A 60-foot tall obelisk with a 9.5-foot tall illuminated flame, making it one of the tallest torches in the United States, has been completed in Mooresville.
The torch, which is representative of the Indiana State Flag, is an officially endorsed Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project and is located at the intersection of Ind. 67 and Indiana Street. Part of the torches were lit on Tuesday and Wednesday in time for Gov. Mike Pence’s State of the State message. The elements were fully lighted Thursday night.
Part of the first phase of a larger Mooresville Gateway and Corridor plan adopted by the community in 2014, the Bicentennial Torch is joined by two gateway monuments located at the north and south ends of the community along Ind. 67. Constructed of locally manufactured red brick and Indiana limestone, these structures are anchored by a limestone map of Indiana which has been designed to highlight the topographic variety of the state and includes a 25-foot tall lighted torch of the same design as the Bicentennial Torch.
“We’re excited the first phase of the Mooresville Gateway/Corridor plan has been completed and look forward to implementing other phases in the near future,” said Harold Gutzwiller, president of the Mooresville Redevelopment Commission.
Quality of place has become a key component in economic development in recent years, Gutzwiller said.
“We wanted to provide some unique additions to our community. This is the first of many steps planned to enhance our quality of place and differentiate our community,” he said. The plan is being financed through Tax Increment Financing funds. These TIF funds are derived through the increase in assessed value of commercial and industrial real estate for properties located within specially designated allocation areas.
“The Mooresville Gateway/Corridor Plan complements the goals of the Regional Cities program designed by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and funded by the Indiana Legislature,” Lindsay Beckman said in a press release. She is the business development director for the Morgan County Economic Development Corp.
“Enhancing the characteristics and attributes of the community is an important component of attracting and retaining future generations,” Beckman said.