Eastside Round-Up: June 2026

Hello Neighbors,

June has arrived and it feels like summer! Whether you’re heading to a pride celebration, a concert in the park, or a splash pad with the kids, there is so much to look forward to on the Eastside. I am looking forward to seeing many of you out and about this summer!

The last month has been incredibly busy and this email contains a lot of important updates. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have a question, concern, or idea that you’d like to share.

Yours in service,
Andy

June is Pride Month, and I want to take a moment to celebrate and affirm our LGBTQ+ neighbors, friends, and family across District 14 and the entire city. Indianapolis has a proud and vibrant LGBTQ+ community, and I am honored to represent so many of you.

There are two great Pride celebrations coming up this month that I hope you’ll join:

Indy Pride Parade & Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 13–14, in downtown Indianapolis. The parade kicks off Saturday, June 13 at 10 AM along Massachusetts Avenue and is free and open to the public. The festival spans Military Park, Celebration Plaza, White River State Park, and the Indiana State Museum Lawn. Come out and celebrate!

Irvington Pride — now in its 5th year — returns on Saturday, June 27! This free, all-day celebration features vendors, food trucks, live music, a drag show, a solidarity walk, and more, with over 20 local businesses participating throughout the neighborhood. I am proud to be a sponsor of Irvington Pride and look forward to seeing our community come together right here on the Eastside!

Thank you to everyone who attended one of the community forums, reached out, or completed the District 14 community survey on the proposed DC Blox data center. The response to the survey was strong, and mirror what I have heard from constituents in person and other communication.

83% of respondents oppose the proposed data center, with nearly 70% selecting “Strongly Oppose.” 81% of respondents were District 14 residents.

The community’s concerns were deep, consistent, and clear. The three themes that emerged most strongly were:

• Environmental concerns: the single most common primary reason for opposition. Neighbors raised serious questions about water consumption, air quality from diesel generators, energy grid strain, and the long-term environmental footprint of a facility of this scale.

• Utility costs: the second most common concern. Many neighbors are already feeling squeezed by AES Indiana rate increases and have deep skepticism about promises that a large-scale data center won’t drive rates higher.

• Noise and light pollution: raised repeatedly throughout the open-ended responses. Neighbors are particularly concerned about operational noise from cooling systems and backup generators, and the proximity of the site to Irvington Community Elementary School and the Pennsy Trail.

It is also worth noting that when asked whether strong, enforceable commitments from DC Blox would change their position, nearly half said their opposition would remain regardless of any commitments made. This is a community that has thought carefully about this issue, and the message is clear.

Based on the community’s feedback, I will be writing a formal letter of opposition to the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) ahead of the Hearing Examiner proceedings. I appreciate everyone’s genuine engagement in this process to date.

The next public hearing before the Hearing Examiner is scheduled for June 11th at 1 PM at the City-County Building. Community members are encouraged to attend and provide public testimony. I will continue to keep you updated as this process unfolds.

Fixing our roads has been my top priority since taking office, and this month the Council took a major step forward. I am proud to be part of the team leading the newly announced Indianapolis City-County Council Infrastructure Plan - a long-term funding proposal that would generate the local matching revenue needed to unlock $50 million annually in state road funding and move Indianapolis from reactive pothole patching toward real, planned neighborhood investment.

Here’s what the proposal does: it sets the county vehicle excise surtax at a flat $100 for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, lighter trailers, and trucks under 11,000 lbs., and sets the annual wheel tax at $240 for heavier vehicle classes. This is not a new tax; it is an adjustment to a fee Marion County vehicle owners already pay annually to the BMV with their registration. It does not touch property taxes or income taxes, and the revenue is restricted exclusively for infrastructure — it cannot be redirected to general-purpose spending.

The urgency is real. Last year, the Indiana General Assembly created a $50 million annual funding opportunity for Indianapolis, but the city must certify an eligible local match or lose those dollars entirely — not just for one year, but for future years as well. The match must be certified by the end of the calendar year, which means we must act before September 1, 2026 for new rates to take effect January 1, 2027.

If we get this right, the numbers are significant: an estimated $855.75 million in new state and local infrastructure investment from 2027–2031, including $279 million for residential streets (supporting an estimated 500 miles of resurfacing) and $15 million for alleys. Beginning in 2031, the plan supports an additional $200 million annually in new and permanent infrastructure funding for future projects.

The bottom line: we either meet the match and bring $50 million a year back to Indianapolis, or we leave that money on the table while our roads continue to deteriorate. I believe we owe it to our neighbors to act.

You can read more about the proposal in this IBJ article, and as always, I welcome your thoughts. Additionally, you are invited to attend one of our upcoming public committee meetings, during which the proposal will be discussed:

• Administration & Finance Committee: Tuesday, June 9th, 5:30pm at Southeast Community Services (901 Shelby Street)

• Public Works Committee: Thursday, June 11th, 5:30pm at the Pike Township Trustee Office (5665 Lafayette Road)

• Rules & Public Policy Committee: Tuesday, June 16th, 5:30pm at Ivy Tech Downtown Campus (50 W Fall Creek Pkwy N Dr)

Construction season is underway, and strip patching crews are out across the city. I’m pleased to share a couple of specific updates for our area:

• 10th Street between Emerson and Shadeland was completed this week, including the absolutely DREADFUL area in front of Si Greene’s at 10th and Emerson. It is important to note that this strip patching should NOT change the timeline for the 10th Street redesign work, which came as a result of Community Height’s tactical urbanism project and which is on track for 2028.

• Arlington Avenue between Washington Street and 21st Street & 10th Street from Post Road to Mitthoeffer Road are also scheduled for strip patching work this season.

• Exit from Howe Middle School was completed last month. While this technically falls within District 13, I heard about the poor conditions from many neighbors and I’m glad it was repaired!

Strip patching is one important tool that the City uses to address our roads, but there will be more news shortly about additional street resurfacing coming to District 14 this construction season. Stay tuned!

Great news for Ellenberger Park! The tennis court resurfacing at Ellenberger Park is on track to be completed within the next week. This is a project I worked to secure funding for last year (in addition to the new lighting that was installed earlier this year), and I’m thrilled to see it coming to fruition. Better courts and improved lighting mean more opportunities for neighbors to enjoy the park!

Summer is officially here, and Indy Parks pools and splash pads are open for the season! Two locations of particular note for District 14 neighbors:

Ellenberger Park Pool (5301 E. St. Clair St.) is open now! Hours are Tuesday–Thursday 11 AM–6 PM, Friday 11 AM–8 PM, Saturday 11 AM–6 PM, and Sunday 12–6 PM. Closed Mondays for maintenance.

Jake Greene Park Splash Pad (1700 Franklin Rd.) is also open and a great option for families with younger kids looking to cool off.

For a full list of pools and splash pads across the city, including hours and locations, visit parks.indy.gov/programs/poolsandsplashpads.

Free meals are available to all youth 18 and under throughout the summer - no registration required. Kids just need to be present and eat on-site.

Indy Parks runs mobile meal units Monday–Friday with Eastside stops including Ellenberger Park (Mobile Unit 2, 1:00–1:30 PM) and Jake Greene Park (Mobile Unit 1, 1:00–1:30 PM). Visit parks.indy.gov/programs/free-meals-programs for the full schedule.

Indianapolis Public Schools and Warren Township Schools also operate summer meal programs at sites across our area. Check with your local school or district website for locations and times near you. Please share this with any families who could benefit!

One of my favorite Irvington summer traditions is back! The Friends of Irving Circle Summer Concert Series kicks off this month at Irving Circle Park (S. Audubon Road & University Avenue). Concerts are free and family-friendly — bring a blanket or folding chair, cash for concessions, and your neighbors. The road around the circle is blocked off so kids can ride bikes. The first concert will be next Saturday, June 13th from 7-9pm.

The Irvington Farmers Market, presented by the Irvington Garden Club, returns for its 2026 season on Sunday, June 14, from 12–3 PM at Ellenberger Park (5301 E. St. Clair St.). The market runs the second Sunday of every month through October — mark your calendars for July 12, August 9, September 13, and October 11 as well. Find more info at irvingtongardenclub.com/farmers-market.

Check out these upcoming Eastside events!

• Irving Circle Park Concert Series Kickoff. Saturday, June 14, 7-9pm. Irving Circle Park, S. Audubon Rd. & University Ave. Free, family-friendly.

• Indy Pride Parade & Festival. Saturday–Sunday, June 13–14. Parade along Massachusetts Avenue at 10 AM (free). Festival at Military Park and White River State Park.

• Irvington Farmers Market. Sunday, June 14, 12–3 PM. Ellenberger Park, 5301 E. St. Clair St. Free admission, nearly 100 vendors.

• Irvington Development Organization Monthly Meeting. Monday, June 16, 6:30 PM. (Irvington Lofts, 5855 E. Washington St.)

• Irvington Community Council Monthly Meeting. Tuesday, June 17, 7 PM. (55 Johnson Ave.)

• Far Eastside Community Council Monthly Meeting. Tuesday, June 24, 6:30 PM. Check Facebook for Zoom link. (3039 N. Post Rd.)

• Irvington Pride 2026. Saturday, June 27, all day. Centered on Irvington Lodge Events (5515 E. Washington St.) and Irvington Presbyterian Church (55 Johnson Ave.). Free, no tickets needed. Vendors, food trucks, live music, drag show, solidarity walk, and more.