LOOGOOTEE — A regional initiative designed to tackle rural blight and stimulate economic growth is quietly altering the landscape of Southern Indiana.
Marking three years since its founding, the Uplands Regional Land Bank (URLB) announced today it has successfully acquired 17 vacant, abandoned, or deteriorated properties across the region. The organization’s systematic approach to acquiring troubled titles is opening fresh doors for neighborhood development, workforce housing, and new public green spaces.
Of the 17 properties brought into the land bank’s inventory, three have already been sold back to the private sector, while 14 are actively being prepared or are currently listed for sale.
The organization’s mission centers on reversing decades of property disinvestment by prepping difficult real estate for new construction.
“With every property we acquire, we focus on finding the best solution to reinvest it back into the community,” said Bobbie Abel, director of the Uplands Regional Land Bank. “First, we assess any remaining structures on our sites to determine if they can be rehabilitated. If they cannot be—which is often the case—then we demolish and clear the site, readying it for redevelopment.”
Currently, the URLB has 11 properties—ranging from open vacant lots and freshly cleared parcels to existing structures in need of major rehabilitation—listed for sale across the region. An additional property is currently pending sale in Daviess County.
Turning Blight into Community Assets
The land bank’s active portfolio highlights a diverse approach to neighborhood revitalization, stretching beyond simple residential flipping to support public infrastructure and environmental cleanup:
- Expanding Public Parks: The URLB is donating a vacant lot to the French Lick Redevelopment Commission. The parcel will be integrated as additional green space for The Parks at Cherry Hill.
- Environmental Remediation: On State Road 558 in Odon, the URLB has partnered with CDFI Friendly Bloomington and the Indiana Brownfields’ Petroleum Orphan Sites Initiative (POSI) program. Together, they are conducting environmental impact studies and clearing a blighted structure to safely remediate the soil for future commercial or residential opportunities.
- Pollinator Habitat: Of the three properties already sold under strict renovation contracts, two are being actively rehabilitated into affordable homes tailored for first-time homebuyers. The third sold lot is being transformed into a community pollinator garden.
Local economic leaders emphasize that land banking is a critical tool for rural counties, where standard market forces often ignore severely deteriorated properties due to high cleanup costs.
“It’s great to see the transformation in Martin County,” said Jessica Potts, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth and an active URLB board member. “Working together as a community is so important for economic development and improving quality of life. That’s why I look forward to continuing our partnership, boosting economic development in our county and beyond.”
As the land bank enters its fourth year, Abel notes that growing municipal partnerships will allow the entity to scale its operations. “As our organization continues to expand, we are committed to continually improving our Southern Indiana communities, whether that’s creating workforce housing, parks, or lots for development.”
Property listings, donation guidelines, and contracting opportunities can be found by visiting the land bank’s official platform at www.urlandbank.com or by following the Uplands Regional Land Bank page on Facebook.
