Old Northside CVS approved.

From the IBJ property lines.

http://propertylines.ibj.com/blogshell.asp?p=836

The Old Northside Neighborhood Association is fighting an administrative approval of plans to build a CVS pharmacy at the southeast corner of 16th and Meridian streets. The Metropolitan Development Commission will consider the appeal at its meeting on July 2. Among the group’s concerns: The plans don’t include an entrance at the intersection, and the approval doesn’t include a stipulation that customers leaving the store’s drive-through must turn right onto 16th Street. The DPW intends to allow only right turns, said Jeff York, a senior city planner. As for the other issue, CVS has a security concern about adding a second entrance, York said. The pharmacy’s entrance is planned for the rear, facing the store’s parking lot. The neighborhood group wants a layout more friendly to pedestrians.

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CVS often places their businesses in downtowns.
More than often, they place a parking lot around it.
CVS often contributes too many Indiana downtowns providing it with somewhat of a food store and basic supplies to local residents.
However, more than often they tear down collections of pedestrian friendly structures to build their straight out of suburban stores.
In this case, CVS has seemed to budge for the sake (more like threat) of the neighborhood.
Though I still think more windows facing Meridian would make it more pedestrian friendly this is definitely an improvement from the typical suburban design.
The CVS design here borrows some of the architecture from the Old Northside (specifically the window decorations.) and tries to mimic the 19th-century commercial style without looking Disney.
The Pharmacy just across the street lacks the same quality of design but is too some extant against the sidewalk (but the corner is wasted.).
I do find the idea of putting a corner entrance quiet seductive but I understand the security threats the store would face doing that.
The Meridian street corridor seems to be getting more and more attention almost daily.
The stretch is lined with many what we call 'Chicago-Looking' structures and old Victorian mansions.
It could be a neighborhood of its own! Ha-ha
This is a step up from the IHOP that stood there.
That building was ghastly and stuck out like a sore thumb.
As more people moved downtown more neighborhoods, structures, vacant land, etc are being to be revived, re-used, or replaced.
The only problem with downtown growth is that it is almost exclusive to the upper class.
Downtown Indianapolis should be looking to bringing in lower middle class and middle class families as well. Diversify eh?
Many developments are doing part of this task. Including the Rink-Savoy development and the planned lower-income apartments on Massachusetts Avenue.
Anyway, the Old North side was right for pushing up density, beauty, etc in this development.
All too often neighborhoods try to stop high-density development. Like Lockerbie Square having the number of row houses built in Lockerbie square reduced from x-amount to y-amount like that somehow, helps preserve the historical significance of the neighborhood when in reality it harms growth.
I am looking forward to see more development such as this along the Meridian corridor.
-I am out.

Does Indianapolis Auto Culture have to change?

As gas prices hit 4 bucks with no intention to stop, many Americans are beginning to realize the flaws of auto culture.
A culture in which everyone owns their own private form of transportation (Without a horse and buggy) is a culture that can never last.
If you do your research you will know that at our current production of biofuels (and the materials needed for biofuels) that it would be too catastrophic to the market in other areas for everyone to own an ethanol-powered car or electric hybrid.
I recently read an article in the Indianapolis Star about how bus rider ship has nearly tripled in many areas. Many people now have to be left behind because the busses are full. The interesting thing about this is that IndyGo had declining rider ship until gas prices shot up.
Now they find their system inadequate for their growing rider ship.
If this does not scream "Public transportation update! NOW!" I do not know what does.
I wonder how the planned commuter rail between downtown and Fishers will help the demand for bus transportation.
The city of Indianapolis originally was made up of downtown and surrounding walking neighborhoods(Chatham Arch, Ransom Place, St.Joseph, Lockerbie Square, etc) and then as the city grew out of its 'walking city'(meaning the mile square) neighborhoods such as the Old North side, Cottage Home, Fletcher Place, and Holy Cross developed.
Once streetcars were in full swing a short time after the civil war neighborhoods such as Woodruff place, Herron Morton, Fountain Square, Fall Creek, etc. Then once the streetcar systems were updated and a wave of economic growth came in the early 20th century dozens of turn-of-the-century neighborhoods popped up all over the city providing Indianapolis with its massive collection of bungalows, American-foursquare, and classic revivals.
The thing about these neighborhoods is that, they did not depend on the individual ownership of vehicles (excluding private buggies) and most of the residents would travel by streetcar.
This is how most US cities developed. After the removal of interurban, trolleys, etc and the rise of auto culture most neighborhoods were spread out, with private garages, no sidewalks, and large yards.
At the time of a post-WWII society being away from the urban core seemed great. Especially with the amounts of pollution from factories crammed into the downtown area.
This is when Indianapolis received its massive 1940's-1970's ring of ranch houses.
During a time of cheap oil, this made sense. Why would anyone want to ride a crammed streetcar and live in a crammed inner-city home without a yard and with a lot narrower than your mother- in- law's face?
No one really. That is why the beloved neighborhoods of today were the declining ghettos of yesterday.
Unfortunately, due to lack of thinking many of these pedestrian friendly neighborhoods have lost significant numbers of pedestrian oriented structures leaving space for a flood of inner-city suburbia.
It is not uncommon to see a Victorian home or classic store up to the sidewalk right next door to a business with front parking and a bright neon sign on the corner.
However, it was not always like this. Before auto culture amongst the middle and lower class, the sight of any empty lot anywhere near downtown was rare. Shortly either a newly built structure or shack was placed there.
However, let us not look at this era entirely as an era of utopia urban society.
Indianapolis was much dirtier too. Diseases spread rapidly and sanitation was poor.
Orphanages, Asylums, and poorly maintained homes for the poor, widows, and soldiers were sprinkled all over the city. People sometimes lived in cramped one-room apartments or shacks made from whatever while their children worked at a dangerous factory making ruffled sleeve sweaters for wealthy women.
Smoke and fumes were not unusual and more than often fresh meat was filthy meat as butchers would hang their prize out and often it would go bad.
Many of our beloved landmarks today were covered in a layer of soot, dirt, and bird poop and the city's cemeteries were packed (Anyone remember Green Lawn? I think not.) In addition, poorly maintained.
Unfortunately, this is just how things were in 19th century America.
However.
Auto culture has left many urban neighborhoods in decline. Homes and structures were vandalized, abandoned, and eventually torn down. Important keys of history and Indianapolis culture were also lost.
The Mann choir building and Seven Steeples are some of many lost who's importance in history and their loss leaves a blank slate of what happened in that era.

Enough History.
The city of Indianapolis for the longest time invested in new highways instead of passenger trains.
They invested in wider roads than bus upgrades.
Then over time, Indianapolis went from a public transportation and walking city, to an auto-addicted city.
Oh yes, believe it. Indianapolis was at one point, pedestrian oriented.
Now that gas has hit 4 bucks, a gallon and many experts believe it will never be below 3 dollars again we are faced with a choice.
Rebuild the public transportation system that once gave this city major advantages or ignore demand from over packed busses and continue thinking "Hoosiers love their cars." as this city falls into economic despair.
Many people think, "Well, there is a growing downtown population! Why don't they have public transport yet?"
Here is the thing. Many of the occupied units downtown are "weekend get away" apartments, condominiums, etc to show off to the in-laws. It is all part of the sick material culture that has developed.
That leaves demand in almost a slug-paced growth for public transportation.
The streetcar idea for downtown Indianapolis might prompt more people to invest in public transportation.
As the SUV and Hummer dies so does the middle class suburban culture, well at least the auto suburban culture.
The only way to save suburbia in the end at this point is to grasp rail services.
Let us hope that the city of Indianapolis does not look at this energy crisis as a 'temporary problem caused by speculation, big bad oil companies, and lack of drilling in the US.'
Let us hope that Indianapolis takes the steps to wean itself off mass oil demand.
I am out.

Water water everywhere!

In the past week Indiana has been severely hit by floods. The worst since 1913.
Not only are hundreds of people without homes and many missing, but many areas are completely destroyed. Not only peoples beloved homes but everything from historical neighborhoods to landmarks and even playgrounds.
It will take years to clean up and unfortunately we will probably not get support from the US government when it comes to cleaning up.
Anyone remember New Orleans?
Let us rebuild and move on. Salvage what we can. Indiana survived the 1913 flood, it can survive this without doubt.

Pan Am Plaza being developed.

From IBJ property Lines


"As promised, here is a siteplan from Kite Realty Group Trust that shows its preliminary plan to redevelop Pan Am Plaza. The plan shows seven restaurant, retail or entertainment spaces with a total of about 70,000 square feet for lease. The existing Pan Am memorial would be relocated to an area designed to “draw people into the plaza.” Kite joined with Sacramento, Calif.-based Coastal Partners LLC to buy the plaza and two adjacent ice skating rinks from Indiana Sports Corp. in April."


Wow, I did not see this coming. I thought that crazy save the park by the canal group was going to claim that Pam Am Plaza was needed public space.

Great news however. I am glad to see that Pam Am Plaza is finally being developed. I am not sure if anyone remembers but before that lovely brick plain was created, the Spencer Hotel stood there. It was constructed some time in the 1850's with a stone facade and multiple details added later. The hotel was considered a place of status to stay when it first opened. After the construction of multiple later 19th and early 20th century hotels, the place became a more working class inn and that drag became almost the ghetto of downtown in the 1920's. It was demolished in the 1960's and later Pam Am Plaza was placed there.

Enough with the history lessons.

Pam Am Plaza is in a prime spot, as multiple people will tell you. Its right between everything and the demand for the space must have sky rocketed. The LOS has really changed the shape of the near south side. The near south side is not that grand. Other than a handful of old homes and structures, it might as well be razed and rebuilt in a less filthy fashion. Enough gas tanks for you. Anyway, enough about the south side and its potential.

Pam Am Plaza was the proposal for a hotel about a year ago that would have been the second tallest. I saw the proposal briefly and all I remember is a very wide blade shoved into the ground with red brick somewhere on it. It was not that pretty.

The proposal was thrown out when the city chose the JW Marriott hotel over the Intercontinental and the plaza was forgotten.

The plaza has sat empty since the 90's and unused by every day people. The idea of filling the plaza in with one-two story structures actually sounds good. Multiple people think 'taller! Bigger! Flashier!" when in reality it should be anything but something that sticks out. I understand Pam Am Plaza is prime location but at the same time it would not only block views of the skyline from the new LOS and dwarf the area around it ( don't get me wrong, we shouldn't completely orient development for what sits around it or we end up with vinyl siding row houses and single family homes.). Something in scale with the Whole Sale Historical district and that is very street level oriented would be good for the area that totally lacks it. I do however think creating a large open walk way between Capitol Avenue and Illinois street would do wonders for that part of downtown but it may not be too practical of a choice.
Let the development continue.

Indianapolis 2012 Super Bowl.

So we all know the news that Indianapolis has the 2012 Super Bowl.
Now is the time to get out the hot dogs and a cold beer in celebration of something four years away!
However, this is great news for Indianapolis and central Indiana. The media attention will be fantastic for Indianapolis and Indiana. The amount of development this could spur for downtown is just fantastic and hopefully the development picks up.
In the IBJ article, it stated that Goodell found the idea of rebuilding the near east side very appealing and important. I am assuming he speaks of Arsenal Tech and the neighborhoods just east of the interstate. The Arsenal is getting some attention also.

"The city’s bid includes creating a $9 million practice facility for the NFC Super Bowl representative on the Arsenal Technical High School campus. The facility is intended to spur redevelopment in the area."-IBJ

Well, it seems the city is shining some light on a forgotten area. I have been past Arsenal Tech. Nice looking campus and from what a book told me it is apparently a civil-war arsenal also with a clock tower that stored cannons (not everything can be for aesthetic appeal.).
However, the sudden interest in this almost forgotten area of town by the city somewhat makes me wonder. If this is what it is said to be this is important I would suppose being a civil-war arsenal so shouldn't the city handle this in a delicate fashion? I am curious where it would be able to be placed and why would they place it in the near east side? Eh, maybe it IS to help rebuild that part of town but then maybe they just want cheap land they can do whatever they want on.
The Arsenal has a few interesting structures of importance and if I remember correctly a large cast iron fence much like that of the old asylum on the west side which I think is pretty cool.
I hope that the city does it tastefully and does not place a massive box on the front mall of the Arsenal.
Anyway, on to its contribution to salty old' downtown.
My question is if downtown is prepared for such media exposure. Downtown Indy is great and many cities would kill for such life in the central city.
However, every time I have been to downtown Indy there has always been a homeless convention on every corner. I have never been asked for change probably due to the large number of people I go with but in all honesty, the city should really do something. Personally, I think a lot of it has to do with Wheeler as shallow as that sounds.
Wheeler does a great thing for a great cause but it is also sort of like an outpost for the homeless in downtown. Recently they closed multiple shelters in the city in areas that need it far worse than that of downtown. I've heard opinions from “they can't handle the large amount of homeless so they go to the areas with less amounts." or” Wheeler is incredibly selfish for remaining such a drain on the downtown market."
Either way, we cannot ignore the issue with the homeless. Everyone has the rights to the streets and the sidewalks and everyone has the right to sit on the corner but there are laws against begging and it is obvious when one is begging. One time we were in Indy and a woman begging stated she ' didn't get her paycheck for two weeks' and she needed some 'extra money to feed her kids.'
Personally, I think people should not pay pity upon them. They will not beg if they cannot get anything out of it, but people and their Hoosier hospitality do not realize that some people just want your money.
This will help downtown no doubt and give Indianapolis media attention.
A lot can change in four years.

Stutz tower.

From IBJ property lines.

"The developer behind Stutz Business Center is pushing forward on plans for a tower at the southeast corner of Senate Avenue and 11th Street. The project could be as tall as 18 stories and cost as much as $40 million, said Anne Jester, a spokeswoman for the developer, locally based Turner Woodard. Details are not finalized, and neither is financing, she said. The goal is to start construction by 2010 and complete the retail and residential project by 2012. The new building would replace a one-story cinder-block building with a LEED-certified tower. Turner Woodard has details of the project here. -->"



I am on a role with these blogs ROFL.
Anyway, I have mixed views on this. I passed the Stutz center once when we were driving to the Indiana State Museum. It is just your typical turn of the century warehouse with a few decorative touches.
However, I never thought of the potential of these empty corner lots near I-70 or even these old warehouses. I like the idea of creating smaller high-rises. All too often you see urbanites and locals desperate for the tallest and the biggest when in reality multiple smaller high rises creates a bigger affect than just one massive high rise that dominates all else.
Onto the tower.
Cheesy would describe it in my opinion. The spires and over all design remind me of something out of the 1980's. It looks like an attempt at a mix of art deco pencil design and modern spunk but really this is very cheesy and tacky. The massive letters upon its facade just makes it look worse. I never understood the thrill with putting names on high rises or massive urban structures. I've always found it in practical and tasteless.
Lighting could change all this and with a bit of creativity with the lighting it might not end up being so tacky and 1980's. I'm glad to see more development as Indianapolis continues to be the envy of Midwestern cities at least in the pace of development and downtown life.
The near North side of Indianapolis is seeing a lot of development it seems after the reopening of the Central Library.
2010 seems far but when it comes to the ‘business’ world, I suppose it is not that long.
This could be the mark of a renaissance for that part of downtown, which could meet up with the redevelopments going on in the Old North side historical district.
I suppose we shall have to wait and see how this works out.
I will not miss that cinder-block building that is for sure.

Indianapolis White River. Ignored?

Eh,

I have never lived in Indianapolis or even so much as spent the night in the city. However, it being the only major city (Sorry South bend and Fort Wayne) in Indiana I took a great deal of interest in the urban history and urban ism of the city. There are many things I find annoying about Indianapolis whether it be its lack of public transportation or the condition of its neighborhoods ( with the excuse of a few salty historical districts.) but something that makes me head over heels for the town is its green space which is more than often lacking people when I drive through town. The World War I & II monument is without doubt the envy of multiple cities in this country yet it is so ignored by the public. Put such a piece of green space in a city like Chicago and people would go berserk over it and it might actually be used as green space and not a delicate piece of china to be left untouched on the shelf.
However, this is not about the stretch of green space in downtown Indianapolis. This is about something that is more than often ignored yet has always played a vital role in early Indianapolis.
The White River is what I speak of dear friend. The river is not the Ohio or the Mississippi and ships cannot so much as float on the little river yet it is something that could be utilized and turned into a centerpiece for a growing downtown. Those who have taken the time to look back a few chapters in the Indianapolis History books (if you are lucky enough to find one of the few.) would know Indianapolis was placed on the White River in 1821 under the assumption that it could be used for transporting goods and trade. Shortly after the platting of one mile square by Alexander Ralston they discovered multiple sandbars which left much of the river as a functionless creek but by that time the few hundred pioneers that arrived in the swampy mess of a place had huddled along the river in cabins and pole houses (Whatever those are.) only to have 1/8 of this small population wiped out by a Malaria epidemic from White River fumes and vapors. The abandonment of this ' Old Indianapolis' lead to the build up of Near East side neighborhoods such as Lockerbie Square or Chatham arch by fleeing settlers trying to escape the fatal disease. Indianapolis at first had been very much so for the river. The first cemetery, homes, etc were placed a long the river only to be abandoned by the living and after that only horse pulled barges could bring goods to the village of Indianapolis. Ever since this epidemic it was almost as if the people of the young city feared living near it so like every other US city, they gave the worse part of town to immigrants and later the African-Americans. The only important development on the White River was the construction of multiple coal burning or steam powered industries that saw little use in the White River like the early settlers. The river over the years became a large sewage dump for the city and most people would avoid the near west side if they could.
Over the years the decaying factories and rotting immigrant neighborhoods (Some of which I wish were salvaged.) were demolished to make way for either IUPUI or the White River State Park. The river is slightly used more then it was in the past but only as a trial it seems and even then, the river smells quiet awful. The city has been practical through the years and the utilizing of the river is not an issue. Developers see little point in building anything on a river no one enjoys except the occasional jogger or person walking their dog.
The river is not a damp creek but it is not like the Ohio that multiple proud cities sit upon as I stated earlier.
However, it is a river that could be used. Halt the dumping into the river and try cleaning it up a bit and you may have something to work with.
Another issue is the state of near west side Indianapolis. As grand as IUPUI is with its cold brutalism designs and lack of color or the diverse gardens that White River state park boasts the White River is still not what it could be. In vision sleek apartment and condominium towers with low rises below mimicking the industrial brick look of the new Lucas Oil Stadium. I also see boats and more interesting bridges to create a sophisticated look to the river. Clearly, it is nothing like that now but it could be if people put their minds to it.
Of course, this is an issue far less important than Indianapolis' nonexistent massive public transportation or the seas of parking lots surrounding Western downtown.
Just a thought I suppose.

A blog has been born!

I have just created this blog for the purpose of expressing my opinions on issues from Indiana Politics to urban ism and the urban pioneers reviving abandoned areas so vital to our culture. To them I give an applause. I'm not an architect or a designer. I'm not even that important to urban development. I come to you as a person with an opinion like millions other. I have just simply chosen to express my opinion through this blog you seem to be reading. There are no goals of creating this blog as it is just a blog. I am anything but an expert on urban development, urban history, and restoring our cities, but I have read my fair share of books and taken enough interest in urban ism, architecture, and history to have a general knowledge of at least central city or town redevelopments.
I have posted and written multiple times across the Internet and through networking by tongue about the issues of urban ism and urban decay. I have gone by multiple names and many times revealed but my statements remain the same regardless of the screen name I use.
I hope my blog will be so much as drifted upon but if not oh well. It is a mere blog after all.
That is it for now.