2022 was a momentous year for Fishers. Not only did we celebrate 150 years of our city’s history and transformation from a small, farming town to a vibrant, dynamic city and leader in the region, but we also announced a multitude of new projects and investments in the quality of life and economic growth of our community.
As we enter Fishers’ next chapter, here are some highlights from the past year.
1. Fishers celebrates its Sesquicentennial
June 2022 marked 150 years of incorporation for Fishers, formerly known as Fishers Switch. We kicked off the celebration at our annual Spark!Fishers festival, and continued throughout the summer and fall with experiences like the Sesquicentennial Trail and Squirrel Stampede Mini Golf. Want to learn more about Fishers’ 150-year legacy? Check out blog posts, podcasts, and more here.
2. Fishers opens the downtown hub of the Nickel Plate Trail
In May, we opened the long-awaited downtown hub of the Fishers Nickel Plate Trail, stretching from South Street to North Street and including a pedestrian tunnel beneath bustling 116th Street. Since then, the trail has been a popular destination for walkers, runners, and cyclists to travel between the southern and northern ends of our city. The trail has also served as a gathering spot for community events including the new NPT Night Lights experience, on display through the end of December.
3. Andretti Autosport announces plans to build its global headquarters in Fishers
The announcement that Andretti Autosport would build its global motorsports headquarters and family museum in Fishers was definitely an exciting one for our community. Not only will the state-of-the-art facility serve as a key destination along the new Nickel Plate Trail and offer an interactive Museum & Innovation Center for residents to explore, but it will also add up to 500 new jobs to our local community by early 2026. Andretti broke ground on its new headquarters earlier this month and plans to open the facility in 2025.
4. Fishers announces first for-sale condos
Another new feature along the Nickel Plate Trail will be the upcoming REV development, featuring 36 for-sale condominiums, a parking garage, and 23,000 square feet of commercial and office space. The development is the first condominium project along the trail and first for-sale condominiums in our community. Learn more about the project here.
5. NPD AMP hosts national acts like Avett Brothers & Gov’t Mule
A centerpiece of the Nickel Plate Cultural District, the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater took its Summer Concert Series up a notch with a lineup of shows featuring national touring acts like Avett Brothers, Houndmouth, and Gov’t Mule. Along with free community concerts and the popular Blues Fest event over Labor Day weekend, the NPD AMP hosted 25,000 residents for concerts this past summer.
6. City of Fishers and Thompson Thrift unveil Fishers District expansion, featuring Fishers Event Center
In partnership with Thompson Thrift, the City announced plans to expand the popular Fishers District development with new retail, restaurant, residential, and entertainment options. The expansion will include a new event center that will serve as the home of the Indy Fuel and host sporting, theatrical, and entertainment events. At the Fishers Event Center, residents will not only experience national shows, but also local graduations and high school sporting events. Along with projects like Andretti Autosport’s global headquarters in Fishers, the expansion marks more than $1.1 billion in economic and entertainment investments in our community.
7. Launch Fishers celebrates its 10th anniversary
The largest coworking space in the Midwest and local entrepreneurial hub celebrated its 10-year anniversary in August. Located in Fishers’ Certified Tech Park, Launch Fishers has grown and expanded over the past decade, beginning in the basement of the Hamilton East Public Library before moving to its current 52,000-square-foot facility. Many companies have grown out and expanded from the Launch Fishers community, such as Recovery Force, Iconic Digital Agency, PactSafe, Six Feet Up, and Agency360. Photo courtesy of Indiana IoT Lab.
8. Stevanato Group announces $512 million investment with plan to hire 515 employees for new Fishers facility
Earlier this year, Stevanato Group announced plans to further invest in their new U.S. hub located in Fishers Life Science and innovation Park by more than doubling their originally planned square footage. The Italian multinational company specializes in world-class drug containment, packaging solutions, and delivery systems for the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. Now with a total investment of $512 million, Stevanato plans to hire a total of 515 employees by 2031 and will help to solidify Fishers’ reputation as a growing life sciences hub.
9. Fishers Parks hosts preview night for the new Geist Waterfront Park
In November, Fishers Parks hosted a public preview event for the Geist Waterfront Park, set to open in spring 2023. The 70-acre waterfront property along Geist Reservoir includes a beach, non-motorized boat launch, dock access, playground, and community gathering amenities as part of Phase 1 of the project. In future years, additional greenspaces and walking trails will be developed.
10. City announces and breaks ground for new Arts & Municipal Complex
Due to millions of dollars of needed repairs due to foundational and mechanical failures, Fishers City Hall was demolished this fall and construction began on the new Arts & Municipal Complex. The complex will be home to Fishers Art Center, a dynamic arts education facility with dedicated exhibit, performance, and gathering spaces. The center will also feature a studio-style theater to host Fishers-based artists, performance groups, and nonprofits. The second and third story of the building will serve as municipal office space. The complex will open in spring 2024.
Want to learn more about highlights from this year and what’s on the horizon for Fishers? You can watch Mayor Fadness’ State of the City speech from November 17, 2022 here.
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Stephanie Perry is the Assistant Director of Public Relations of the City of Fishers. Born and raised in Fishers, Stephanie graduated from HSE in 2006 and is now raising her kids in her childhood home in West Fishers, which she purchased from her parents when they moved. She loves supporting the local small business community, running on Fishers’ trails, and spending time at Conner Prairie with her family (Headless Horsemen and A Merry Prairie Holiday are family favorites!). Stephanie and her husband enjoy getting outdoors and spending time camping, hiking, and boating. Stephanie has enjoyed watching her city grow over the past few decades and loves the assets and amenities that the community provides, from the parks and special events to the array of restaurants and shops.