Trades District

The ribbon cutting for The Forge was a phenomenal event—perhaps one of my favorites, second only to The Mill’s launch party six years ago. The Forge represents a project where all partners played critical roles, and everyone came together to celebrate a significant milestone. It’s a model for how we should collaborate in the future and the kind of transformational, generational impact we aim to make. Four years ago, when the world was turned upside down by the pandemic, the CARES Act—with support from Senator Todd Young—was passed to help stabilize our economy. City of Bloomington, IN and Bloomington Economic Development Corporation seized that opportunity by applying for a $3.5 million grant, which became the seed funding for The Forge. Then Mayor John Hamilton committed the initial tranche of funding. The City, further deepening its public-private partnership with The Mill, entered into the Trades District Management Agreement, tasking The Mill with marketing, developing, and managing the 11 acres that is quickly becoming the premier innovation hub for Indiana. That agreement allowed us to hire John Fernandez, our former mayor. When I think about the Venn diagram of talents needed to lead this project—spanning real estate, investment, legal expertise, local and federal government, and startups—the intersection points to one person in Bloomington, and perhaps in the entire Midwest. We then brought on the Weddle Brothers Construction, who also oversaw The Mill’s renovation six years ago, to lead the construction of this new Class A office space. They are masters at delivering large construction projects on time and on budget, and they’re deeply embedded in the community. Yesterday’s event marks the end of the construction phase, but it’s also another milestone in our partnership with Indiana University Bloomington and the City of Bloomington as we work together to improve our city in lockstep. This project connects to a $16 million College and Community Collaboration grant from Lilly Endowment, awarded to the IU Foundation to accelerate the development of the Trades District. As part of this grant, The Mill, City of Bloomington, and IU incorporated two company attraction programs: tenant improvements for companies locating in The Forge and a recruitment group at IU. These efforts are already paying off—The Forge is pre-leased at 50% occupancy, a full year ahead of schedule. Thank you to Pamela Whitten for her support of this vision. This event is also the penultimate celebration of Innovation Week, which we scheduled to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week. I’m proud that our team produced 35 events across seven venues this year. Bloomington is ranked the third U.S. city for most events, and The Mill is the eighth-ranked organization nationwide. Thank you to our staff for all of your hard week, sleepless nights, and extra hustle, in particular, Andrew Lehman, who led our efforts this I-Week. (continued in comments below)

?? The Forge is officially open! ?? Today, we celebrated the grand opening of The Forge, Bloomington’s newest hub for innovation and collaboration in the heart of the Trades District! ??? This state-of-the-art space is designed to ignite creativity, foster entrepreneurship, and build a brighter future for our community. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this monumental moment. Here's to the groundbreaking ideas and collaborations that will shape tomorrow—right here at The Forge. ?? A special shoutout to Pizza Monkey for donating their time and pizza for a great cause. Be sure to donate to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank through them! #TheForge #GrandOpening #InnovationHub #TradesDistrict #FutureOfTech #Entrepreneurship #Bloomington

Innovation, Collaboration, and Progress. Trades District, The Mill, Indiana University Bloomington, and City of Bloomington, IN all came together to bring The Forge to life. Today's ribbon cutting was a great time. We are proud and excited to partner with these groups, along with StudioAXIS to deliver a project that moves Bloomington forward and sets the stage for future growth. Stay tuned to see what we do next!

?? Big news from The Forge this morning! ?? Mayor Kerry Thompson officially declared?today as Innovation Day?in Bloomington! ???? We’re kicking off Innovation Week with a celebration of creativity, entrepreneurship, and the power of big ideas to transform our community. Let’s make the most of this special day—stop by The Forge and join in the excitement all week long! ?? City of Bloomington, IN Kerry Thomson The Mill #InnovationDay #InnovationWeek #Bloomington #TheForge #BigIdeasHappeningHere

Get ready, Trades District! ?? Innovation Week is here, and the excitement is building. Don’t miss the Grand Opening of The Forge this Friday, Nov. 22, at noon—come see the newest hub of innovation in action! ??? #InnovationWeek #TheForge #TradesDistrict

Terrific opportunity to support the growth of a game-changing AI company here at the Trades District.

From across the street, we’ve watched The Mill nurture ambition and grow Bloomington’s startup ecosystem. After a year of building, The Forge is almost ready to officially join the Trades District, Bloomington’s tech hub for innovation! Here’s to many more years of collaboration, bold ideas, and a thriving community right here in the heart of innovation. Can’t wait to celebrate on November 22! ????? #HappyBirthdayMill #BloomingtonInnovation #TradesDistrict #AmbitionLivesHere

"It should be a great addition to our neighborhood and we look forward to inviting people to celebrate the completion of this project." ?? Hear from John Fernandez, SVP of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, on why The Forge is a game-changer for our community. Don’t miss the celebration on November 22! ?? Get ready for a week of inspiration, innovation, and entrepreneurial energy! From the PROPELS Sprint Week Kick-Off on November 17 to The Forge Ribbon Cutting on November 22, Innovation Week is packed with can’t-miss events that’ll spark new ideas and connections. ?? Must-See Events: PROPELS Sprint Week Kick-Off (Nov 17) Crossroads Pitch Competition Finals (Nov 20) Women in Tech Luncheon + D!NG Panel (Nov 21) The Forge Ribbon Cutting (Nov 22) Join us for an unforgettable week! ?? Learn more and register here: https://hubs.ly/Q02VLCK30 The Mill #InnovationWeek #StartupCommunity #TechStartups #Entrepreneurship #TheForge

Can’t think of better way to kick off Homecoming than honoring such a tremendous artist, activist and huge supporter of Bloomington and IU. Beautiful weather, great atmosphere! Thank you John!!

Love the Paragraph team and can’t wait to have your new home in Trades District