The Mill celebrated the completion of a major renovation Thursday, adding new workspaces and upgrading its event space as demand from Bloomington's startup and entrepreneurship community continues to grow.

The renovation added 30 individual workstations and three private offices, along with improvements to technology in the event hall.

Amplify Bloomington CEO John Fernandez said the expansion was needed as more businesses sought space at the Mill.

"We just ran out of space," Fernandez said. "There's a high demand for the small office suites that we provide."

About 76 companies currently work out of the Mill, ranging from solo entrepreneurs to startup companies.

Fernandez said the expansion is about more than adding physical space.

"It's not about the real estate," Fernandez said during remarks at Thursday's celebration.

"It's about the community, and it's about the companies, the opportunities, the connections."

The renovated event hall is also designed to accommodate more corporate meetings, strategy sessions and community events.

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission provided an additional $70,000 for technology upgrades to the event hall.

The renovation is part of the broader Accelerating the Transformation of Bloomington's Trades District initiative, a partnership involving Indiana University, the City of Bloomington and The Mill.

The initiative is also supported in part by a $16 million Lilly Endowment grant to IU.

The Mill's workspaces and offices are available to entrepreneurs and businesses through membership, while its event spaces can be rented for meetings, workshops, and other events. Students receive a 50% discount on memberships.