Just like the old days...Ball State and Muncie working together for new urban district

That's just a headline I would like to see someday. Is it possible? I think so. Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana is one of the last remaining pillars supporting the city’s economy after 40 years of increased deindustrialization. Yet, the City of Muncie and Ball State have remained entities that work in collaboration in only the most select cases. The Village is a district located just south of Ball State’s campus. The 8 block area is home to a few bars, some restaurants, and other small businesses favored by students and faculty. However, in the past twenty years the Village has seen decline and greater need for redevelopment. The University Square block, which Milhaus recently acquired, is in desperate need of revitalization and the company is continuing to renew leases and work on plans for improving the appearance of the building. Once the site of Buffalo Wild Wings, BoRics, and La Bamba, the block now has the potential to be successful again.

The success of this property and the Village overall is important to both the city and the campus. Earlier this year Michael Hicks from Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research told Ball State’s Daily News that “universities shouldn't run bars and restaurants” and “should stay doing what we do best - creating knowledge.” While it's true the university shouldn't focus on bars and restaurants, it should take a leadership role in the economic viability of its home city. The university commands some 20,000 people that have the potential to influence Muncie's economy. It's not just “bars and restaurants” where students spend money while at school. In Muncie, both Downtown and the McGalliard Corridor have businesses that cater to students. What if there was a student district in close proximity to the campus that provided a new urban experience? Would it attract new students to campus? New faculty? Better yet, could a collaboration between the city and the university bring new corporate businesses to Muncie by strategically locating it and planning it? There are more questions than answers in the Village today. As I begin my final year of school, I am hopeful that one day such a headline makes it here for real.

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Jacob Dietrich is a Senior at Ball State University majoring in Urban Planning and Development. He recently completed his internship with Milhaus Development and returned to Muncie with new ideas for a better world.