To create a regional Digital Readiness Broadband Clearinghouse that serves Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland, and Shelby counties that will serve as a central point of contact relating to broadband, digital readiness, and digital inclusion.

The Golden Road Infrastructure project entails the extension of natural gas utility infrastructure, expanding service in Franklin County to serve new, existing and expanding businesses and homeowners within, near and adjacent to a county TIF district and an existing industrial employment center. This extension would bring the option for natural gas service for the very first time to approximately 80 homeowners and businesses near Oxford Pike, State Route 101 and along Golden Road. Potential customers include existing and growing manufacturers, an INDOT subdistrict facility and a regional healthcare provider making a significant investment in a new facility. Preliminary work started on the project in mid-May 2022 and is estimated to be completed sometime in October 2022.

The City of Lawrenceburg Redevelopment Commission purchased the vacant Liberty Theater property located in the downtown historic business district as part of a revitalization strategy. Business in the downtown historic district depend solely on visitor/resident spending. The project intends to renovate the property; thus, activating this long dormant historic landmark as the region’s premiere showcasing venue with professional events space, cultural arts and programing, destination eateries and bar environments. The result is a cultural engine contributing to a vibrant, revitalized downtown, attracting storefront businesses, visitors, and new talent to our region. Lawrenceburg’s award-winning Civic Park has hosted events bringing large crowds during warmer months and the Liberty Theater will allow for cultural events to happen year-round with an indoor venue. The Lawrenceburg Redevelopment Commission executed a lease agreement with Thigmotrope LLC, who will operate the theater and has the option to purchase the property in 5 years. Construction began in July of 2022 and is anticipated to be completed by March 2023.The site is located in a community disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, within a HUD-designated Qualified Census Tract (tract # 803.02). READI funds will be used to pay for heating and cooling, electric, plumbing, and tile. The remainder of the renovation costs, $2,497,641, will be financed by the City of Lawrenceburg.

Versailles leads a collaborative effort to develop The Pocket Park project, which will create an outdoor community space that will replace two blighted properties. Funding is secured for an entertainment pavilion and percussive play instruments through crowdfunding with Patronicity and a matching grant through CreatINg Places. A grant from the Ripley County Community Foundation is funding benches, picnic tables, a Ride & Share bike system, and landscaping. We are applying to T-Mobile for a grant to help fund the construction of a splash pad in the park, which was a top requested amenity from our residents. READI funding will be used towards the construction/installation of restroom facilities, which will enable a more comfortable visit for all users, including ADA accessibility. Construction is expected to start in March 2023 and be completed by June 2023. The Park will be a destination community gathering space for meetups, play dates, and live entertainment and will serve residents of all ages for years to come.

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Modernization of the existing South Dearborn Regional Sewer District Wastewater Treatment Plant will increase wastewater processing capacity for ongoing and future development of Dearborn County's three river cities and the unincorporated county near the I-275 beltway exit, also known as Southeast Indiana's gateway from the Cincinnati metro area. With planned new commercial and residential developments happening in the SDRSD WWTP service area, including St. Elizabeth Healthcare's Cancer Center and Hospital, reliable wastewater treatment capacity is critical in this growing area. The project includes improvements to the existing sludge treatment systems including the following: New anaerobic digester, digested sludge holding tank, sludge thickener, sludge presses, polymer injection systems, ultraviolet disinfection system, pumps, electrical supply systems, and accessories. Additionally, aged equipment will be replaced including aeration blowers, pumps, clarification units, electrical equipment and ancillary equipment.  The Preliminary Engineering Report was completed in late 2020. Final deign engineering began on May 1, 2021 and was completed in January of 2022.  IDEM construction permits have been secured.  Construction is scheduled to commence on or about September 1, 2022 with construction completion scheduled for May of 2023.

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The State Road 1 Corridor Economic Development Plan will produce a holistic plan for an important stretch of Indiana state highway intersecting with Interstate 74 in an area identified for growth in northern Dearborn Co. and southern Franklin Co. Planning will establish a roadmap for economic and community development, including: Cost estimates for recommended land use typologies, community facilities including parks, town centers, capital improvement strategies, transportation improvements, each water and wastewater alternative, Recommendations for feasible alternatives and considerations, Key permitting requirements for recommended redevelopment, Recommendations for amendment of local zoning and subdivision regulations and processes, Top priorities/funding strategies. Citizens, local governments, planning departments, schools and businesses will be engaged through community workshops and interviews to develop the final plan. An RFP to select a firm was conducted in June 2022-August 2022. HWC was selected to complete the study that is expected to begin in October 2022 and be completed by March 31, 2023. A final report will be shared with local governments, utilities, and economic development organizations to guide on projects and investments over the next 20 years. READI funds will be used to pay for planning/engineering consultant HWC Engineering’s planning services. Matching funds are paying for the balance of HWC “s fee.

There is much open property already served by electric power and the Franklin County Water Association that can be developed for new housing. The area wastewater is now served by individual septic tank field systems. The area is not suited for increased housing density. With this municipal wastewater collection extension significant numbers of new single-family homes can be built, with the current estimate for 136 new homes. The system can accommodate hundreds more homes. Without the system extension this number of homes will not be possible. 
The increase in housing will also draw children into the Franklin County School Corporation district. Increase in students will provide more state funding for the school system that has been dealing with loss of students over the past few years.
This project will receive financial support from S&W Homes and D&G. READI funds will be used to construct an extension of the Brookville Wastewater system in the area not served by a municipal, or private wastewater collection system.
The project is expected to begin in February 2023 and end in June 2024. The proven technology used in the system expansion reduces the treatment needed at the wastewater treatment system, where the system produces less solids to be sent to the treatment point. The process conserves resources needed to treat the wastewater, thus reducing the carbon footprint needed to produce the electric power and chemicals used to treat the waste before discharge from the plant.

The purpose of the Union County Water and Sewer Extension project so to serve an area of the county that does not have access to city water and sewer. These utilities are being taken from town on US highway 27 south towards West College Corner to 26 acres of land. Bringing these utilities to this land, Union County is also preparing for the development of this land and approximately 35 houses.  The project began in September of 2022 with permit approval and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2024.

The North Dearborn Water Authority (NDWA) is a not-for-profit water utility that provides reliable drinking water service to approximately 2,200 homes, Sunman Dearborn School Corporation, businesses, and industries in Dearborn County, Franklin and Ripley Counties. The NDWA serves areas along Interstate 74 where economic growth is projected. According to site development evaluation conducted by Southeastern Indiana REMC & Hoosier Energy on July 8, 2021. This report identified approximately 20 sites immediately adjacent to water mains identified by the NDWA to extend north of I-74 immediately west of St. Leon. Phase 1 which has started focuses on the NDWA Water Treatment Plant. NDWA has already secured an Indiana Finance Authority State Revolving Fund loan for necessary upgrades to its water treatment plant located in the Whitewater River aquifer in Franklin County. This water treatment plant upgrade is necessary to support forecasted growth in the State Road 1/St. Leon corridor. This portion of the project began 6/18/22 and is expected to be completed by 9/18/23. READI Funding Request: $180,000 for engineering of Phases 3 and 4 and construction bidding for Phases 2, 3, and 4. (SEI READI allocated this amount Nov. 2022)
$2,890,000 for Construction of Phase 2 water line extensions.

The Switzerland County Workforce Housing Initiative will allow over 70 new single-family residential units to be constructed at three residential locations in Switzerland County. This project builds on infrastructure capacity investments the community has already made in recent years to allow for this residential growth. READI and matching funds will be used to complete the remaining public infrastructure and amenities needed to make these homes competitive in Switzerland County’s growing multi-state residential housing market. Specifically, funds will be used for paving, storm drainage, sidewalks, signage, and limited utility extension.  Construction is expected to begin May 2023 and be completed by August 2026.  The Switzerland County Redevelopment Commission will oversee the project. The Commission will partner with multiple development partners who already control real estate. Homes are already under construction where conditions allow. The completed project will provide a historically underserved housing market with three walkable neighborhoods connected to larger retail areas. It will also position the area for additional residential growth around these infrastructure investments.  The benefits of these investments will extend beyond the sites serviced by this project, allowing other residential developments to engage in the future at a lower cost. Funding partners include the Town of Vevay and Switzerland County Economic Dev. Corp.

The proposed project includes constructing a sanitary sewer lift station at the intersection of State Road 101 and State Road 46, approximately ½ mile south of I-74. This location was selected to serve existing development and provide sewer accessibility for development around the I-74 interchange with SR 101 most efficiently. Gravity sewer could be extended from this lift station to the north, south, east, and west. An additional lift station may be required in the future to serve development on the north side of I-74 The lift station shall be installed with two pumps, with one serving as a backup. Two force mains shall be installed in parallel for the initial construction phase. The 6” force main would provide for a long-term capacity of up to 300 Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) (1 EDU = 310 gpd wastewater flow per house). A 2” force main shall be installed parallel to the 6” force main to serve the short-term needs. There is not currently enough potential flow for good operation of a 6” force main. The smaller 2” force main will better meet short-term needs and provide for better overall operation. $500,000 – READI funds will be used to pay for the 6” PVC force main ($402,800) and a portion of the 2” HDPE force main ($106,000), will leverage various public/private funding such as Ripley County, Sunman, and Kellerman Law.  The approximate timeline is from November 2022 to October 2024.

The Switzerland County Technology and Education Center has served as an adult education facility/community center since its creation in 2012. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the TEC Center began serving entrepreneurs/remote workers needing office, space, meeting space, and internet. In spite of the space being limited in amenities and offering no support services, this offering was well received, and users expressed a desire to continue this relationship. The TEC Center was selected by Purdue University as a location for their Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC) Design and Innovation Studio. The primary outcome with this initiative is to make the facility a regional magnet for entrepreneurs and remote workers by offering more than space and internet. We want to offer a business/professional community with a full complement of business tools, trainings and ongoing interaction. READI funds are being sought to adapt the facility and enable programming to permanently accommodate and support these entrepreneurs/remote workers. Approximate timeline is August 2022 to August 2024. Funding partners include SCEDC and Switzerland Co. Commissioners.

The proposed project is a sewer capacity improvement project necessary to allow for residential development on the Kopp Farm Site in the City of Aurora. A developer proposed in 2022 constructing up to 76 single family residences on 40 acres at the Kopp Farm Site on State Road 148/Sunnyside Avenue. Housing development as well as other potential housing sites further west on State Road 148, will require Aurora Utilities to construct new sewer lift stations and line upgrades.

The City of Aurora has committed up to $1,117,455 as match for a $700,000 Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs Community Development Block Grant for engineering and construction of Sanitary Sewer System Improvements identified in the Aurora Utilities Master Plan completed in 2021 by GRW Engineering. Dave O’Mara Construction has submitted a bid for construction of the Sanitary Sewer System Improvements totaling $1,506,955. READI funds would address an approximately $215,000 funding gap between the sewer construction and engineering costs and the committed City ARPA and OCRA CDBG funds. 
Construction of the Sanitary Sewer began 10/26/22 and is expected to be completed by 7/23/2023.

The United Way of Southeast Indiana Early Education Access Project is an extension of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati-Southeast Indiana’s working Building Blocks Creative Curriculum program in Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley, Ohio and Switzerland counties. The Building Blocks program is increasing accessibility and affordability of pre-K and childcare centers by increasing the number of slots available, moving centers higher on the Indiana Paths to Quality scale, and allowing for more opportunities to use On My Way Pre-K vouchers. The vouchers and new opportunities for private pay will make the new childcare slots sustainable.
SEI READI funds will be used by United Way of Southeast Indiana to contract with Building Blocks for two additional years of assistance to the region’s childcare centers to improve their Indiana Paths to Quality ratings.

Switzer Square is a 41-unit affordable rental housing complex that targets disabled persons and elderly located in the town limits of Vevay-500 E. Seminary Street. Switzerland County Housing Inc. (SCHI) owns and operates the complex. SCHI was formed in 1975 for the creation of affordable rental housing for seniors and disabled persons. In 1977, Switzer Square was constructed and in the early 1980s they added onto the complex to make it the 41-units it is today. There have been no major renovations or updates completed since this time and they are in dire need of making the units more accessible, so as the residents may age in place.
In 2021, SCHI reached out to the Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (SIRPC) to discuss the need for renovating their complex and to ask for assistance with IHCDA's HOME application. The proposed project will update and make more accessible all of the bathrooms by removing the old bathtubs, installing new walk-in showers with grab bars, handicap height toilets, new vanities with medicine cabinet, flooring and installing GFCI outlets. The proposed project would install new “energy star” rated sliding patio doors, new baseboard heaters, update lighting to LED’s, and install new roof on the oldest section of the complex. The READI funding would be used to complete the renovations to the bathrooms.

In 2020 the Town of Milan utilized the Community Crossing grant to pave the Downtown section of Carr Street with intentions of phasing the overall project to install sidewalks and streetlighting. The area of Carr Street includes the Milan Town Hall, U.S. Post Office, local businesses, and residential housing. Phase 2 was in 2021 with new sidewalks, underground conduit and post and piers for the light poles for phase 3. The investment for Phase 2 was paid for in full by the Town of Milan. Milan is requesting $100,000 in READI funds to purchase 21 street light poles and 10 Banner Brackets and Banners for the poles.  The main objectives of the project are to ensure the safety of the community and create a Quality of Place for present and future residents and consumers of the businesses in the area.    Approximate timeline is February 2023 to July 2023. Funding contributors include the Town of Milan and the Rising Sun Regional Foundation.

Union County Historical Society is renovating /repurposing one of their historical buildings on the main street in Liberty, IN. The building is offered to area crafters, artisans, and small business owners to showcase and sell their product, as well as serve as "visitors center". 
The building will also serve as seasonal farmers market location (outdoors on the property grounds) and a place to host art events and classes. Currently, 16 local artisans/vendors rotate in the limited space. 
The tourist traffic through the community presents huge potential for demand/clients, especially in summer season. This project will create an inviting community environment, expand amenities, improve quality of place & life, promote entrepreneurship among artisans and crafters, promote arts & culture. It builds the variety of amenities in our region.
It has strong potential to incubate new small businesses. It supports residents in their passions, entrepreneurship, and access to amenities. It beautifies main street and caters to tourists and enables the county to capture tourism dollars.
READI funds requested is $ 38,000 and will be used for the outside storage building, the ADA bathroom remodel, tuckpointing, parking lot extension/gravel, and heating and cooling updates.  Project timeline spans from April 2023 through September 2023.

Ohio County Tourism has been working on a "Pavilion & Pop Up Project" at the Visitors Center since Jan. 2020 with the goal to become a "Community Space" to attract tourists and engage locals by providing space for events, education, and retail and be available for group tour coaches when frequenting Rising Sun. To date, the Project has been utilized (all at no charge) as a Saturday Farmer's Market since 2020, and a variety of community events.
"Promotion under the Pavilion" is held for area businesses that serve Ohio Countians during food truck visits in the Visitors Center parking lot. This free opportunity encourages area businesses to come out and meet with the public to promote their products/services. READI funds are needed for outdoor restrooms (2-3 stalls). The electrical is already in place to handle additional items, with the exception of what is needed to hook up the amenities to the existing electrical panel. The Ohio County Pavilion & Pop-Up Project started in Jan. 2021. Completion is slated by Summer of 2024..

The Southeast Indiana Region is home to 124,901 residents across six counties, five of these counties border both Ohio and Kentucky. The region offers great schools, affordable housing, and a thriving business community, and received $15 million in total READI 1.0 funds.

Region Overview:

Southeast

List of Counties:

Projects in Southeast