MCCORDSVILLE — The new McCord Square apartment and retail development is attracting residents and is one of many new developments popping up in this growing Indiana town.
“I do like the growth; I do like they’re adding new things,” said one mother of two who recently moved to McCord Square. “It’s very nice that it’s new. There are a lot of things that drew me here.”
Located at 600 North and Main Street, McCord Square is one of the many new developments fostering the town's rapid growth.
Town Manager Tim Gropp told WRTV, “We're still 13,000, 14,000 people, but we're growing rapidly. We're one of the fastest-growing communities in Indiana.”
The town has grown from about 1,100 residents in 2000 to more than 11,000 now.
Gropp attributes the town's charm and the influence of nearby cities as driving factors behind the influx of new residents.
“They like the small-town charm. They like what we're doing with the downtown,” he said. "In Fishers, which is kind of building out the last bit of land they have, and Lawrence has grown to its capacity. We are the in-between of those two."
Local residents are also appreciating the opportunities provided by new development.
One mother noted, “I love the schools. I have a freshman in high school, and she does really well.”
Gropp highlighted the town's efforts to manage this growth.
“We have a ton of road projects going on. We’re buying park land, we’re adding parks, we’re improving the parks we have. McCord Square has over 15 acres of green space in it, so we’re connecting trails,” he said.
However, with expansion can come challenges.
Local resident Peg Moore told WRTV, “It’s nice having the Culver’s, but the traffic has gotten to be a lot more on Pendleton Pike… It’s kind of a 50/50 situation.”
In response, Gropp acknowledged the need for balance, stating, “We’re just trying to balance all those needs. You’ve got to balance road projects with green space, with amenities, and then also being able to maintain all that.”
As McCordsville prepares for further growth, Gropp emphasized the extensive development that could significantly increase the town's population. “We have enough development approved to more than double the size of our community,” he said. "This is becoming a heavily populated suburb, so there's not much we can do about that other than try to do smart growth,” he said.
Gropp told WRTV they are preparing to support around 40,000 over the next few decades.
