PRINCETON – Indiana Governor Mike Braun continues to strengthen quality of place across Hoosier communities through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), investing in critical assets like affordable housing, parks and trails, talent and workforce, and resident services. Today in Southwest Indiana, local and regional officials broke ground on a new READI 2.0 investment – The Arc Southwest Indiana in Princeton – that will increase access to quality services for individuals with disabilities across the region.
“Through READI, Indiana is making sure all Hoosiers have access to the community services and programming needed to prosper,” said Gov. Braun. “This new Arc facility represents a significant step forward for Gibson County and the surrounding Southwest Indiana region, making programming and services for residents with disabilities easier to access and leverage.”
The new $7.9 million facility will bring to life a 15,848-square-foot modern, fully accessible hub to better serve individuals with disabilities in Gibson and surrounding counties. Once complete, The Arc Southwest Indiana building will replace five aging facilities and consolidate all programs and services—including day services, workforce development, life-skills training, community integration, transportation coordination, and administrative operations—under one roof, making comprehensive support easier to access. Through partnerships with regional employers, schools, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations, the project will expand employment opportunities and strengthen workforce participation, promote independence, and improve service delivery for individuals with disabilities.
Construction of the new facility is now underway and is expected to be completed by mid-2028.
“For over 63 years, The Arc Southwest Indiana, formerly GCARC, has been committed to serving individuals with disabilities and their families,” said Stan Keeps, executive director of The Arc Southwest Indiana. “This new facility reflects our community’s continued commitment to the people we serve and will help us carry that mission forward for generations to come.”
Indiana’s READI program is a $1.25 billion investment in regional-led strategies designed to strengthen communities, retain and attract top talent, and increase opportunities for Hoosiers for years to come.
“Community engagement and support is a critical component of quality of place,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich. “Resident- and family-focused services like childcare, aging care, and support for individuals with disabilities are vital to the livelihood of Hoosiers, supporting quality of life and talent retention and attraction initiatives. Through READI and projects like The Arc Southwest Indiana is investing in its communities and its people.”
Southwest Indiana was awarded $95 million in READI 1.0 and READI 2.0 matching funds, with additional project support through Lilly Endowment Inc. grant funds, to grow the region’s quality of place, quality of life and quality of opportunity across Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties. The region’s READI investments are designed to foster population growth and upward mobility by connecting the region’s riverfront with inspiring public amenities, attractions, and housing; grow high-paying jobs; improve quality of place for healthier residents; build housing near employment clusters; and capitalize on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing to create new regional opportunities.
Learn more at IndianaREADI.com.
