PLAN203 Studio

SMART City Muncie

In Spring 2022, twelve urban planning students in PLAN203 Regional Analysis and Design Studio of Ball State University investigated SMART (Sustainable, mobile, affordable, resilient and technological) city options for the former Chevrolet plant at 1200 W Eighth St. in Muncie, Indiana. In 2021, the city of Muncie purchased this 53-acre site from the RACER (Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response) Trust intending to build a solar field on the property.

“This property’s unique combination of size and location makes it ideally suited for a project that will make Muncie a regional leader in the generation of clean, renewable energy, and positions our community to attract additional investment from businesses that are focused on sustainability,” Mayor Dan Ridenour said.

Partnering with the City of Muncie, and with the generous support of Ball State University’s Immersive Learning office, students applied GIS (Geographic Information System) skills to study land use, zoning, and other preexisting conditions of the site. Utilizing 15 acres of solar installation on the property that was proposed earlier in 2022, students investigated SMART city options for the site. The result of this study will be presented in the Spring 2022 Ball State University Immersive Learning Showcase.