Terry Robinson’s first house, built by a mentor of his, was in Richmond’s Hidden Valley neighborhood. Now, Robinson is helping finish 20 new homes there.
Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County organized a Wednesday, June 10, groundbreaking for the first of five neighborhoods to be expanded in the county’s new Housing Accelerator Program.
Robinson and Mike Frame, owners of Trademark Construction, were among those gathered near the intersection of Clear Creek West and Clear Creek Lane for the ceremony.
This is Hidden Valley’s 12th addition, completing the 206 lots began by the late Ed Nicholson in 1964.
Robinson said Nicholson gave him the bug to build and sell real estate. When the Housing Accelerator program became available, the opportunity to finish the subdivision for Nicholson “tugged at my heart,” Robinson said.
As costs rise for infrastructure such as water, sewers, storm sewers, pavement and curbs, Robinson said without help from the accelerator program, Trademark would have had to pass on the opportunity to build.
Two of Hidden Valley’s lots have been sold, and design plans are wrapping up for construction that Robinson says will be started soon, as well as a spec home or two.
“It’s just a beautiful street,” Robinson said, noting the rocky soil is “great dirt to build on.”
The 20 homes will range from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet on lots approximately 14,000 square feet. Home prices were initially estimated at $350,000 to $450,000 plus $37,500 per lot.
EDC manages the Housing Accelerator grant program, which provides $10,000 per single-family home for developers to build 82 homes in unfinished platted subdivisions. The $820,000 incentives are expected to spur $26 million in investment.
The grants support needs such as public streets, sidewalks and utilities. Wayne County government partnered with EDC to start the incentive.
EDC President Valerie Shaffer said their organization is involved because good housing stock helps attract and retain employees.
Richmond Mayor Ron Oler said he’s grateful for the homes to drive community growth and investment. Financing partner Paul Witte, president and chief operating officer of First Bank Richmond, agreed, saying, “This is going to help all of us.”
“If we’re not growing, we’re dying,” said Wayne County Commissioner Brad Dwenger. “…This is a huge step in what we need.”
Half of the homes will be in Cambridge City and Centerville, and half will be in Richmond in Hidden Valley, Garwood Acres and Sandbridge Hills subdivisions.
Meers Estates is in an unincorporated area north of Cambridge City. It’s off Shirlin Drive, just west of Indiana 1 and north of East Delaware Street. Willowbrook Place in Centerville is just west of Mattie Harris Road, with roads including Willow Way and Willow Drive.
Eligible projects needed to be within communities participating in county-wide economic development through the Consolidated Economic Development Income Tax Fund.
Funding for the program came from the Consolidated EDIT Fund as well as the Wayne County EDIT Fund, both of which use taxpayer dollars to support economic development activities.
A version of this article will appear in the June 17 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
