Bloomington, Indiana – Bloomington’s push for more housing choices will take a practical turn this June, when the city brings a hands-on development workshop to City Hall for residents, property owners, builders and others interested in how smaller projects can help shape stronger neighborhoods.
The City of Bloomington is partnering with the Incremental Development Alliance to host a Small Scale Development Workshop on Friday, June 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held in the Council Chambers at Bloomington City Hall, 401 North Morton Street.
The full-day session is designed to pull back the curtain on how neighborhood-scale housing and small development projects actually move from an idea to a finished building. Rather than looking only at large projects, the workshop will focus on the smaller, local efforts that can reuse existing buildings, fill empty lots, support local businesses and add more housing options inside established neighborhoods.
“Bloomington needs more housing choices across our community, and meeting that need requires large projects, public investment, policy work, nonprofit partnerships, and smaller projects led by local developers, property owners, and community partners,” said Anna Killion-Hanson, the director of Housing and Neighborhood Development.
“Small-scale development can help add homes, reuse existing buildings and lots, support local businesses, and strengthen neighborhoods over time.”
City officials said the training is meant to give the community a clearer understanding of how housing gets built, what makes certain projects possible and what obstacles can stop needed housing before construction ever begins. Topics will include zoning, design, construction, financing, project costs, site selection and the timing that can affect whether a plan succeeds.
The workshop is open to a wide range of participants, including residents, local business owners, property owners, developers, builders, lenders, architects, brokers, planners, neighborhood leaders and civically engaged community members. No prior development experience is required.
Participants will learn how to judge whether a small development idea can work, how costs and revenue affect housing production, and why land, financing, zoning, construction and design all matter. The session will also explain how small developers work with lenders, architects, builders, brokers, planners and local government, while showing how residents can take part in housing discussions with better information.
The workshop will be led by professional small-scale developers and Incremental Development Alliance faculty members Jen Acosta of Acosta Real Estate and Development and Marques King of Fabric[K] Design. They will use real project examples, images and practical explanations to show how smaller projects work, why they matter and what barriers communities may need to address.
Registration is required, and a limited number of partial and full scholarships are available for Bloomington residents at incrementaldevelopment.org/events/bloomington-workshop.
For more information, residents may contact Chloe Chapman at [email protected] or 479-305-4807. The event is hosted with the Incremental Development Alliance, a national nonprofit that has trained more than 10,000 alumni across 33 states through workshops, boot camps and support programs focused on community-centered development.
