CUMBERLAND – The massive white apartment buildings that have been slowly coming to life on the south side of U.S. 40 in Cumberland will soon welcome tenants.
Iron Trail at the Hub, at 7595 W. U.S. 40, is pre-leasing one- and two-bedroom apartments, which are expected to open in April or May. A traffic signal is being installed at the entrance at U.S. 40 this week.
The 252-unit complex is part of a larger amenity-rich housing community called The Hub at Pennsy Trail, a mixed-use planned community on 30 acres, which will include 42 single-family townhomes built by Lennar Homes, 10,000 square feet of retail space and 11 acres of green space.
The pet-friendly apartment complex will feature a 24-hour fitness center and clubhouse with a pool table, golf simulator and private work spaces, as well as bikes and e-bikes available for residents.
Cumberland’s town manager, Ben Lipps, said the new apartments and homes featured at The Hub at Pennsy Trail were designed to bring an influx of new residents to town.
“The Hub” is being marketed as an essential living community — a housing concept designed to provide affordable and accessible housing specifically for essential workers like healthcare professionals, first responders, teachers and other critical service providers.
Such communities are tailored to people performing vital jobs who might need assistance finding affordable housing, with discounted rent rates compared to market value. They’re often strategically located near areas where essential services are needed, allowing workers to easily commute to their jobs.
“They are targeting really kind of that middle income bracket,” said Lipps, who said town officials have been working strategically to bring more essential workers and similar professionals to the area.
He said the Iron Trail apartments are high-end dwellings with Class A features inside and out, including a white HardiPlank exterior with rustic features, a tribute to the former farmland there.
“I think it will bring a good mix of new residents to the market, but I think some of them will be existing residents, too,” he said.
Lipps said local job creation is driving the need for more housing in the area, and that Cumberland has several more housing developments in the works to meet the demand.
“People are moving to central Indiana, either from other areas in the state or out of state. We are working toward talent attraction right now, and I know there’s others in the area really working toward talent attraction to bring individuals in for those markets,” he said.
Make a move
Cumberland has joined Greenfield, McCordsville and New Palestine in recruiting new residents through MakeMyMove, a free service that connects remote workers with Indiana communities looking for new residents. The program offers incentives to move including cash, memberships and other perks.
Cumberland is also part of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA), a collaboration of municipal executives who work to drive economic development and enhance quality of place, by playing to the region’s strengths.
Lipps said “there’s been a lot of developer interest” in Cumberland, especially since the Hancock Gateway health center opened five years ago, just five miles north.
Offering affordable, “essential community” housing is one way the region can attract talent that will enhance communities by filling jobs and providing essential services.
Lipps said the Town of Cumberland, for example, has a lot to offer residents.
“We have the highest walkability score of almost any community in the nine-county (greater Indianapolis) region. Obviously this development is connected to the Penny Trail, which is connected to Buck Creek Trail, and those trail networks kind of spider out and connect about 95% of our neighborhoods in town,” he said.
The town is also working on redeveloping its parks and some buildings within the historic district.
He said the town’s popular Blues, Beer and BBQ summer concert series is also a big cultural draw, attracting internationally-touring music artists and Grammy winners to perform at the free events.
Lipps said Cumberland is also unique in that it sits in both Hancock and Marion counties, serving as a bridge to Indianapolis.
While residents may enjoy a quick commute to the city, he said they can also enjoy the comforts of a quieter life in Hancock County.
Lipps said the proposed 10,000 square feet of retail space at The Hub at Pennsy Trail is another big draw for residents.
The retail space will serve as the frontage for the community, providing a buffer between the residential space and U.S. 40.
As the Iron Trail at the Hub complex nears completion this spring, Cumberland town officials continue focusing on future housing developments slated to join the community.
Parkview Village by D.R. Horton, which sits northeast of South County Road 700 West and U.S. 40, will feature 261 single-family homes, with 101 lots available soon. The neighborhood will have a public park in the center.
Rockridge, a new community of 141 single-family homes northeast of Cumberland Road and U.S. 40, is being developed by Taylor Morrison. The community is expected to be ready sometime this summer.
Lipps said zoning was just approved for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) east of county roads 700 West and 150 North. It will be a Next Chapter Neighborhood — with 285 Craftsman-style cottages marketed as having “all the comforts of owning a home, with all the convenience of renting.”
Lipps said the as-yet-unnamed community will feature its own internal system of trails, firepits, a swimming pool, pickleball courts and clubhouse with a weight room and other amenities.
“It will probably be one of the most amenitized developments in Hancock County,” he said.
Lipps said another PUD called Cumberland North — at Buck Creek Road and County Road 700 North — is pending plan commission approval.
A public hearing for the proposed community, which would include 163 new homes and up to 550 apartments, will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cumberland Town Hall.