Reimagining a forgotten riverfront

Haughville Riverfront Vision Plan

Location	Indianapolis, Indiana
Client	Visit Indy, Indy Parks, and Friends of Belmont Beach
Expertise	Master Planning & Visioning, Inclusive & Accessible Design, Resilience & Sustainability, Community Collaboration
Size	56.1 acres
Completion	2024

The Haughville Riverfront Vision Plan is a community-driven framework guiding the future of four interconnected parks and open spaces along the west bank of the White River in Indianapolis’ Haughville neighborhood: Reverend Mozel Sanders Park, Belmont Beach, River Station, and the adjacent Floodplain Forest.

Haughville riverfront vision plan mockup site design group

Once one of the few places Black families could access water recreation during legal segregation, the Haughville riverfront suffered from severe pollution and inadequate infrastructure. These conditions reflect enduring racial and environmental inequities that continue to shape Haughville’s relationship with the river. Rather than treating this history as background, the Vision Plan builds from it, using adversity as a catalyst for repair, resilience, and collective ownership. Grounded in environmental justice, climate resilience, and belonging, the framework positions the riverfront as a civic landscape shaped by and for its people.

Access the full Vision Plan here

A comprehensive site analysis guided the plan, integrating environmental, social, and cultural research, including historical narratives about the area's role in Black recreation during segregation. Research methods included resident interviews, historic mapping, and community-led storytelling to ensure the project reflected local heritage and resilience.

These insights informed conceptual designs, site plans, and sustainability strategies, translating community stories into actionable interventions, such as inclusive river access, trails, cultural gathering spaces, outdoor classrooms, floodplain restoration, native plantings, stormwater management, and improved connectivity to civic assets and open space networks.

“The closeness of the Haughville community is immeasurable; the fact that they will fight for what they believe in and won’t take no for an answer. The people are doers that pay attention to what needs to be done around the community and how to achieve it.”

Resident, Belmont Beach Opening Day, March 2023

Sustainability, maintenance, and environmental stewardship are embedded throughout the vision. Continued engagement among residents, businesses, and partner organizations strengthens collective ownership and positions the riverfront as a vital neighborhood asset. The Haughville Riverfront Vision Plan demonstrates how community-driven planning can translate vision into action and establish a model for equitable, resilient riverfront redevelopment.