Aaron Kowalski

Aaron is passionate about strengthening the relationship between people and place by turning plans into connected, cohesive communities that foster economic opportunity, social vitality, and a lasting sense of belonging.

Aaron Kowalski, AICP, serves as an Associate Principal at MKSK, bringing more than 15 years of experience in urban planning and design to his work as a planner, policy advisor, and redevelopment strategist. As a subject-matter expert, Aaron co-leads the firm’s transit development practice. His work operates at the intersection of infrastructure, mobility, land use, public policy, and economics, with a focus on translating major public investments into connected places, development opportunities, and lasting community benefits.

Raised in Northwest Indiana and now living and practicing in Indianapolis, Aaron is deeply invested in the future of both regions, as well as communities across the country. His personal connection to these places has shaped a career focused on uplifting disinvested communities, strengthening connections between people and opportunity, and helping clients move from planning to implementation.

For nearly a decade, Aaron has advised the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on leveraging historic investments in the South Shore commuter rail system to advance regional growth. He helped establish 11 Transit Development Districts, led a significant FTA-funded Transit-Oriented Development Implementation Plan, and helped guide the recently completed RDA Comprehensive Strategic Plan, which establishes a framework for the next 20 years of regional investment.

His work is now advancing into a new generation of implementation initiatives, including the redevelopment of the Gary Metro Station area, the creation of an RDA land-development entity to return brownfields and other challenging properties to productive use, and the U.S. 12 Scenic Byway Initiative. Aaron has also led comprehensive planning efforts in Gary, helping one of the country’s most historically disinvested communities establish a path toward downtown revitalization, neighborhood stabilization, blight elimination, and equitable reinvestment.

In Indianapolis, Aaron has led high-profile planning initiatives for the City of Indianapolis and major institutional clients, including the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. His recent work includes the Indianapolis Regional Center Design Guidelines, which connect urban design standards with redevelopment, quality of place, and continued investment in the heart of the city. He also helped lead the Indianapolis Greenways for All Plan, an ambitious framework for expanding the city’s trail network, increasing equitable access, guiding trail-oriented development, and positioning greenways as essential infrastructure for mobility, public health, and neighborhood investment.

Aaron approaches each assignment with the goal of becoming a trusted, long-term advisor. He works to understand complex challenges, identify partnerships and funding opportunities, and help clients carry ideas forward. Within MKSK, he contributes to projects and pursuits involving transit, trails, redevelopment, land-use policy, design guidelines, zoning, grant strategy, and implementation.

Active with the Indy Chamber and the Urban Land Institute at both the local and national levels, Aaron believes enduring community progress is built through committed partnerships, thoughtful policy, sound economics, and a willingness to go the extra mile.