Anyone see the latest IBJ has hit the stands? I will refrain from analysis of any kind at this point and simply point out a couple links for catching up on the first volley in the Indianapolis Streetcar debate.
IBJ Story: http://www.ibj.com/backers-seek-support-for-2mile-streetcar-line-downtown/PARAMS/article/29171Â (requires subscription)
WTHR 13 Story: http://www.wthr.com/story/15351324/planners-eye-downtown-indianapolis-streetcar-route
Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corp: http://indianapolisstreetcar.org/home.html
Read up. I am sure that we will see more information on this before too long.
I admit that I do not subscribe to IBJ and just “free load” off of their website, but the very idea of a downtown circulator more than the red line is what I have been pushing for a while……if only to myself. I am not sure about the DT to WRSP link only, but it is a great start and lays groundwork for an extension along Washington to…oh idk…….the airport?!?! We built the city back as a tourist/convention/sports destination, why not provide that momentum in the first leg of any rail transit plan?
Is this a pic of JW Marriott being built in Portland 🙂
This is a start, and I haven’t been this excited about our city in the long time. It will have to be mostly private + federal financing to get this done (regardless of what Mayor says, I don’t expect the city to pony up much other than figuring out the operating expense side), and that’s why it’s maybe smart to start small. This kind of reminds me of Cultural Trail (and not only because B. Payne is involved), which if I remenber correctly started as a $25-$30 million project and eventually grew to roughly $60 mil. I would expect the same kind of thing here, although to build a more comprehensive streetcar system that would connect BR, downtown, IUPUI, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Zoo…would cost hundreds of millions.
Portland is getting a copycat JWM? That’s hilarious.
I guess not. On closer inspection that looks like a condo building that’s already occupied.
It is most likely not fully occupied, as the S. Waterfront has sucked alot of money out of city coffers and offered lots of tax breaks and not many are folks are taking the bait.
It all looks pretty but there is nothing for a person to do that lives there, businesses aren’t locating in the area to make it very livable.
Portland looks pretty from the outside, but dig a little deeper and our problems are as big as Indy’s. $4500 in property tax on a house valued at $200K (assessed value, RMV is something else entirely) and initiatives being thrown on the ballot every fall for just a little more.
Part of why they are not occupied too, could be that they didnt start really opening up until around the time the economy took a dive. It should be interesting to see if they fill out soon.
Isn’t the zoo directly across the street from the old GM plant? A trolley stop could help expedite the redevelopment of this land.
Very good point.
Rails to jails. 🙂 (See my op-ed piece in IBJ regarding re-use of the GM plant site.)
This is great news! our Great City needs some mass transit like this.