The Sunday Post - Feb 8, 2026: YMCA Update, Washington Square Momentum, and a Big Eastside Jobs Win
- Michael-Paul Hart
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
A weekly report from Councilor Michael-Paul Hart — Building the Smartest City in America.
Volume 2, Issue 6
YMCA Update: YMCA Update: Turning a Closure
Conversation Into a Countywide Health Play
This week, my YMCA update is short, but the work behind it was not.
A lot of my time went into coordination: getting the right leaders, from the right organizations, into the same room at the same time. That is how real solutions start in a city as big as Indy.
The idea in plain English
Hancock County has a model that works. It blends health care and wellness in a way that improves outcomes and reduces long-term costs.
My goal is to bring that playbook to Marion County by using YMCA facilities as a platform for prevention-focused health access, supported through serious partnerships and a clear financial plan.
If we want Indy to become the Smartest City in America, we have to treat health outcomes like a core performance metric.
Big next step: Feb 13 meeting at the Indy Chamber
I am grateful to say we have a significant meeting on the calendar.
Date: February 13
Host: Indy Chamber
Purpose: Present the Hancock County / YMCA model and map out what a Marion County version could look like.
Expected attendees include:
Hancock County Health leadership
YMCA leadership
City-County Council financial leadership (CFO)
Chief of Staff Chris Bailey
City Controller (invited)
My take
A smarter city is not just faster permits and better tech. It is a healthier county, with fewer preventable emergencies, more stable families, and stronger neighborhoods.
The YMCA is already an asset. The next step is strengthening it with the right partnerships so it can stay sustainable and expand impact.
Council Update: Hammer and Nigel, Brookville Road, and Data Center Signals
Hammer and Nigel recap
Every Tuesday after Full Council, I join Hammer and Nigel to talk through what is happening at City Hall in plain language.
This week we covered:
Our new IMPD Chief, Tanya Terry
The YMCA work
A few other key city issues
District 20: Brookville Road parking restrictions
I formally introduced a proposal focused on Brookville Road parking restrictions. This is a quality-of-life issue and a safety issue.
What’s next:
I will be asking my colleagues for support on Thursday, Feb 12
If we clear the next step, this moves toward Full Council in March
Data centers: watch this space
On data centers, I am hearing more rumblings and seeing more signals that the City is preparing zoning and use standards.
One thing stood out to me: American Tower’s recent messaging after withdrawing their petition suggests they plan to return once the City sets clear rules. That is a strong indicator that we may see something in front of the Metropolitan Development Commission soon.
My advice
Indy needs standards that are clear, enforceable, and aligned with public goals. A smart approach means:
predictable rules for investors
protection for neighborhoods
infrastructure planning that is honest about costs and capacity
Washington Square Mall: We Secured Funding, Now We Build the Case
Washington Square is too important to wait on.
This was supposed to be a calm press conference update, and it turned into a reminder of how much emotion and expectation is tied to this site. People want progress, and they deserve it.
What happened
We secured funding to start real pre-development work:
Lauth Group is sponsoring the study
Cumberland CDC is serving as fiduciary
Schmidt Associates is performing the work
What the study will do
This is about building a professional foundation that serious investors can trust. The study will help us understand:
utilities and infrastructure constraints
drainage and stormwater realities
access and circulation (cars, buses, bikes, pedestrians)
what development could look like with the structure, or without it
early “order-of-magnitude” understanding of what it will take
Why I am pushing this
Because someone has to lead.
Big sites do not redevelop on hope. They redevelop when someone does the hard work to reduce uncertainty, organize partners, and build a real path to capital.
I am taking initiative so we can move toward a public-private partnership that brings vibrancy and resilience back to Indy’s Eastside.
Eastside Jobs Win: Kimball Solutions Is Expanding in Warren Township
On Friday, I attended the ribbon cutting for Kimball Solutions’ new facility at 1220 S. Post Rd.
This is exactly the kind of advanced manufacturing win Indy needs:
clean rooms
precision production
long-term job growth
The headline
Kimball plans to add 345 new employees over the next three years.
That is real momentum, and it matters beyond this one building. More daily workers on the Eastside strengthens demand for:
better retail
better restaurants
more services
smarter redevelopment opportunities, including Washington Square
The smartest-city connection: the talent pipeline
When Kimball was petitioning, my first message was simple: we need a direct pipeline from Warren Central High School into this facility.
Kimball is investing in the Walker Career Center, and we are working together to define what that pipeline can look like. A Smartest City does not just recruit employers. It builds local talent so Indy residents can fill Indy jobs.
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See you next week with more updates from the Neighborhood.
