City says private owner had right to replace mural next to Peoples Park

Editor’s note: Bicycle Garage on 507 E Kirkwood Ave in Bloomington has moved to 1112 S Morton St.

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — April 20, 2026

The City of Bloomington on Monday said the recent removal and replacement of the Black Lives Matter mural adjacent to Peoples Park took place on privately owned property and was not under city control.

In a statement issued April 20, the city said the wall next to Peoples Park, 501 E. Kirkwood Ave., has long been associated with the park because of its location and visibility, but the wall itself is privately owned.

Monroe County GIS records list the property as 507 E. Kirkwood Ave. and identify the current owner as Crimson Investments LLC, with a P.O. Box mailing address in Bloomington. The parcel is classified as “Other Retail Structures.”

The city said the site has featured several murals over the past three decades. In 2017, the Bloomington Arts Commission commissioned a mural titled “You Belong Here.” In 2020, during local and national demonstrations following the police killing of George Floyd, that mural was altered with the words “Black Lives Matter” in what the city described as an unsanctioned but intentional act of public expression.

According to the city, staff, members of the Bloomington Arts Commission, the original artist and the property owners at the time discussed the mural’s future, but no final decision was made to replace it. The Black Lives Matter mural remained in place for nearly six years.

The city said the property was later sold, and the new owner decided to paint a different mural on the building.

“As the property owner, the new owner has the right to decide on the use and appearance of the wall, including whether to maintain, replace, or repaint a mural,” the city said in the statement.

The city also noted the historical significance of Peoples Park as the site of the former Black Market, which was firebombed by members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1968. That history, the city said, continues to be recognized through a historical marker installed at the park in 2020 and through the city’s ongoing stewardship of the site’s legacy.

Despite the controversy surrounding the mural’s removal, the city said it remains committed to supporting public art, community expression and spaces that reflect Bloomington’s values.

“The City will continue to look for opportunities to work with artists, property owners, residents, and community partners to support meaningful public art throughout Bloomington,” the statement said.

The post City says private owner had right to replace mural next to Peoples Park first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.