Plans to bring a state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering and mathematics center focused on space exploration and travel will move to the next step before the Westfield Advisory Plan Commission.
Grand Universe -- a science campus proposed on 66 acres at 191st Street and Tomlinson Road -- was introduced in November before the Westfield City Council. The project promises a unique educational experience in Westfield, with a side of tourism and entertainment.
About 50 people attended a community meeting at Westfield Washington Public Library Nov. 25 hosted by Grand Universe Institute, the nonprofit organization that plans to operate the center.
President and CEO Greg McCauley, who worked on NASA's Apollo 15, Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 teams in the 1970s, said the center would provide access to hands-on science and technology currently lacking in Indiana. McCauley said science centers like the proposed Grand Universe are only available in the Midwest in Chicago, Louisville, Ky., Columbus, Ohio, St. Louis and Cleveland, but not at all in the Hoosier state. He said providing a science center in Westfield would help bridge the gap between American students and their counterparts in Asia and Europe who rank higher in reading, math and science.
Once complete, McCauley said Grand Universe would be a hub of discovery, with facilities and programs designed to inspire learners of all ages.
"We're on a mission to ignite and sustain lifelong learning and encourage all ages to discover their passion for science, space and technology," he said. "Our nation could become irrelevant as a world leader in science and technology. We cannot afford for that to happen. Indiana is ranked No. 25 in the nation in STEM education. We must improve this. Our economic future depends on it. Indiana has this goal of having high-tech industry and being able to attract talent from all over the country and (allow) local talent to stay here in the state of Indiana with good-paying, high tech-jobs. We depend on this. If we don't reverse this trend, our economic future is going to hurt."
Features of the proposed development include:
Mission control: The site would include a fully operational replica of NASA's Mission Control Center housed within the Johnson-Hagerman Center for Science and Space Exploration, where guests can embark on a journey and harness data from the missions to the moon, Mars and other space exploration. The McCauley Planetarium: The planetarium's current design includes a 75-foot flatscreen with 8K resolution for an immersive experience. Artificial Intelligence: Grand Universe would provide a wide variety of hands-on opportunities to learn AI technology, including collaboration with farmers to use agriscience instruments with commercial drones to collect data. Education: Purdue University's Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM has partnered with Grand Universe to provide formal educational courses that adhere to state and national standards for STEM science. The program is designed to help students better understand their impact on the planet. Newberg Observatory: The observatory would feature multiple telescopes pointed at different targets to focus more on public outreach and provide larger groups an opportunity to use the telescopes to view the moon and other deep sky objects.
McCauley said space exploration advances such as SpaceX mean exploration -- and the potential for colonization -- for the moon and Mars are likely to occur over the next decade. He said the advances could ultimately lead to the discovery of life beyond Earth.
"If there is life out there, we have the technology, the instruments and the International Space Station telescopes today to find it, and we're searching for it now," he said. "These events could then make space science centers and planetariums even more popular than they are."
Grand Universe Development Partners, LLC, the developers of the project. The firm of Browning Day would serve as architect of the project.
President of Grand Universe Development Partners Arden Johnson said the development would be a multiphase project, beginning with the STEM space and science center. Further development would include commercial and retail elements, residential development and the Grand Universe Resort.
"That will have a 2,500-person conference center along with 250 suites/rooms and a parking garage," he said. "That will be a couple-year project that will start one year after we start the first phase. We have a sports entertainment area, that will probably be Phase 3. That is restaurants, bars and places to watch sporting events. It will be right off of the Monon Trail. The town center district (will be similar to) downtown Carmel where they have their city center. It will be approximately 2 million square feet of residential development."
Johnson said retail, commercial and residential development within the PUD would provide the tax base to support the Grand Universe Institute. He said the district would be designed to be walkable between each segment of the development. The development would also be golf cart friendly.
Although a timeline is not finalized, Johnson said start to finish, full development of the campus is expected to take several years.
Learn more at granduniverse.org
DEVELOPING THE UNIVERSE
While Grand Universe is a project proposed by the Grand Universe Institute, the planned unit development request was filed by Grand Universe Development Partners, LLC, the developers of the project.
The project area is about 66 acres just south of 191st Street and Tomlinson Road, bordered to the west by the Monon Trail and to the south by 186th Street. The plans call for the realignment of Tomlinson Road through the center of the property to include roundabouts and speed control measures.
"I would say that these folks are truly visionaries for what they are trying to bring to this community," said Andi Metzel, a partner with Taft law firm of Indianapolis representing the developers. "This has been in the works for quite some time. It's a very unique piece of property. It has been the subject of various development visions in the past. We think this one is truly extraordinary and truly unique."
The project went before the Westfield Advisory Plan Commission Dec. 2 for a public hearing. Residents who live near the property had questions on road connections through the property, traffic and the potential to add a buffer between the development and the existing homes in the area. Residents also requested care be taken to make sure visitors do not litter on the property and expressed concerns about light pollution.
If approved by the Westfield City Council, the measure would create the Grand Universe PUD District. The campus would include four separate smaller districts -- a sports entertainment district; a town center district; a resort district; and the Grand Universe District.
A workshop meeting is slated for the Jan. 21, 2025, APC meeting before consideration for approval before the full city council.
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