TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Art Space Inc. hosted a dedication event to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of the ‘Turn to the River’ project on Tuesday.

The projects aims to connect downtown Terre Haute to the Wabash River.

The new art space is located between city hall and the courthouse. It features a sculpture with water flowing through, new landscaping, a small stage area and a new conversation plaza.

The $1.3 million project needed one year of construction to complete. Art Space Inc. Executive Director Mary Kramer said that it also took about ten years of planning to get to this point. Kramer said that she’s thrilled to be able to share this phase with the community.

“We went through a whole bunch of different phases of planning with the community,” Kramer explained.

Design work for Phase 2 of the three phase project is expected to start sometime later this year. This phase will see an event space in the parking lot beside city hall.

“That will be an event space with infrastructure for food trucks and farmers markets and things like that,” Kramer said.

Kramer emphasized the importance of partners who helped physically and financially to complete Phase 1. She said the city, county, Wabash Valley Regional Development Authority, and the State Economic Development Corporation all played a role in the completion of Phase 1.