This proposal has been floating around the web and on Skyscraper City, but I have yet to post it here. This is the site plan:
They are planning on reusing the frame of the operation center, because it was built with enough strength to withstand armored truck deliveries. The development group, Milhaus, has a relatively new blog that I have added to my links.
I hope they can get started on this project soon. That block is so bleak at this point that any sign of progress would be welcomed. Hopefully, another project could come in some day to fill in that last surface parking lot.
Anything to get rid of that eyesore… that whole area looks horrible. Would be nice to get rid of the drug house as well (Washington and East with the University Lofts signage).
i don't know the location. where is the existing 'bleakness'?
Apologies for not mentioning this. It is at the northwest corner of East and Washington Street.
Looks like a pretty good project; had to look at that eyesore for years on a daily basis. The parking lot is a little annoying though…
The plan looks…ok. The architecture seems uninspired and relatively generic. But atleast 75% of the site is an urban urban design. Now….what to do with that surface lot, because that cannot be tolerated. It faces Washington Street for crying out loud. Lets get with it!
Definitely could be better, BUT for what it is today, I totally welcome this proposal. The lot could definitely be filled in later. Most importantly, though, is the fact that the architecture does not TOTALLY reak of Firehouse Square or any other Ryland 'development for suburbanites' from the past. I like the 5 story density and slightly contemporary cleanliness. Better than average.
What is the vantage point of the rendering? I can't get oriented.
Greg, as for the surface parking lot facing Washington, I think it's important to consider the current "use" of the land. Right now, half of the block is covered by a run-down and unoccupied two story building, and the other half is covered by an overgrown and unused surface parking lot. The building and half of the current parking structure are to be replaced with a five story, mixed use structure. Half of the existing parking lot will remain a parking lot for now.
There are lots of surface parking lots in downtown Indy that need to go away. But this particular project, from a land use perspective (setting aside design for now), is an unqualifiedly positive development, and is eliminating 50 percent of an existing lot, and I think it's unfair to point to the remaining surface lot (which would be a natural place for expansion if the first phase succeeds) as a failure of the project. Currently, that block is a total dead zone. After this project is done, there will be 15 times as much space devoted to retail, residential, or covered parking than there is to surface parking. I don't think I'm settling if I think this is a great development for that part of downtown.
North is to the right side of the rendering.
I agree this is, in general, a positive project. Another thing to think about is avoiding superblocks. This project already uses 3/4s of an entire square block of real estate, although it does look like the part facing New Jersey Street is a separate building. If another project came along of a different scale for that parking lot which is separated by an alley or walkway, that might actually be a good thing. Just thinking out loud here.
Great point about how this proposal will eventually help avoid the superblock. More diversity PLUS density for the future. This is a prime area since it's so close to the circle. I think Indy NEEDS to use the old Market Sq. Arena site as the city's most important development within a 50 year period. Wow…maybe then the City MArket can operate naturally?
I feel like the Market Square area would make a great place for a DT transit area. From a spatial POV, it is where a lot of the daily trips are going anyway; either CCB or Chase. And in the future if the City Market comes back to life the way that it should, then even off peak trips would serve a good area of DT. Being so close to all the jobs, it makes great.
We have all seen public transit integrated into building design and this would be a great way to pursue the same goal. Of course, that hinges on a robust public transit system actually being decided upon which we are a little bit of time away from. That is simply my opinion though.
I think that empty buildings are better than bland design. Indianapolis has continued to have a "we'll settle for anything to get this place used" attitude that has resulted in the most vanilla downtown possible. Come on, let's hold their feet to the fire for a good building with multiple uses that takes proper advantage of a prime site and infrastructure.
You and Greg make good points, and the good news is the rendering can still be improved upon. According to Abelrock on Skyscraper City, this rendering is apparently much better than the last one, although I never saw it. Perhaps you experts could could contact <a href="http://www.milhausventures.com/development/contact/index.php>Milhaus</a> and share your thoughts.
sorry, here is the link.
Yeah, there is a lot of work yet to do to get this across the finish line, but we are getting there…..I am hopeful most importantly that something can get done to help this be a catalyst for City Market and Market Square, as downtown can’t have another failure on that site! tm
Thanks for the update Tadd.