The Monon Trail has been, by most accounts, a success. There have been a few bouts of crime on the trail south of 38th Street; however, where it succeeds is in shining a light on an area that had been largely neglected. I wish to focus on some of the potential (some of which is already being realized).
We’ll start with perhaps my favorite building of the whole trip: the former stables of Polk Sanitary Milk Company, south of 16th St:
This building at 16th and the Monon is ripe for conversion:
A former school on 16th. I’m not sure of its fate.
The Martindale on the Monon Project has fixed up an historic building on 16th St. This is their office:
The Gleaner’s Food Bank has a killer mural facing the Monon:
There are 2 brick crossing streets. 17th:
And 20th:
Someone likes colors:
The future home of Project School at 22nd and Yandes (Yandes St. is brick at this point), seen in the next 2 pictures:
The largest operating factory facility at 23rd:
Will this building at 30th Street survive?
The building across the street doesn’t look to be in any better shape:
I like former train depots:
Blank walls don’t have to be boring:
I REALLY like former train depots:
The new murals down by the interstate overpass (not pictured) were done very recently by KIB and Eli Lilly as part of the Lilly Day of Service.
Yup, I didn’t picture those murals, but I have seen them.
Great stuff, Kevin. You got me curious about what’s going on with some of these buildings. Let me know if you hear anything!
The Polk dairy building is owned by IPS and is part of their facilities management/shop facility. Kevin is too kind to IPS; he did not show the razor-wire coils on the fence around the IPS facility or the ugly steel pole-barn that abuts Polk to the south.
Great job Kevin (I changed my name to avoid confusion)!
I too have admired those buildings, especially Polk and the old school. Lots of potential on the surface, I wonder how the guts are?
Regardless, great pics and I hope something can be done with these buildings…
Great photos Urban Indy.
I’ve yet to visit this part of Indianapolis but I do recall seeing that school and Polky Dairy building while on the I-70.
For the most part I thought the school looked trashy except for a few fine stone details. The barbed wire fence around the Polk Dairy buildings made it seem more like a prison camp than a historic industrial structure.
It would be great to renovate these structures into condos, apartments, offices, etc.
Who knows how long that school will last? Especially if IPS keeps knocking them down like bottles.
Thanks for the comments. This was a fun little trip down the Monon and was glad I finally remember to bring a camera.
Very nice photo spread