One week after being notified it was the 23rd Safest City in the State of Indiana, the City of Frankfort received another honor by being named the 9th Best Cities for Families in the state from Homesnacks.net.

“This is great,” said Mayor Chris McBarnes. “I’m very humbled by this. I didn’t even now this ranking system was out there. Obviously, I’m a little biased. But, I can’t say they’re wrong.”

Homesnacks.net said they used science and data to determine which cities in Indiana have the best set up for children — a lot to do, good schools and no crime.In a release from the organization, they say that according to the United States Census, the number of American families who move is trending downwards. Why is that? Perhaps it has to with the ‘safety net’ factor: We get comfortable where we live, and we’re afraid to try a new move. What if the schools are bad? What if it’s dangerous? Well, we can pretty much guarantee that if you choose the cities that they have mentioned, you won’t lose any sleep whatsoever.

The best cities to raise a family in the Hoosier State according to Homesnacks.net in order are Zionsville, Crawfordsville, Plymouth, Auburn, Carmel, Westfield, Greenfield, Franklin, Frankfort and Crown Point. Cities ranked 11 through 20 are in order Logansport, Brownsburg, Beech Grove, Jasper, Peru, Fort Wayne, Goshen, St, John, Vincennes and Columbus.

“We’re right on the verge of having some even bigger things to happen like Prairie Creek Park, Nickel Plate Flats and a potential new subdision in our future,” said McBarnes.

Article from: clintoncountydailynews.com

Published in Frankfort Times
Article Written By Sharon Bardonner

Traveling along State Road 75 on the north side of Frankfort, drivers can now see a row of residential homes rather than two multi-unit buildings. Razing the two outdated six-unit structures is part of Wesley Manor’s

$575,000 renovation, intended to update several parts of the Frankfort continuum of care campus, according to Executive Director Kevin Ward.

Based on their square footage and floor plans, the sixplexes were determined to be unmarketable, said Ward, so rather than retrofit them, the decision was made to demolish the structures in lieu of green space.

Ward hopes that residents begin to see the area as a park-like setting for public gatherings, picnics and other outdoor events. The area is about the size of a football field with several full-growth trees offering lots of shade.

Several residents already have provided ideas for the open space, many culled from current TV shows. One proposed a settlement of “tiny homes,” while another suggested building fancy treehouses.

The renovation also includes refurbishing several independent living homes in Wesley Village to bring the interiors and floorplans up to today’s styles, Ward explained. The spending, which is about $30,000 per home, is now possible given the retirement community’s better financial position.

“Wesley Manor went through several years of budgetary concerns,” Ward said, “so there were cuts and postponed renovations. But now with BHI Senior Living’s financial backing, we’re able to do some things, such as bring several of our Village Homes up to date, making improvements of a cosmetic and structural nature.”

“Our goal is to create homes where people can age in place most independently as possible,” he said.

Throughout the Village are a mix of home styles to create a feeling of a neighborhoods in Frankfort. “It doesn’t look like a health campus, and we embrace that,” said Ward. “They’re not cookie-cutter; there’s a sense of variety. Here, you’re not mowing and you’re not shoveling snow, but you’re still living ‘at home.’”

The Village community consists of 75 homes, with 16 currently available.

Updates are also being done in the main building, the Manor House, with 10 independent and assisted-living apartments getting upgrades, such as six-panel doors and good baseboards.

Also, in the fall, the rehabilitation wing will receive new carpet, paint and window coverings and will gain on-unit therapy areas to improvement treatment options.

Wesley Manor’s association with BHI has not only freed dollars for upgrades, it has also created operational efficiencies and cost savings.

As a result, the Manor has been able to restructure its prices, said Ward.