Center Grove, Indiana

Center Grove, located in Johnson County, is an unincorporated community located in White River Township, Johnson County, Indiana. The area gained its name from the Center Grove Community School Corporation.

Center Grove, Indiana

Center Grove is an unincorporated community located in White River Township, Johnson County, Indiana. The area gained its name from the Center Grove Community School Corporation.

In 2008, a panel was formed by the neighboring city of Greenwood, Indiana and selected residents from White River Township to evaluate the possibility of merging the area into the established corporate limits of Greenwood. Discussions of the proposed merger raised concerns with the southern town of Bargersville, Indiana who disputed elements of the Greenwood proposed merger plan for contested areas targeted for future annexation (generally select property north of the Bargersville town limits.)

The measure has yet to reach public ballot. Additionally, there are public accounts of current Greenwood City Mayor, losing interest in making the White River Township merger a continued city campaign. Despite repeated attempts by the town of Bargersville to continue its northward annexation, the current White River Township Board Members / Trustee have yet to declare their views of what the future of the area may be.

On January 4, 2011, the elected members of the White River Township (WRT) board took the first official action of public office to vote and reject the merger plan previously approved by the former WRT board members. The White River Township board members include Greg Rainbolt, Peggy Young, and Dave Pollard. During a board meeting held on January 4, 2011, Board Chairman Greg Rainbolt stated his desire to have serious discussions involving the future of the unincorporated Center Grove community, to include the feasibility of the Center Grove area studying the viability of becoming a town in the state of Indiana.

The Birth of a Town

by Ann Craig-Cinnamon, Center Grovian

Greetings fellow Center Grovians! Or would you prefer Center Grovites? If you live in the Center Grove area as I do, how do you answer when asked where you live? I tell people I live in Greenwood, but technically, that’s not correct. I have a Greenwood mailing address, but a Whiteland phone number and I’m on Bargersville water. When I take yoga classes at the Greenwood Parks and Recreation building I have to pay the non-resident fee. The fire department has been called to my house, and it was the White River Township Fire Department that showed up. Police and street services are provided by Johnson County, but my kids went through Center Grove Schools. So, I’m a little confused. I feel a bit like a person without a real community of my own, and yet, I’ve lived here for more than 30 years and there is everything I need right here to live comfortably. The Center Grove area is a large thriving upscale community. But what exactly are we? Not a city and not a town. We are unincorporated. We are an island.

To put this in perspective, as of the 2010 census the city of Columbus has just over 44,000, the city of Franklin has fewer than 24,000, Beech Grove has only 14,000, and Greenwood has fewer than 50,000 residents. There are nearly 29,000 of us on this Center Grove “island” and that is not a small number. In addition, it is growing.

As an area in which to live, work and go to school, Center Grove is certainly desirable. Both Bargersville and Greenwood have annexed portions of it in recent years. The reorganization effort, which would have united with Greenwood and unincorporated White River Township, collapsed for various reasons.

Current Status

Officially, Center Grove, Indiana does not exist. That is, Center Grove is not a town. “Center Grove” is the unofficial name of the unincorporated portion of White River Township in Johnson County, which lies to the south of Indianapolis.

This unofficial Center Grove actually derives its name from Center Grove Community Schools Corporation, which serves the 42,000 residents of White River Township. This includes western Greenwood, most of Bargersville AND the unincorporated areas of the township. To alleviate confusion, when we refer to Center Grove here, we are discussing the area that Center Grove Community Schools serves.

Johnson County Towns

There are a number of towns in the county where Polaris Property Management is the responsible party for both residential and commercial leases. Among those towns are Whiteland and Greenwood, and of course, the Center Grove School District.

Polaris Property Management

We provide property management services to Individuals and Group Owners of single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and commercial properties in Carmel, Zionsville, Noblesville, Westfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Greenwood, Center Grove, McCordsville, Whitestown and Whiteland, Indiana.

With our rapid and accurate communication with owners and tenants, our reputation for excellence continues to expand amongst owners and investors. Our focus is elementary in nature but large in scope:

- Maximize rental revenue for each property owner.
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- Frequent and consistent communication with your tenants.
- Frequent and consistent communication with owners.

Center Grove, Indiana