. In 2004, Carmel City Council first tried to annex an 8.3 square miles (21.5 km2) area that included more than 3,400 properties. Shortly after that initiative, an organization called No Ordinance for Annexation, or NOAX, worked to challenge the annexation in court. NOAX collected 70% of the homeowners' signatures in a petition allowing for a challenge in court. NOAX and Mayor James Brainard were able to negotiate a deal to delay annexation for three years and provide the maximum tax abatements allowed under Indiana law and road and infrastructure improvements. A second group, Holton's Southwest Clay Community Association, asserted that Carmel shouldn't annex south-west Clay Township. Holton's Southwest Clay Community Association argued that NOAX didn't have authority to strike a deal on behalf of all Clay township homeowners and took the City of Carmel to Court. Due to the ramifications of the decision for other Indiana communities, the case skipped the Indiana Appeals Court and went straight to the Indiana Supreme Court. The Indiana Supreme Court delivered a unanimous 5-0 decision ruling that Carmel can continue with its annexation. Holton's Southwest Clay Community Association recently reported that an appeal is "possible, but not probable."[3]
Keystone Avenue Project
The Keystone Avenue Project is a formidable road construction plan by the city of Carmel to make Keystone Avenue a signal-free road, utilizing underpasses and roundabout exchanges. This development has been underway since 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Background
The City of Carmel assumed ownership of a stretch of Keystone Avenue within Hamilton County and is currently rebuilding the road with roundabout exchanges onto major arteries. On September 6, 2007, the State of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Transportation came to an agreement to give Carmel control of State Road 431, known as Keystone Avenue, and $90 million to reconstruct the intersections of 96th Street to U.S. 31.[4]
Impact
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard’s plan for Keystone Avenue is threefold; 1) aimed at making traffic flow more smoothly down the road, 2) make cross streets move more efficiently and 3) designed to make Carmel safer and more walkable. As the construction continues into 2010, Keystone will have above-ground roundabout exchanges at 106th, 116th, 126th, 131st and 136th Streets, as well as Carmel Drive, located between 116th and 126th.[5] Compared to the Indiana Department of Transportation’s (INDOT) plan which called for removing 13 structures, including homes and churches, Brainard’s and Carmel’s plan will affect only one business building. INDOT’s plan utilized circular roundabouts, while the city’s plan makes use of a dumbbell shape, which will use less space.[6] The project makes Keystone Avenue a free flowing, signal-free road from 96th Street to U.S. 31. Construction at the 106th and 126th sites began in the spring of 2008, and construction for 136th is slated to begin in late 2008 or early 2009. After these sites have been completed, 116th Street and Carmel Drive will be under construction in mid 2009 followed by 131st in mid 2010.[7]
Updates to Keystone
Throughout the project, the city will keep two lanes open in each direction. As of August 2008, only the east sides of the intersections have begun construction with crews at 106th and 126th breaking up the old pavement in order to lay piping, such as water and gas lines, as well as sewers. [8]
Controversy
While some residents see this project as much needed, others believe the project is unnecessary and a hindrance to schedules.[citation needed] Proponents of the Keystone project have wanted the road to be a signal-free street within Carmel to make traffic flow easier.[citation needed] Opponents say that the three years of construction is too much of a hassle and are dissatisfied with the plan to close 116th Street and Carmel Drive at the same time, thus blocking the shopping center of Merchant’s Square.[citation needed] Supporters of the Keystone project cited safety as another reason this development needs to be done.[citation needed] Supporters agree that construction sites make drivers more aware of speed limits, along with the increased number of policemen catching speeders.[citation needed] Also, the lanes of the replacement road are narrower compared to the older lanes, forcing drivers to maintain concentration on the road to avoid accidents.[citation needed] Rivals of the project state that construction zones are more apt to have speeders because of the slower speed limit, which can lead to more accidents and more money spent fixing a road that was not broken.[citation needed] With the ongoing construction, travel time has been maintained throughout the Keystone corridor.[citation needed]
Carmel City Center
The Carmel City Center is a $300 million dollar complex being built in downtown Carmel. The City Center will play host to residences, shops and dining, office space and recreational use. Started in 2007, the project will be completed in 2010, opening the doors to everything this building has to offer.
Background
Currently under construction is the Carmel City Center, a multipurpose building project in downtown Carmel. The project is costing $300 million dollars, and developing more than 2,300,000 square feet (210,000 m2) of space to use for residences, retail shops and dining, office space, an amphitheater and an outdoor performance arts theater. [9] The City Center project is led by the City of Carmel in affiliation with the Pedcor Company, based in Carmel, IN. The project began construction in 2007 and is slated to finish in early 2010, with a grand opening in mid to late 2010. Businesses and shops will be able to open in the building soon after finishing and residence with leases will be able to move in after the grand opening. [10]
Controversy
Opponents of the Carmel City Center state that the building is overpriced and unnecessary.[citation needed] Current estimates put the cost of maintaining the building at two million dollars annually, or 3% of the city’s budget. They also state they want the money used on something other than new construction for the expanding city and that the City Center would compete with the Arts & Design District.[citation needed] Proponents state that the construction is giving people jobs and it will attract more business and residents.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "News from City Hall". City of Carmel, Indiana. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ "History of Carmel, Indiana". City of Carmel, Indiana. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
- ^ "Court: Carmel can annex Clay Township". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
- ^ "Carmel unveils final plans for Keystone reconstruction project". Noblesville Daily Times. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Keystone Avenue Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). Project CarmelLink. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Carmel Roundabout Renderings Released". The Urbanophile. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Carmel to Assume Ownership of Keystone Avenue; Democrats Cite Favoritism". Inside INdiana Business. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "City of Carmel, Indiana". City of Carmel, Indiana. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). Carmel City Center. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Company History". PEDCOR Companies. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
See also
External links
- Carmel Arts and Design District
- Monon Trail.
- Official Carmel Website
- Carmel High School official Website
- Carmel Best Guide
- News from CarmelStar.com
Municipalities and communities of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
