INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Department of Public Works recently announced it has received a $15 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help fund architecturally significant design elements and enhancements to the future Henry Street Bridge.
The construction of the Henry Street Bridge originates from an agreement between the city, the state and Elanco that calls for the city to build out the infrastructure supporting the animal health company’s new global headquarters on the west side of the White River. In March, Lilly Endowment approved a $15 million grant to enable the construction of the Henry Street Bridge to include the Circle City Gateway design that was presented to the public in May 2023 following an extensive public input process. The design includes architecturally significant elements such as 80-foot rings with programmable lighting that encircle the bridge, plazas that provide spaces for people to gather and view public art, and distinctive plantings and other horticultural features.
However, the city announce that it no longer had enough funds to build that version of the bridge, and Lilly Endowment stepped in with funds.
For more than a year, city officials have been meeting with community members regarding the Henry Street Bridge and an adjacent roadway project, which occupies a one-acre portion of the city’s first cemetery, a collection of four long-abandoned cemeteries that are often referred to collectively as Greenlawn Cemetery. Despite 100+ years of previous development on the site, many gravesites are believed to be buried under concrete and additional soil that was imported for previous development projects. The new plans allow for the archaeological importance of the site.
To learn more about Indy DPW construction projects, visit indy.gov/DPWprojects.
