Rushville Love Community Center

Rushville Love Community Center

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Rushville, IN

Love Community Center

HWC was a part of a multidisciplinary team that renovated a former Walmart building into a community center. The reimagined space now houses the Rushville Community Library, Community Food Pantry, Rush County Recreation Center, Early Learning Academy, and Government Agencies Resource Center. Additionally, a gymnasium, aquatics center, and reading room for the library were developed as part of the building program. HWC was largely responsible for survey, site design, and the landscape architecture components, including all outdoor public spaces, courtyards, and plaza.

Landscape architecture

Crawfordsville Alley Activation

Crawfordsville Alley Activation

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Crawfordsville, IN

Alley Activation

Located south of the Montgomery Courthouse along Main Street, the alley activation was spurred by the installation of a roughly 30′-tall by 120′-long mural completed by New York-based muralist, Jenna Morello, in 2021.

The mural proved extremely popular with residents for photo ops, leading the City to create a more pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare to complement the mural. The design team worked with the funding parties of the Montgomery County Community Foundation and the City of Crawfordsville to further activate the alleyway through elements that reflected the floral motif and bright color gradient of the mural.

Custom design elements include site furnishings and walkway surface treatments placed repetitively down the alley in a corresponding manner to the color gradation of the mural. Custom lighting elements, including programmable catenary lights and a metal gateway along the street, match the energy of the mural. A planted bump-out at the end of the alley creates a front door to the pedestrian space, breaking up vehicular parking along Main Street to frame and emphasize the newly activated space.

Landscape architecture

Crawfordsville Brickyard Park

Crawfordsville Brickyard Park

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Crawfordsville, IN

Brickyard Park

The former site of the Crawfordsville Shale Brick Company, Brickyard Nature Park is a 104-acre property that the City wanted to make more accessible to the public for active and passive recreation opportunities such as walking, biking, hiking, nature viewing, and picnicking.

HWC worked closely with local leadership and an active, local mountain biking group to develop improvements for the park. Elements include a new entrance and trailhead with a parking lot, shade shelter, picnic tables, bike racks, seating, and trail map. A 1.1-mile walking path was established as well as 2.2-miles of bike trails. Additionally, an accessible, paved loop trail was installed to make the park more inclusive. To reduce conflict between use type, a clear signage system was created so trail users understand which trails are designated for hiking versus biking.

With a moderate budget of $500,000, HWC was able to accomplish all of the City’s goals for the project. The once best kept secret in Crawfordsville has now become an active park amenity that is open to the public year round.

Landscape architecture

Sullivan Central Plaza Archway

Sullivan Central Plaza Archway

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Sullivan, IN

Central Plaza Archway

The City of Sullivan has continued efforts to develop the previous Central Plaza School site into a vibrant public space following the creation of the Sullivan Civic Center anchoring the north end of the site. Development plans call for the creation of a public event lawn, amphitheater, and splash pad, with a grand entry to the site on the southeast corner, directly across from City Hall. 

HWC designed and detailed this entry archway for the City of Sullivan as part of READI funding allocated to the City and as the first phase of developing the Central Plaza park space. 

Landscape architecture

Crawfordsville Lincoln Park

Crawfordsville Lincoln Park

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Crawfordsville, IN

Lincoln Park

Once the site of the Lincoln School for Colored Children, Lincoln Park required a careful approach to renovations to expand needed amenities to the neighborhood, while preserving and highlighting the park’s unique and special history to the citizens of Crawfordsville.  

HWC prepared custom illustrations and graphic panels commemorating the people of Lincoln School within a small seating plaza. The seating plaza and signage was integrated with site improvements, including new pickleball courts, renovated basketball courts, a new shelter, and parking improvements.

Landscape architecture