A rendering of the mural to painted at the intersection of Jackson and Monroe streets.
Provided photo by City of Franklin
Three Franklin organizations are pursuing projects with funds collected from companies with tax abatements.
Franklin City Council this week approved 2024 Economic Development Fees grants for the Franklin Public Art Advisory Commission, Franklin Chamber Foundation and Franklin Heritage, Inc. PAAC will receive $40,000, the chamber foundation will receive $30,000 and Franklin Heritage will receive $20,257.79.
Each year, the Johnson County Auditor’s Office collects voluntary economic development fees from companies that have tax abatements, usually 2% of the taxes abated on real property and 5% of the taxes abated on personal property, said Dana Monson, community development specialist. For 2023 taxes paid in 2024, the city is collecting $90,257.79.
“This is the most we’ve ever had which I think is attributable to our growth that we have seen in the last five years,” Monson said at the May 14 economic development commission meeting.
The Economic Development Commission requested proposals from Discover Downtown Franklin, the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin Development Corporation, Franklin Heritage, Festival Country and Aspire Johnson County, Monson said.
Public art
The Franklin Public Art Advisory Commission, or PAAC, requested $40,000 to create patriotic artwork at the Veterans Alley to honor veterans. PAAC is also planning a second art project at the intersection of Jackson and Monroe streets.
Ken Kosky, president of PAAC, said the organization wants to get the projects done by fall. The estimated cost for the projects collectively is $180,000, with PAAC also receiving other grant money to pay the balance.
The first project, called the Veteran’s Alley Activation, is part of a series of alley activations created by PAAC’s partners, Discover Downtown Franklin, Festival Country Indiana and the Franklin Development Corporation. The Kuji Alley Activation project was completed in 2023 and the Artcraft Alley Activation was completed in 2022.
“This would be the third and final one where we could really pay tribute to the veterans who have served our community by upping the game in this alley,” Kosky said at the May 14 EDC meeting.
The art will be along the brick wall in between each of the windows and will be backlit with different colors like red, white, blue and green.
For the street art project, Indiana artist Nick Abstract has created an abstract design to mark the entrance to the Drive Hubler.com Amphitheater and while also calming traffic.
“It would beautify that area going in, but also studies have shown that doing intersection art like this also creates a safer pedestrian experience,” Kosky said. “Studies have shown that accidents go down involving pedestrians and with this being a main area that people are going in and out of on foot, it would not only really be an asset to the amphitheater in terms of art but also a public safety thing as well.”
PAAC stated on its application that the artwork will be fused with a method known as thermoplasty. Monson said people would be able to drive over the artwork within two hours after the project is completed and half of the intersection could be open while the other half was being worked on.
Business grants
The Franklin Chamber Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce, requested $30,000 for a small business assistance grant program. The nonprofit also requested $5,000 for a crisis fund for businesses, but that was not approved.
The goal of the project is to establish a small business, capacity-building grant program to provide funding to local organizations who want to strengthen their business. It is available to Franklin businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees who want “to expand their physical space, online presence or marketing initiatives.”
The foundation will give the grants for the second time. Last year 28 applications were received and 13 grants were given out. Local businesses received grants for a wide variety of projects including interior remodeling projects, purchasing new point of sale systems and creating digital catalogs.
This year, Chambers said the plan is to give out 12 grants of up to $2,500 per business.
“The aim is to strengthen these businesses so that they can grow and be very strong in our community,” said Rosie Chambers, executive director, at the May 14 EDC meeting. “We realize our small businesses are what makes Franklin very special. We need all business, all sizes.”
Strategic plan
Franklin Heritage, Inc requested $20,000 to fund a new strategic plan for its organization and The Historic Artcraft Theater.
Franklin Heritage plans to engage a strategic planning consultant to advise the organization and a theater architect specifically for The Historic Artcraft Theatre. For the last few years, the organization has operated without a strategic plan and, with several large-scale challenges in the future, needs the plan to “build sustainable growth over the next five years,” it stated on its application.
According to the organization, Franklin Heritage has a unique structure that complicates strategic planning and requires more extensive consulting services. The organization’s three main operations are its historic preservation arm, the architectural salvage operation of Madison Street Salvage and the ongoing restoration and operation of The Historic Artcraft Theatre.
The Artcraft is rebuilding its audience post-pandemic and has a goal to continue sustainable growth. The strategic plan will guide Franklin Heritage to enable Artcraft to be open more days of the week than just approximately two and a half.
The strategic planning process will also help the organization better quantify its economic impact, it stated in its application. Franklin Heritage wants to widen the variety of events held at the Artcraft.
“Building out its capabilities will be expensive and time-consuming necessitating a multi-year, cohesive strategy of planning, fundraising, construction and implementation with coordination between the strategic planner and theater architect,” the organization stated on its application.
The organization will also communicate with other community and civic groups, including the EDC, Discover Downtown Franklin, Festival Country Indiana, the Creative Council of Franklin, the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and city government, as well as survey and listen to Franklin residents, patrons, Franklin Heritage members, volunteers and others.
