No. The concepts presented are not final plans and this isn’t a vote. The goal of this first round of public engagement is to gather input on community priorities, values, and preferences. These early concepts are meant to spark ideas and guide the City as it selects a design team to lead the next phase: developing a Master Plan.

This design competition is about more than just visuals. Each team was invited to submit two illustrative concepts to show their creative approach and vision for the site, but that’s just one part of how the City will choose the team that will lead the Master Plan.

A selection committee will consider several factors, including: how well the teams reviewed and incorporated ideas from existing planning documents, conversations with local leaders and stakeholders, past experience with projects of this scale, how successfully their projects have been implemented, the experience of individual team members, and their proposed fee for services.

Public feedback on the design concepts is an important part of this decision. It helps the committee understand which ideas resonate with the community and what values should guide the plan going forward.

It’s not common for cities to engage the public this early in the planning process, but Carmel is taking a more proactive, community-first approach. By gathering feedback before a design team is selected, the City is ensuring that the values and priorities of residents help shape both the direction of the Master Plan and the team who will lead it.

This early engagement is just the first step. Once a team is selected, there will be additional opportunities for the public to share input and help refine the long-term vision for the district.

Not necessarily. These are illustrative concepts, not blueprints. They were created to explore possibilities and show how a future district might take shape.

All three teams were asked to design within the same general parameters to ensure a fair comparison. These parameters included a range of potential land uses, such as housing, office space, retail, parks, and yes, a hotel or conference center, based on past studies that suggested possible demand.

No. In fact, this initiative is designed to do the opposite. The existing office buildings in the CNO District are largely vacant and no longer competitive in the market. If left undeveloped, their declining value could negatively impact the City’s tax base. Redevelopment helps preserve and strengthen assessed property values, which supports long-term fiscal health and helps keep tax rates lower across the community.