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Redevelopment Commission approves transfers to Muncie Land Bank, accepts 1700 Block North Colson from city; Arts District parcel decision tabled
Summary
The Muncie Redevelopment Commission voted to transfer a group of vacant lots to the Muncie Land Bank, approved a resolution to accept a land parcel from the city for eventual transfer to GMED, and voted to table a proposed transfer of 300–312 E. Washington Street linked to an Arts District plan pending more information.
The Muncie Redevelopment Commission on Aug. 21 approved transferring a group of vacant lots to the Muncie Land Bank, agreed to accept a land parcel from the city for later transfer to GMED, and tabled action on properties tied to the proposed Arts District.
Commissioners voted to transfer 12 properties to the Muncie Land Bank, listing addresses including 1019 E. Kirby; 1111 E. Fifth; 1220 and 1222 E. Memorial; 1520 E. Kirby; 2007 E. Willard; 609 S. Brady; 717 S. Vine; 721 S. Beacon; 805 and 806 E. Willard; and 819 E. Seymour. The transfers were approved with the condition that acceptance by the land bank and clear title be confirmed before any conveyance proceeds.
Why it matters: the transfers move vacant lots into the land bank’s inventory for neighborhood redevelopment work, including plans tied to an urban planning studio and partnerships in the Industry neighborhood.
The land bank’s representative, Nate Howard, described the parcels as mostly vacant lots concentrated in the Industry neighborhood and said they will support neighborhood planning and redevelopment. "We have some properties that we are holding for the city, the MRC, upon request," Howard said. He added the parcels will be used with neighborhood partners and an urban planning studio to develop redevelopment concepts.
Commissioners also voted to accept ownership of a parcel in the 1700 block of North Colson from the city of Muncie and to draft a resolution to that effect so the MRC can later transfer it to GMED. Commissioners discussed that the parcel is largely landlocked, has limited development potential for typical structures, and was being considered for a cell tower site to improve local cellular service. "This piece of property almost literally can't be developed for anything because it's landlocked," one commissioner said.
A separate set of parcels, 300 through 312 E. Washington Street, described by staff as intended for the Arts District and potential housing tied to that corridor, was the subject of requests for more detail. Commissioners asked for appraisals, public-notice compliance and development examples before approving conveyance. A motion to table action on the 300–312 parcels until the next meeting passed.
The votes: the land-bank transfer motion (contingent on acceptance and clear title) passed unanimously; the resolution to accept the 1700 block parcel passed unanimously; and the motion to table the Arts District parcel passed.
Staff and next steps: the land bank said its board will take formal acceptance at its September meeting. Commissioners asked staff to confirm ownership/title for properties listed in the transfer resolution before any deeds are executed and requested appraisals and RFP/public-notice documentation for the Arts District parcels before returning the item to the commission.
Public comment during the meeting included concerns about other development proposals in the city and specific requests from property owners for staff to inspect potential damage related to recently acquired parking-lot property adjacent to private property.
The commission adjourned to its next meeting on Sept. 18, 2025.
