Cultivating Neighborhoods & the Small Scale Development Movement
Hopewell is Bloomington’s opportunity to rethink how neighborhoods take shape, who gets to participate, and what it looks like to design places that feel like, well, Bloomington.
This is an open invitation to neighbors, renters, homeowners, future homeowners, advocates, builders, lenders, real estate agents, and the casually curious. If you’ve had questions, hopes, or even hesitations about Hopewell, this free event is the place to start.
Why Hopewell Matters to Bloomington
As Indiana's most housing cost-burdened metro area, Bloomington needs diverse housing solutions that serve working families, first-time buyers, and long-term residents — not just student-focused rentals. The Hopewell neighborhood, located on the site of the former IU Health Bloomington hospital, presents a rare opportunity to develop a neighborhood this close to town with intentional, community-centered design.
After rejecting conventional development proposals in June 2025, Mayor Kerry Thomson's administration partnered with Flintlock LAB—a nationally recognized firm in community-first housing—to reimagine Hopewell as a place that "looks and feels like Bloomington." This new approach emphasizes:
Pre-approved home designs that streamline permitting and reduce costs
Local builder and vendor participation to keep investments in our community
A mix of permanently affordable and market-rate homes
Developer training programs that empower residents to become small-scale builders
This holistic model is being piloted in Hopewell, and the city hopes to make it standard practice across Bloomington. We want to invite anyone curious about Hopewell, invested in making their neighborhoods more vibrant, or interested in becoming part of the solution to attend. This is the start of a really exciting initiative.
Join us for a free lecture by IncDev Faculty Member, Eric Kronberg, who will explore the philosphy behind small-scale development, what will unfold at Hopewell, and how this model could inform future neighborhood-making across the City of Bloomington.
Bloomington City Hall.
Doors open at 5:30pm.
The lecture will begin promptly at 6:00pm.
About the Speaker:
Eric is a zoning whisperer who specializes in balancing urban design, architecture, and development needs to create better places. As principal at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects, he demystifies regulations and helps navigate the redevelopment maze. Eric advocates for walkable communities through his work with the Incremental Development Alliance and Congress for the New Urbanism. Learn more about his work here.
