Bicentennial Gateway

Bicentennial Gateway Project

Construction Completed November 22, 2024

Parks and Recreation announced the completion of the Bicentennial Gateway on Nov. 22, 2024.

The Bicentennial Gateway is a wall approximately 52' long and 10' high, composed of stacked limestone blocks. Powder-coated aluminum letters spelling "BLOOMINGTON" are mounted to the limestone.The letters are backlit at night with soft white light. More than 20 native trees, including serviceberry, redbud, yellowwood, black gum, and white oak, were planted in the median surrounding the gateway.

The Bloomington Arts Commission plans to solicit design proposals for an additional public art piece located about 60 feet north of the gateway wall. The BAC will receive $125,000 from the Bicentennial Bond fund to select and install a piece of public art in this location.

Bicentennial Gateway construction began August 5, 2024

The Board of Public Works at their July 30, 2024 meeting approved periodic lane closures on North College Avenue and North Walnut Street for contractor Reed & Sons of Bloomington, Ind. to unload materials and equipment needed for construction of the north gateway, and to install new sidewalks, curbs, and other infrastructure. 

Bicentennial Gateway construction contracts approved June 25, 2024

The Board of Park Commissioners at their June 25, 2024 meeting reviewed contracts to prepare the site on the north end of Miller-Showers Park, 1500 N. College Ave., for the Bicentennial Gateway and a public art element; to build the limestone gateway wall; and to fabricate and install metal lettering and LED lighting on the gateway.

The Board approved an addendum to the $575,000 July 2023 Reed & Sons contract for $79,462 to cover modifications to the original site improvements necessitated by additional sidewalk work as well as the redesigned gateway. After a separate bid process was conducted for the updated gateway itself, Reed & Sons was also awarded a second contract for $249,750 to fabricate and install the limestone gateway wall.

Bo-mar Industries of Beech Grove, Ind. was selected in May 2023 to fabricate the original vertical gateway element. For the redesigned gateway, bo-mar instead designed the metal lettering and LED lighting and was awarded a contract for $65,000 for its fabrication and installation.

City incorporates public art installation in gateway concept

The City announced January 22, 2024 that it would move forward with the redesigned concept for the Bicentennial Gateway, which incorporates stacked limestone blocks approximately 10' high and the word "Bloomington" in backlighted letters mounted to the limestone. The final design also incorporates space for a public art installation, a feature consistently requested by community members. The Bloomington Arts Commission will collaborate with Parks and Recreation to solicit design proposals and select the final art installation concept. Landscape architects Rundell Ernstberger Associates will develop the final North Gateway design to include a platform and dimensions for the public art installation.

Redesigned gateway concept; City asks for input

The City shared artist renderings of the North Gateway, redesigned with feedback collected through 2023, on Nov. 30, 2023. Feedback on the redesigned gateway concept was accepted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 15, 2023.

Bicentennial Gateways Project Overview

The Bicentennial Gateway project will install a new gateway element at the north end of Miller-Showers Park in the triangle of land between College Avenue, Walnut Street, and the Old State Road 37 crossover between them.

The gateway will be completed with new sidewalks and curb ramps for improved connectivity and accessibility, a reconstructed pedestrian refuge in the Old 37 crossover, local limestone blocks, native plants, and native trees (the project will remove 18 trees from the site, including several invasive Callery pear trees, and replant 26 trees).

Bicentennial Gateway Project Timeline

• The Bloomington Common Council on Oct. 31, 2018, approved the sale of $10 million in bonds for a variety of Bicentennial projects, including the construction, art, and landscaping of four to six gateways to the City. A total of $1.25 million was set aside for the development and installation of the gateways.
• The Board of Park Commissioners on July 23, 2019, approved a contract with Indianapolis-based Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA) for $45,800 to complete conceptual design work on the Bicentennial gateways. Four potential gateway locations were identified: Arlington pedestrian bridge over State Road 45/46; Bloomfield Road at Twin Lakes Sports Park; State Road 46 and East Third Street; and the traffic island north of Miller-Showers Park.
• Parks and Recreation held a public open house Dec. 15, 2019, to unveil the proposed concepts for three signature gateways: At Miller-Showers Park, on the Arlington pedestrian bridge on State Road 45/46, and Bloomfield Road near Twin Lakes Sports Park. The East Third Street site was eliminated from consideration, as it was located on private land. The conceptual designs included the proposed size, construction materials, themes, graphic features and architectural and landscape elements. A total of 34 public comments about the gateway concepts were received online between Dec. 10, 2019, and Feb. 10, 2020.
• REA presented a Bicentennial gateway project update to the Board of Park Commissioners at their regular meeting on April 28, 2020. The three proposed gateway designs incorporated input from the public, Parks and Recreation staff, and City administration.
• Parks and Recreation staff restarted the Bicentennial Gateway project after it was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff reviewed REA's conceptual designs for the three gateway sites and determined the estimated costs to be over budget. At their May 22, 2022 meeting, the Board of Park Commissioners approved an additional contract with REA for $133,925 for two, scaled-back gateway designs at Miller-Showers Park and the Arlington pedestrian bridge.
• Final schematic concepts of the two gateway sites were presented to the Board of Park Commissioners at their Dec. 13, 2022 meeting. A public open house was held Dec. 15, and an additional 59 people submitted feedback and comments regarding the gateway designs online between Dec. 16, 2022, and Jan. 6, 2023.
• The Indiana Department of Transportation in spring 2023 informed the City of its plans to replace the Arlington pedestrian bridge in the next 10 years. Staff eliminated the Arlington pedestrian bridge from consideration as a gateway site due to its limited lifespan.
• A contract for $395,105 with bo-mar Industries for the structural design, fabrication, and installation of the Bicentennial gateway at Miller-Showers Park was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners on May 16, 2023. To date, $32,628 has been paid to bo-mar Industries for the structural engineering and associated design work of the gateway element.
• A contract for $575,000 with Reed & Sons Construction for site work necessary for the installation of the gateway, and sidewalk and paving improvements to the surrounding area, was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners on July 27, 2023. To date, $13,759 has been paid to Reed & Sons Construction for project startup costs.
• Parks and Recreation issued a news release Sept. 5, 2023 announcing the fall 2023 installation timeline for the monolith-style Bicentennial Gateway at Miller-Showers Park.
• The Board of Public Works considered but did not act on requests to issue a Right of Way Permit for construction of the project at their Sept 12, Sept. 26, and Oct 10 meetings.
• The City released an update Oct. 27 announcing the modification of the timeline for fabrication and installation of the gateway, to allow additional time for public input and feedback.
• The missing 120-foot section of sidewalk in front of the former Steak N' Shake restaurant at 1919 N. College Ave was installed in November to improve connectivity in the gateway area and allow appropriate pedestrian detours during future phases of construction.
• The Bloomington Arts Commission Public Art Subcommittee, at their regular meeting Feb. 9, 2024, heard a Gateway project update from Parks and Recreation Director Tim Street. The subcommittee is planning a visit to the Gateway site north of Miller-Showers Park in March 2024 to view the location in preparation for developing requests for proposals for a public art installation.
• A contract addendum for $79,462.44 in additional contract value (original contract was for $575,000) with Reed & Sons was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners June 25, 2024. The addendum included additional sidewalk construction as well as site modifications to accommodate the updated gateway design.
• The Board of Park Commissioners on June 25, 2024 also approved a separate contract for $249,750 with Reed & Sons to construct the actual gateway element, a horizontal wall of limestone blocks.
• The Board of Park Commissioners on June 25, 2024 also approved a contract with bo-mar Industries to design and construct the powder-coated aluminum lettering and LED lighting spelling "BLOOMINGTON" and to install the lettering on the limestone gateway.

In all, the cost impacts of the redesign include:

$47,766.87 – Reed & Sons change order

$249,750 – Limestone wall construction

$65,000 – bo-mar industries lettering & lighting

$42,300 – additional design fees for REA (approved December 2023)

($362,477.00) – this amount was recouped from the original contract with bo-mar industries for $395,105 for the vertical gateway element. $32,628 was not recoverable.

This brings the net impact of the redesign to $42,339.87 and brings the total project cost to $1.23 million out of an original budget of $1.25 million. However, as part of the redesign, Parks and Recreation also worked with the Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) to include a separate art element. The BAC will receive $125,000 from the Bicentennial Bond Series C fund to solicit, select, and install a piece of public art in this location. Enough additional funds remain in this bond fund from the original issuance and interest accrued in the intervening years to pay for the art element through the BAC without negatively impacting other projects.

• The Board of Public Works on July 30, 2024 approved a request for periodic right-of-way closures on North College Avenue and North Walnut Street, and the temporary closure of the Old State Road 37 cut-through between North College and North Walnut, to facilitate construction of the gateway and associated sidewalk and curb improvements and infrastructure installation.
• The Board of Park Commissioners on Oct. 15, 2024 approved an addendum for $11,588.41 to the June 25 contract with Reed & Sons for Bicentennial Gateway site improvements. When excavating the footer for the gateway element, unsuitable soils were found that necessitated additional excavation, subgrade replacement, and concrete forming. A stormwater access lid was reset to comply with City of Bloomington Utilities standards.