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Episode 13 – Inside Richmond: The City's Pulse | Historic Charm, Modern Purpose in Downtown Richmond
The skyline of Richmond, Indiana is undergoing a powerful transformation thanks to a $100 million investment that's reshaping the heart of our city—and the story behind it is just as inspiring as the impact.
On this episode of Inside Richmond: The City’s Pulse, Dakota Collins of Earlham College and Roxie Deer of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration joined host Lindsay Darnell for a compelling conversation about the Revitalize Richmond initiative—a bold and collaborative effort breathing new life into our historic downtown.
What began with a $25 million Lilly Endowment grant has grown into a sweeping revitalization plan backed by more than $83 million in community partnerships. At the heart of this transformation is AP Development, leading the restoration of five iconic downtown buildings—the Knollenberg, Hittle, Jenkins, Odd Fellows, and the uniquely patterned “Cheese Grater” BMO Harris building—into vibrant mixed-use spaces featuring approximately 100 new apartments. Rather than demolishing these historic structures, AP Development is letting the buildings “tell them” what they want to become, honoring their legacy while building for Richmond’s future.
Meanwhile, Richmond Neighborhood Restoration has already breathed new life into key properties like the Secret Ingredient Building and the Readmore, with even more projects on the horizon—continuing their mission to revitalize downtown one building at a time.
The initiative revolves around three pillars:
- Activate: energizing downtown through projects like the Gorge Activation Plan and a community makerspace
- Build: restoring historic structures and creating modern residential and commercial space
- Connect: improving transportation links between Earlham College and downtown
Perhaps most exciting is the human element—a new director of small business success is helping entrepreneurs launch and grow, and Roxie Deer shares her personal journey of transforming grief into purpose through restoration work, especially on projects like the Readmore building. That project now stands as a symbol of hope and community healing.
🎟️ Want to experience it firsthand? Don’t miss the Readmore Open House—grab your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/readmore-open-house-tickets-1450147753969?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawL8wx9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNR3YweXBlMlowT21MUkh5AR5InYCrWjdbwTBpxK0SL08SE2IY4B0SSpf8SLyDoY7AzRU-BiTz1lAtcBEsCg_aem__4lTtAeHsyu5KM6ufe7_Ng
To learn more, visit:
🔗 Revitalize Richmond: https://earlham.edu/revitalize-richmond/
🔗 Richmond Neighborhood Restoration: https://www.rnrinc.org/
Be sure to follow Revitalize Richmond and Richmond Neighborhood Restoration on social media to stay connected—and don’t forget to subscribe to Inside Richmond: The City’s Pulse to stay informed about the people and projects shaping our community’s future.
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By City of RichmondThe skyline of Richmond, Indiana is undergoing a powerful transformation thanks to a $100 million investment that's reshaping the heart of our city—and the story behind it is just as inspiring as the impact.
On this episode of Inside Richmond: The City’s Pulse, Dakota Collins of Earlham College and Roxie Deer of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration joined host Lindsay Darnell for a compelling conversation about the Revitalize Richmond initiative—a bold and collaborative effort breathing new life into our historic downtown.
What began with a $25 million Lilly Endowment grant has grown into a sweeping revitalization plan backed by more than $83 million in community partnerships. At the heart of this transformation is AP Development, leading the restoration of five iconic downtown buildings—the Knollenberg, Hittle, Jenkins, Odd Fellows, and the uniquely patterned “Cheese Grater” BMO Harris building—into vibrant mixed-use spaces featuring approximately 100 new apartments. Rather than demolishing these historic structures, AP Development is letting the buildings “tell them” what they want to become, honoring their legacy while building for Richmond’s future.
Meanwhile, Richmond Neighborhood Restoration has already breathed new life into key properties like the Secret Ingredient Building and the Readmore, with even more projects on the horizon—continuing their mission to revitalize downtown one building at a time.
The initiative revolves around three pillars:
- Activate: energizing downtown through projects like the Gorge Activation Plan and a community makerspace
- Build: restoring historic structures and creating modern residential and commercial space
- Connect: improving transportation links between Earlham College and downtown
Perhaps most exciting is the human element—a new director of small business success is helping entrepreneurs launch and grow, and Roxie Deer shares her personal journey of transforming grief into purpose through restoration work, especially on projects like the Readmore building. That project now stands as a symbol of hope and community healing.
🎟️ Want to experience it firsthand? Don’t miss the Readmore Open House—grab your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/readmore-open-house-tickets-1450147753969?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawL8wx9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNR3YweXBlMlowT21MUkh5AR5InYCrWjdbwTBpxK0SL08SE2IY4B0SSpf8SLyDoY7AzRU-BiTz1lAtcBEsCg_aem__4lTtAeHsyu5KM6ufe7_Ng
To learn more, visit:
🔗 Revitalize Richmond: https://earlham.edu/revitalize-richmond/
🔗 Richmond Neighborhood Restoration: https://www.rnrinc.org/
Be sure to follow Revitalize Richmond and Richmond Neighborhood Restoration on social media to stay connected—and don’t forget to subscribe to Inside Richmond: The City’s Pulse to stay informed about the people and projects shaping our community’s future.