Exit 26 — the busy interstate access point to Anderson — has been a lifeline to this community’s economy since GM began pulling out of the city.
Now, local merchants and residents are trying to give a stronger voice and wider appeal to the interchange connecting Ind. 9/Scatterfield Road with I-69 and Indianapolis.
Business and community leaders have formed the Go to 26 campaign, hoping to pull together all the stakeholders and develop a cohesive approach to promoting the area. They’ve already created a Web site, www.goto26.com
First, they’ll unite merchants and widen the scope. We hope the progress carries north into the Mounds Mall area.
In conjunction with this effort, Madison Commons is promoting itself as a shovel-ready site for retail. The site, east of Scatterfield, has utilities and amenities ready to go.
That corridor seems ready to go.
We hope that Madison County economic leaders are ready. It seems there is no cohesive plan to address the economic interests in the area, nothing that ties the other exits into a unified marketing approach. We’re aware of the success of the Flagship and Nestle but when an industrial or commercial site is discussed, it seems scattershot. Certainly, we recall the city flip flopping on the proposed PEAT incinerator, at first welcoming its job creation and then condemning it for possible dangers.
We’ve seen the dangers of developing a mall of outlet stores without sufficient surrounding business or interesting mall shops, as at Exit 34.
We point first to the seeming success of Hamilton Town Center at Noblesville’s Exit 10. By nature of Noblesville’s growing suburban area and heavy traffic coming to Verizon Music Center, the interchange is a natural for continuing growth.
Exit 26 is somewhere in the middle. While it may not attract higher-end department stores, Exit 26 may be better positioned to accommodate the daily needs of Anderson residents through groceries, restaurants and retail shops.
That’s why we’re encouraged by the campaign being undertaken at the grassroots level. It’s bound to grow into a viable effort for the community by drawing customers from I-69 into Anderson stores.
Maybe instead of “Exit 26,” we can start calling it Entrance 26.
Editorials
Editorial: Exit 26 is a lifeline, so let’s be ready
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Editorial: Keep up the chorus against the landfill
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Editorial: Find a buyer for former school or tear it down
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Editorial: Libraries must adapt to serve communities
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You Said It: About Walking Men, the Queen of Disco and settled lawsuits
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Editorial: Ockomon-Spencer saga hurt city's reputation
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Editorial: It's Pendleton's time to shine this weekend
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Editorial: Little 500 Festival, local events heating up Saturday
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