City of Bloomington Invites Community to Learn About Hopewell and a New Approach to Neighborhood Development

~ Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington is taking a proactive approach to addressing the issue of housing attainability by inviting residents, builders, and community partners to a free public learning event. The event, titled "Cultivating Neighborhoods & the Small-Scale Development Movement," will take place on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at Bloomington City Hall.

According to Mayor Kerry Thomson, Bloomington is currently facing a housing crisis as it is the most cost-burdened metro area in Indiana. In an effort to address this issue, the City is looking at Hopewell as a potential model for future development that reflects the community's values.

Hopewell, located on the former IU Health Bloomington Hospital site, presents a unique opportunity for the City to test new approaches to neighborhood development. The City has identified small-scale and incremental development as one tool that can help reduce barriers in the development process.

After rejecting conventional development proposals in June 2025, the City partnered with Flintlock LAB to explore an alternative framework for Hopewell. This framework includes pre-approved building designs to simplify permitting processes and reduce costs, participation from local builders and vendors, a mix of attainable and market-rate housing options, and training pathways for small-scale developers.

More on EntSun News

• Quinn Lemley Continues Hot Streak At The Triad Theater With "Rita Hayworth: The Heat Is On!"
• Stipenda Appoints David Epstein as Chief Operating Officer
• Woven Wire Mesh as a Durable Filter Medium for Industrial Filtration Systems
• FondoQuantaX Completes Core Trading Engine Upgrade: Refactoring High-Concurrency Architecture with AI Adaptive Algorithms to Navigate Market Extremes
• As Paris Hilton Reclaims Her Icon Status, "Pretty Pop Star" Reemerges to Battle the Age of AI Music

To further educate the public about this approach, the City will be hosting a lecture led by Eric Kronberg on February 12. Kronberg is an IncDev faculty member and principal of Kronberg Urbanists + Architects who specializes in creating walkable and mixed-use neighborhoods through incremental growth.

During his presentation, Kronberg will discuss the principles behind small-scale and incremental development and how they are being applied at Hopewell. He will also explore how this model could inform future housing and neighborhood efforts citywide.

The event is being hosted in partnership with Incremental Development Alliance (IncDev), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to training and supporting small-scale developers. With programs across 33 states, IncDev has trained over 10,000 alumni in the principles and practice of small-scale development.

The City hopes that by piloting this model at Hopewell, they can evaluate its effectiveness and potentially apply it to other areas in Bloomington. The event will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Bloomington City Hall and registration is required. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis with time reserved for questions and discussion.

---

Show All News | Report Violation