FISHERS, Ind. — Ground was broken just northwest of the intersection of 96^th Street and Allisonville Road this morning for a planned $135 million development by CRG Residential.

Once completed, the site will have 381 “luxury” apartments, 81 privately-owned townhomes built by Pulte Group, 35,000 square-feet of mixed-use space and adjoin 125 acres of parkland that will border the White River.

”This property, this area, was in need of revitalization for some time,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness who received a round of applause at the groundbreaking when he announced that a roundabout would be built at 96^th & Allisonville.

“Then the Michigan left is going away,” he said, explaining the traffic configuration that moves motorists beyond the intersection before they can turn left and come back to catch a cross street,  “and we’re gonna have a roundabout so this great corner of our community will continue to be vibrant.”

At the Vape Shop nearby, manager Michael Rice said development of the vacant land into residential property would undoubtedly increase business.

“For a nicer apartment complex, it’s probably gonna be younger people, people with good credit, so that means it’s gonna be great business for us. A lot more people are gonna drive by and see the vape shop, so our business is probably gonna be booming once it’s up and running for sure.”

Rice said that while construction of the roundabout will tie up traffic temporarily, in the long term it will drive more customers to his shop.

”Once they finish that, the traffic’s gonna be better and it’s gonna be a lot easier to get here. Once they finish both those projects, I think our store’s gonna excel in sales for sure.”

CRG Residential Vice President of Development David George described what residents would find entering off Allisonville Road into the River Place Flats community.

“When you first come into the site you’re going to see a big boulevard section, a five-lane road, two lanes in each direction, grass median sidewalks, benches, a nice residential feel.

”Within the development there’s some retail on 96^th Street, but once you get in a little bit further in in the middle, there’s a multi-family section and in that multi-family section… there are seven buildings, all seven buildings are four stories… the first floor of just about every building has parking in it.

”We have a lot of greenspace in the middle that’s being filled with a pickleball court, a dog park and just a lot of extra green space.”

CRG is donating 25 acres of mostly marshland to the city for its park space.

The first residents are expected to move in next year.