The Indianapolis Department of Public Works has finalized its plans for the new Henry Street Bridge near the White River downtown, revealing that it will now include an enhanced archaeological approach during construction, particularly in the areas overlapping with the historic Greenlawn Cemetery. Stantec, the engineering firm now contracted for this project, will be handling the archaeological work as the city seeks to honor the community's call for a more respectul treatment of the site that holds the remains of many of the city's early settlers, as reported by CBS4indy.
After months of meetings and discourse with members of the local community, including input gathered through an advisory group, city officials have heeded the concerns raised about the necessity to address with care what lies beneath, while Indiana University, Indianapolis Professor of Anthropology Jeremy Wilson will be leading the onsite archaeological team as work progresses, embodying a shift from a scenario where remains might be discovered by chance instead to one where the search is proactive and systematic as mentioned in a WRTV article.
Distinct from its earlier plans, the City of Indianapolis will now overview an archaeologist-led excavation of the Henry Street Bridge site, a deliberate attempt to invoke a higher degree of scrutiny and respect for those interred at the former cemetery site, which Keystone Development Group's construction crews have already encountered human remains near as they navigated the demolition of the old Diamond Chain building, demonstrating the historical sensitivity of the area, WISH-TV reported. A significant portion of the project budget was redirected towards the archaeological endeavors, and to fill the induced funding gap, the Lilly Endowment donated $15 million.
The Henry Street Bridge project spokes directly to the relationship between the living and the dead, as it intersects with the realm of the first inhabitants of Circle City – those silent sentinels who rest in Greenlawn Cemetery, a space intertwined with the underpinnings of Indianapolis itself; "The city has shown a dedicated effort to preserving and respecting the historic nature of the site," Crown Hill Foundation Director of Historic Preservation Jeannie Regan-Dinius described the city's legal but morally complex stance on construction over cemeteries, hinting at the evolving ethics surrounding such developments as revealed by WISH-TV. The construction on the bridge's west side will commence ahead of the east side, only proceeding after archaeologists conclude their examination and deem it appropriate to move forward.
