The Wabash River front has the potential to be the “most beautiful, vibrant, prosperous riverfront in Indiana,” leaders of Terre Haute’s Wabash Riverfront Master Plan say.
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza
Pedestrian bridges, shown here, connect with the Mishawaka Riverwalk along the St. Joseph River. The circular system accommodates walkers, joggers and bicyclists.
Tribune-Star/Sue Loughlin
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The spacious Hulman Center atrium was filled with smiling people, sun rays streaming through the glass windows and high hopes for Terre Haute’s riverfront.
Lori Danielson and Bryan Horsman — the point persons behind an updated plan to enhance this city’s historic banks of the Wabash River — both repeated a bold vision, drawing applause. “We’re here to create the most beautiful, vibrant, prosperous riverfront in Indiana,” Horsman said to open last week’s unveiling of the new Wabash Riverfront Master Plan.
To do that, Terre Haute must equal the level of riverfront enhancement by communities like Mishawaka, Columbus, Fort Wayne, West Lafayette and small-town Bluffton. Mishawaka’s amenities along the St. Joseph River stand as a prime model.
Horsman, president of the Wabash Valley Riverscape group, held his young daughter, Myra, as he emphasized the multi-generational effort needed to achieve Terre Haute’s goal.
Future generations will benefit, as well.
“It’s about building a legacy for her, and for your kids and grandkids,” Horsman told the crowd.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun spoke in support, and included a reminder of the tenacity that objective requires. “Let’s keep that passion over the next 10 years,” Sakbun said at the April 23 event. “This is not going to happen overnight.” Like Horsman, Danielson — the riverfront development director — spoke of the aim to make Terre Haute’s riverfront the most desirable in the state. She and the group of volunteers backing the updated Wabash Riverfront Master Plan have a list of riverfronts around the state that are, well, more beautiful, vibrant and prosperous.
Terre Haute’s riverfront has better bones, nonetheless. Its stretch of the Wabash is more naturally eye-catching and historic as the setting of Paul Dresser’s state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.”
Riverscape has steadily improved the riverfront through its methodical, visionary, roll-up-yoursleeves efforts for nearly two decades. Even more partners are teamed with that organization now.
They’re pursuing a tall, but reachable goal. “There’s a lot of people ahead of us in this work, and we’re going to try to learn from what they’ve done,” Danielson said of other cities. “And we’re going to take the ideas and implement what works for us. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we want to make it beautiful for what Terre Haute can be.”
The local master plan calls for greater riverfront access; pedestrian-friendly streets; development districts and expanded, connected trails and recreation opportunities; riverbank stabilization and flood resiliency.
A riverwalk is possible, and stabilization of the Wabash’s east bank would likely be required. The participation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through $250,000 in in-kind work helps the riverwalk’s possibilities.
Such amenities are part of riverfronts in other cities, including Mishawaka’s Riverwalk along the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana.
“Our riverfront today looks a lot like what Mishawaka’s used to, and they have a beautiful riverwalk,” Danielson said, “and they’ve done a great job of bringing activities down to the river.” The banks of the St.
Joseph look much different now.
Today, the city of 51,300 residents has a riverfront featuring — take a deep breath — its Riverwalk, a circular system of pedestrian and bicycle trails connected to other amenities; Beutter Park, an all-seasons destination with an elliptical-shaped overlook, underwater lighting and an 800-foot perennial garden; two pedestrian bridges and multiple parks with pools, ballparks, basketball and tennis courts and playgrounds linked to the Riverwalk; Ironworks Plaza, with a ribbon-style ice skating rink, year-round cafe, beer garden, music venue and events center; apartments and multi-use buildings; shops; fishing spots; sculptures; pavilions and picnic areas.
“It’s not just a river. It’s not just a place. It’s a destination,” said Matt Lentsch, executive director of development and governmental affairs for the city of Mishawaka. The Dayton, Ohio native moved to Mishawaka 39 years ago for a job with the Salvation Army and stayed. He’s seen the growth of the riverfront through a quarter-century-long effort.
“It really has been a great economic boost to the city,” Lentsch said, “and it has provided new housing, new places to eat and recreate.
It’s become a hub of activity.”
In the late 1990s, access to the banks of the St. Joseph were essentially blocked by an abandoned factory extending along more than a half-mile of the riverfront. The Uniroyal plant once employed 10,000 workers at its peak during World War II , but closed in 1997.
The “Mishawaka Center City/Riverfront Revitalization Project” launched in 1999 aiming to “create a riverfront mixed-use development which takes maximum advantage of its geographic location adjacent to the river.” It called for scenic views, walkways and spaces for community events, residential structures and businesses.
Those aims have happened or are in progress.
And that progress has continued through multiple mayors and city council leadership.
“They saw a riverfront that wasn’t used to its potential at all,” Lentsch said.
“The first step was envisioning something else and taking down what was there.”
Most recently the riverfront gained an expansion of apartments, parking and retail spaces known as The Mill. Its first phase opened in 2019 and was a $50-million project, which included $9.5 million in city funds and $5 million from the state. The Mill Phase II is a $67-million project began in 2023 and was damaged by a fire this spring.
When asked if Phase II would continue after the blaze, Lentsch said, “Oh, yeah. They’re moving forward.”
Onward through ups, downs, administration changes, shifts in state and federal funding, whatever.
“Twenty-five years ago, it would’ve been hard to imagine the redevelopment of an area that pretty much was dominated by an old factory,” Lentsch said.
Now, “people come here from all over,” he said.
How many? “Thousands,” Lentsch said. He paused, then added, “tens of thousands.”
“It’s not done,” Lentsch said, “but it’s getting there.”
Terre Haute’s stretch of the Wabash can get there, too. It won’t happen overnight. But it can happen.
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