NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester University has received a grant of $12.1 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, College and Community Collaboration (CCC).
The grant will support efforts to develop a park along Eel River in the downtown area; construct a multi-modal path to connect the park with campus; and renovate two university facilities to support the enhancement of arts and culture programs, according to a news release from Manchester University.
The funding of these projects enables the North Manchester community to increase amenities, expand housing opportunities, improve cultural facilities, and offer a safe and attractive connection between the university and downtown. The total investment that will be made to support the community initiative totals more than $40 million.
For more than a year, the university and the Town of North Manchester engaged hundreds of participants in evaluating more than a dozen project ideas. The projects supported by the grant that are part of the initiative include:
Eel River Commons
Development of a marquee downtown park next to the Eel River to provide a vibrant and engaging outdoor environment aimed at supporting both large-scale events and individual experiences.
Manchester Mile
Improvements to a streetscape connecting the downtown and campus, offering a safe, attractive alternative for walking and bicycling, highlighting new and existing amenities along the way.
College Row
Expansion of housing on College Avenue with newly constructed townhomes, a form of housing not currently available in North Manchester, that will be an attractive choice for current and future members of the community. Located across the street from campus, College Row has the potential to be a desirable place for faculty and staff to live.
Cultural Facilities
Cordier Auditorium and Otho Winger Memorial Hall will be updated and expanded to better accommodate a 21st century arts education and greatly improve performance venues to benefit campus and community audiences.
"This grant will help Manchester attract and retain students, faculty and staff, and the planning activities that led to the grant proposal have already helped strengthen the university's role as an anchor institution in our community," said Stacy H. Young, president of Manchester University. "This will lift up our town, making it a more vibrant and inviting place to live, and the end result of the Lilly Endowment grant will be closer relationships and connections between the two. I am so thankful to every person who played a part in getting us to this point."
Manchester University is one of 13 Indiana higher education institutions receiving grants through the latest round of implementation grants through CCC, a competitive Lilly Endowment initiative.
"While varied in scope and reach, the proposed initiatives and projects reflect a commitment by all stakeholders, inclusive of faculty, staff and students from these institutions, business leaders, government officials, and community leaders, to creating vibrant communities for all residents to enjoy and in which to thrive," said Jennett M. Hill, president of Lilly Endowment. "The Endowment looks forward to seeing all the projects in the CCC initiative evolve. We are enthusiastic about the prospects for both the institutions and communities and are eager to see these institutions and their community stakeholders collaborate to breathe life into their promising projects."
Lilly Endowment launched the CCC initiative in early 2023. The initiative is designed to encourage Indiana's colleges and universities to work closely with community stakeholders to envision and jointly undertake significant community development efforts to create more vibrant places in which to live, learn, work and play.