Through the Growing Green and Gold Together initiative, we aim to achieve five key goals:
1. Provide housing for all.
2. Support entrepreneurs with programs and financial resources.
3. Strengthen community ties through shared spaces and interests.
4. Cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
5. Enhance recreational facilities to promote health and well-being.
The Seminary Square project is a key component of the Growing Green and Gold Together community development plan submitted to the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration grant initiative. Our plan strengthens the connection between DePauw University and the City of Greencastle through strategic investments in housing, public spaces, small business support, and recreational amenities. By redeveloping two underutilized blocks adjacent to DePauw's campus into a mixed-use development with 120 residential units, commercial space, and underground parking, Seminary Square directly addresses the critical need for workforce housing identified through extensive community engagement during the Lilly Endowment CCC planning grant process. The project's location and pedestrian-friendly design will create a vibrant, walkable district that links the educational and cultural assets of the University with the amenities of downtown Greencastle, enhancing livability and economic vitality in the heart of the city. Coupled with streetscape improvements and public green spaces, Seminary Square will serve as a catalyst for further revitalization and talent attraction efforts in Greencastle's core, aligning with the broader goals of the Lilly grant proposal to foster a flourishing, inclusive community.
DePauw purchased Ashley Square Cinema in 2016 in order to retain a valued community amenity as well as a location for our students to watch first run movies. Indeed, students can go see movies for free at the Ashley Square Cinema, and many do so.
The new Courthouse Square Cinema will align directly with the academic renewal, exemplary student experience, and flourishing university pillars of the Bold and Gold 2027 strategic plan. The Courthouse Square Cinema will serve our educational purpose and will provide a direct link between our new Creative School and our community. We will continue to run new release films for our students and for the community, and thus we will retain an important amenity in Greencastle. We will continue to allow students to see movies for free and will provide this much needed option for relaxation and fun for our students. Equally importantly, the Courthouse Square Cinema will provide an enhanced facility to support the work of our students in the Film and Media Arts Program as well as other departments in the Creative School that use visual media as part of their course of study. By locating the Courthouse Square Cinema in downtown Greencastle, we will increase opportunities for engagement between our students in the Creative School and members of the community.
The Green and Gold Business Accelerator, is a collaborative initiative designed to revitalize the downtown area of Greencastle by supporting small business development. In partnership with the local nonprofit, Main Street Greencastle, and the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center, this fund aims to address key concerns identified in the 2023 Main Street Greencastle Community Survey: the lack of consistently open businesses and the high number of vacant storefronts. Key aims of the project are to foster entrepreneurial growth, revitalize downtown Greencastle, and create a sustainable business ecosystem. It will include activities like the Spring Pitch Competition, a collaboration with DePauw's McDermond Center for Management and Entrepreneurship, small business cohorts, and other entrepreneurial programs.
We envision a series of projects that will improve walkability, access, safety, and beauty of the corridor between Seminary Square and the Courthouse Square. The projects center around four areas:
● Courthouse Square streetscape improvements
● Connectivity (Courthouse Square to Seminary Square)
● Seminary Square streets and public spaces
● North Parking Garage
We envision that the Putnam County YMCA and Aquatic Center will incorporate an inclusive aquatics center in the new YMCA campus currently under construction. By leveraging the nascent building project and recent bond issuance by the City of Greencastle, support from the Lilly Endowment CCC for the aquatic center will propel our community’s access to recreational amenities and will support health and well-being of all residents. The proposed aquatic center, sized at approximately 11,200 square feet, will include locker rooms, mechanical spaces, storage facilities, and a large open room for the pool itself. The pool design will incorporate a zero-entry ramp feature, therapeutic benches, a flat area for aqua aerobics and three swim lanes. The pool will also include a 12” deep area for young children, replete with spray features and water activities.