By securing a bid to host the 2012 Super Bowl, Indianapolis is also benefiting from significant construction projects, infrastructure improvements, and logistic strategies with a decided increase in designers’ community involvement. Across the planning process, architects and designers have been called upon for their expertise as the city prepares for what is arguably the biggest event in its history outside of the annual Indianapolis 500 race.
 
As part of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) pilot program—an interdisciplinary effort of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden—$12.8 million is being directed to reconfiguring Georgia Street, the main thoroughfare that connects the Indiana Convention Center and Conseco Fieldhouse. The change has reconfigured the path with broader sidewalks and a 30-foot-wide brick median that defines the Super Bowl Village, which will support local business and various forms of entertainment.
 
The multi-disciplinary design team of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.; Ration Architects, Inc.; Infrastructure Engineering; SchneiderEngineering; Heapy Engineering, Shrewsberry and Associates, and CDM, are all Indiana-based firms involved in the planning process for Georgia Street. Through their combined efforts, the street now has a rainwater infiltrationchamber that redistributes rainwater into the ground, effectively protecting the city’s sewers, as well as a rainwater capture system to reduce potable water use.
 
Part of the repurposing efforts are funded by the Super Bowl Legacy Project, in which the NFL funds the host city with $1 million to be matched locally for renovations and social program facility expansions. However, the city of Indianapolis will use these donations to revitalize the east side of its downtown area, encompassing more than 20 neighborhoods. Todate, more than $154 million has been invested in the Indianapolis Near Eastside.
 
In new construction, HKS of Dallas designed the 70,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium for the Indianapolis Colts and to host the Super Bowl. Indiana firms A2S04, Browning Day Mullins, Dierdorf, Fink Roberts & Petrie, andMoore Engineers worked with HKS on the stadium design and construction.
 
A $275 million expansion to the Indiana Convention Center includes a connecting tunnel to Lucas Oil Stadium and to the largest JW Marriott in the world, with 47,000 hotel rooms in 1.5 million square feet, designed by CSO Architects of Indianapolis and HOK.
 
To learn more about the work of Indianapolis designers and architects, visit www.indianapolissuperbowl.com.