The Cultural Trail is generally viewed as a successful project by downtown boosters, but it is not without some reasonable criticism. This post is not intended to be a rebuttal to Connie Ziegler’s provocative post, but rather a reaffirmation of my own feelings towards the trail. Last Saturday I rode my bike down most of …
It’s been a while, so I figured I would post an open thread for ideas and suggestions. This time around I pose the question: What if the City of Indianapolis buried the I65/I70 split downtown? A simple enough question but one in which a multiude of feelings are elicited. What would happen to congestion? How …
Lockerbie is a small but charming neighborhood featuring brick sidewalks and a mix of historic houses. Due to its proximity to downtown, as well as its connection to the James Whitcomb Riley, Lockerbie was the first neighborhood in the urban center to be “saved” by preservationists following a long decline. Many of the houses are …
Tom Harton is reporting over at Indianapolis Business Journal that a low-rise office building project is back in the works for the NW quadrant of downtown. The building is proposed for a plot fronting Indiana Ave and Capitol Ave. This land was originally sold by the State of Indiana to Hearthview Residential in 2007 for …
INDOT has long been known for favoring road expansion above all other forms of transportation. And if their Long Range Plan is any proof, this will continue to be the case. It’s actually a joke that this was released to the public. To wit: High Speed Rail High speed rail, also known as commuter light-rail …
Last week, I met with Eric Fulford of NINebark to discuss his research regarding the General Motors plant near downtown. He was gracious enough to share with me some current and historic photos of the facility. I was not aware that the factory was not just another metal-sided affair, but instead was originally intended to …
Considering the current events surrounding the political instability in Libya, I thought I would repost my piece on Tripoli, Libya, a place I had the opportunity to travel to for business in 2010. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Tripoli, Libya for a business trip. I went because I am working on a …
In the summer of 2010, the Indianapolis DPW began a project on 52nd street in Midtown Indianapolis. This project’s goal was to resurface the roadway, repair broken sidewalks and add bike lanes. This project was bounded by the Monon Trail on the east and by College Ave on the west. Last summer and fall, I brought …
CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders, brought its Livability Workshop to Indianapolis last October. There, national leaders worked with a local team to hone in on keys project areas for improving the quality of life in Indianapolis. Two main focal points that emerged were “renewing our center†with Monument Circle and “reclaiming the …
The Shrine Room of the World War I Memorial is indeed a sacred space. What I find amazing is that many people who’ve lived here for years haven’t even heard about this treasure, let alone visited. I’ve often said that if this building were in Washington DC, it would have a line out the door. …