The Vincennes Redevelopment Commission gave its unanimous support Thursday to continued work on the proposed Firehouse Flats development—an $24 million downtown apartment complex that could become the city’s largest residential investment in a century.
Developer John Anderson of AP Development presented updated plans for the project, which calls for 89 market-rate apartments at the site of the Firemen’s Memorial at Main and Vigo. The design includes a fourth-floor rooftop terrace overlooking the memorial and Wabash River, with a mix of one-, two-, and limited three-bedroom units.
Anderson said the project has already secured $4 million from the Lilly Endowment through the Regional Development Authority and $400,000 in READI funds. He emphasized that no city-backed bonds would be used; instead, the project will generate tax increment financing (TIF) from new assessed value.
“This is incredible news for our downtown,” one commission member said. “Nothing of this scale has been done in decades.”
Anderson said the development would include its own on-site parking and allow for public use during daytime hours. If all approvals fall into place—including from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation in August—construction could begin by mid-2026.
The commission approved continued work on the Economic Development Agreement and related steps to prepare for a formal TIF district once state funding is confirmed.
