OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Meeting - May 7, 2025: OMWBD Report & Oxford Row Financing Approval

Other Meetings (I) — Wednesday, May 7, 2025
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (I)
DateWednesday, May 7, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 42:01

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good morning, everyone.

0:02

Welcome to the meeting this morning.

0:04

Not a long agenda, which is good.

0:07

Um, thank you for being here.

0:08

My name is Susan Brock Williams, Chair.

0:11

I'd like to call the meeting to order.

0:13

We do have a quorum and ask that all guest presenters please sign in.

0:16

I think you've been doing that, and also would like our other commissioners here today to introduce themselves, please.

0:22

Uh Mark Young.

0:24

Megan Murphy.

0:26

Thank you very much.

0:27

And then I'll turn it now to Mr.

0:29

Corbett, who will have announcements.

0:30

Yes, the meeting notes has been posted in accordance with open door laws.

0:34

We have also received affidavits from the Indianapolis recorder and Indy Star confirming time of the publication of the commission's notices of our notice of public meeting for the project being considered today.

0:45

We are ready to proceed with the first item on today's agenda.

0:48

Okay, thank you.

0:48

First item is adoption of minutes from the March 10th meeting.

0:52

Are there any questions, comments, or proposed changes to the minutes?

0:57

I actually have one.

0:59

It's a small change.

1:00

It's um just uh I think a typo, it says TWP in the second paragraph on page two.

1:07

If you catch that, you see it.

1:09

Okay.

1:12

With that change, is there a motion to approve the March 10 meeting minutes?

1:17

So moved.

1:19

Second.

1:21

Second.

1:22

Thank you very much for seeing with the vote.

1:24

All in favor say aye.

1:25

Aye.

1:26

Aye.

1:26

Opposed.

1:27

Okay, motion carries.

1:28

Minutes have been adopted.

1:30

Thank you very much.

1:31

Moving on to the next item, the OMWBD presentation.

1:36

Do we have one at this meeting today?

1:52

Thank you.

1:57

Yeah, you might he's coming, so thank you very much.

2:08

Thanks for being here.

2:09

If you could just um introduce yourself, do we have a microphone or is that is that picking up okay?

2:15

You're caught.

2:16

All right, thank you very much.

2:18

Good morning, commissioners.

2:19

Fahad Bey will be the senior manager for the Office of Minority and Women Business Development.

2:25

The report for OMWBD, our certification and compliance data, our current pending certifications are 129.

2:34

Pending under desk review, that means files being reviewed are 29.

2:41

New and recertification applications completed year to date 97.

2:46

Business consultations provided, 43.

2:49

Um we have performed 18 bid compliance, have reviewed 141 bids.

3:00

Compliant and complaints received to the office of OMWBD.

3:04

Five total pending denials and appeal right now.

3:07

We have one.

3:31

Our MBE numbers are 12.29, WBE number 6.43, veterans at 0.76, and Dobie for 0.27.

3:44

The county question, sorry.

3:46

I'm trying to follow you.

3:47

Where's the 12?

3:48

On slide four.

3:50

Okay.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing██████████████████████████████30%
Minority And Women Business Development██████████████████████████26%
Procedural███████████████15%
Community Engagement██████████████14%
Public-Private Partnerships███████████11%
Economic Development████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Indianapolis City Meeting - May 7, 2025

The Metropolitan Development Commission met on May 7, 2025, with Chair Susan Brock Williams presiding. Commissioners Mark Young and Megan Murphy were present. The meeting included the adoption of minutes, a presentation from the Office of Minority and Women Business Development (OMWBD), and a financing proposal for the Oxford Row mixed-use development. All items were approved unanimously.

Minutes Approval

  • The minutes from the March 10, 2025, meeting were approved after a typographical correction (changing "TWP" in the second paragraph on page two). The motion passed on a voice vote with no opposition.

OMWBD Presentation

  • Fahad Bey, Senior Manager for OMWBD, presented the quarterly report. Key statistics:
    • 129 pending certifications, 29 under desk review, 97 new/recertifications completed year-to-date.
    • 43 business consultations, 18 bid compliance reviews, 141 bids reviewed.
    • 5 total complaints; 1 pending denial/appeal.
    • Utilization percentages (combined city-county-municipal): MBE 12%, WBE 7.6%, veteran-owned 1.3%, disability-owned 0.18%.
    • County-specific: MBE 7.67%, WBE 26.35%, veteran 1.09%, disability 0.1%.
    • Municipal agencies: MBE 12.16%, WBE 7.52%, veteran 2.2%, disability 0.5%.
  • OMWBD reported being fully staffed and implementing a new certification software (B2G) expected to launch by year-end.
  • The 2025 disparity study includes the consolidated city, Marion County agencies, and several municipal corporations. Public release is anticipated in June 2025, with a new ordinance and utilization plan expected by fall 2025.
  • In response to commissioner questions, Bey identified capacity building for small firms as a key area needing improvement, while outreach and compliance have strengthened. He noted that most recent complaints relate to job-site safety concerns rather than XBE (eXchange Business Enterprise) issues.
  • Joseph Lee (OMWBD) added that bid activity has been slower than in previous years due to economic uncertainty.

Oxford Row Financing Proposal

  • Sherry Orr (DMD) introduced developers Nathaniel and Brandon Powell of Chatham Park Development. The project, Oxford Row, is a three-story, mixed-use walkup at 25th and Delaware in the Fall Creek Place neighborhood.
  • Project details: 46 units (40 one-bedroom, 6 two-bedroom, with 10% affordable at 50% of Area Median Income), 5,000 sq ft of retail, 59 parking spaces. 100% of units will be market-rate except for the affordable set-aside. The retail space will be curated (potential tenants: coffee shop, gourmet pizza, pastry chef).
  • The developers emphasized full neighborhood support and letters from the neighborhood association and Councilor Vop Osili.
  • Capital stack: approximately 60% debt, 40% equity (self-funded). Construction estimated at $10–12 million, with Stins Construction as contractor (past XPE utilization of 35.63% on a smaller project).
  • Developers addressed previous failed proposals on the site (transitional housing, large-scale projects that ignored community feedback). They worked on design for nearly two years to balance urban form, parking, and neighborhood concerns.
  • Commissioner questions covered retail mix, parking allocation, rent-level targeting, and economic uncertainty (tariffs). Developers expect groundbreaking late summer or early fall 2025, with 13-month construction timeline.
  • City staff (Sherry Orr) and OMWBD (Joseph Lee) recommended approval, noting the project's compliance and strong inclusion plan.
  • The public hearing was opened and closed with no public comments.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes from March 10, 2025, were approved as amended.
  • OMWBD report was received and acknowledged.
  • Oxford Row financing was approved unanimously via adoption of EDC resolutions approving the project report and recommending to council a corresponding bond ordinance. The motion passed on a voice vote with no opposition.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the meeting this morning. Not a long agenda, which is good. Um, thank you for being here. My name is Susan Brock Williams, Chair. I'd like to call the meeting to order. We do have a quorum and ask that all guest presenters please sign in. I think you've been doing that, and also would like our other commissioners here today to introduce themselves, please. Uh Mark Young. Megan Murphy. Thank you very much. And then I'll turn it now to Mr. Corbett, who will have announcements. Yes, the meeting notes has been posted in accordance with open door laws. We have also received affidavits from the Indianapolis recorder and Indy Star confirming time of the publication of the commission's notices of our notice of public meeting for the project being considered today. We are ready to proceed with the first item on today's agenda. Okay, thank you. First item is adoption of minutes from the March 10th meeting. Are there any questions, comments, or proposed changes to the minutes? I actually have one. It's a small change. It's um just uh I think a typo, it says TWP in the second paragraph on page two. If you catch that, you see it. Okay. With that change, is there a motion to approve the March 10 meeting minutes? So moved. Second. Second. Thank you very much for seeing with the vote. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed. Okay, motion carries. Minutes have been adopted. Thank you very much. Moving on to the next item, the OMWBD presentation. Do we have one at this meeting today? Thank you. Yeah, you might he's coming, so thank you very much. Thanks for being here. If you could just um introduce yourself, do we have a microphone or is that is that picking up okay? You're caught. All right, thank you very much. Good morning, commissioners. Fahad Bey will be the senior manager for the Office of Minority and Women Business Development. The report for OMWBD, our certification and compliance data, our current pending certifications are 129. Pending under desk review, that means files being reviewed are 29. New and recertification applications completed year to date 97. Business consultations provided, 43.

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