INDIANAPOLIS — A tech company is investing in Indianapolis, and Friday night, west side residents learned how their neighborhoods will benefit.
There's no catch. 16 Tech is offering community organizations free money in the form of a grant, a community investment fund loaded with $1 million supporting the projects of area organizations.
"It's super exciting," Earl Townsend said.
The growing tech park off 16th Street dubs itself "the future of innovation." The 50-acre campus will soon house office and lab space for companies developing new products.
When the construction fo 16 Tech is complete, it will include housing, retail, a hotel, a makerspace, green space and walking and biking trails.
Starla Hart with 16 Tech said giving grants to the community is their way of making sure the surrounding neighborhood benefits from the tech park, which hopes to revitalize the west side by inviting the community rather than pushing the community out.
"Its really trying to make sure we reach out. That we partner that we create equity and access and opportunity for the things that we that we are going to do on site," Hart said. "So this is just one way we hope to support the neighborhoods that surround us."
As 16 Tech grows its roots on the near-west side, residents and business owners like Townsend said investing and making the community a better place is what a good neighbor is supposed to do.
"This absolutely what a good neighbor is supposed to do," Townsend said. "I was raised in a neighborhood where when you move in, you go next door, you introduce yourself, you introduce your children and you make sure that the neighbors know that you're there and what reason you're there for."
