Downtown Indianapolis | |
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![]() Downtown Indianapolis in 2016 | |
Nickname: "Downtown Indy" | |
![]() Location of Downtown within Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana | |
Coordinates: 39°46′N86°10′W / 39.77°N 86.16°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Marion |
Township | Center |
City | Indianapolis |
Population (2020) [1] | |
• Total | 22,412 |
Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 46202, 46203, 46204, 46225 |
Area code | 317 / 463 |
Website | www |
Downtown Indianapolis is a neighborhood area and the central business district of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Downtown is bordered by Interstate 65, Interstate 70, and the White River, and is situated near the geographic center of Marion County. Downtown has grown from the original 1821 town plat—often referred to as the Mile Square—to encompass a broader geographic area of central Indianapolis, containing several smaller historic neighborhoods.
Downtown Indianapolis is the cultural, political, and economic center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Downtown Indianapolis anchors the city's burgeoning tourism and hospitality sector, home to nearly 8,000 hotel rooms and several of the city's major sporting and event facilities. Downtown contains numerous historic districts and properties, most of the city's memorials and monuments, performing arts venues, and museums. Since its founding in 1820, the seats of Indianapolis's local administration and Indiana's state government have been located Downtown. Downtown Indianapolis is also home to the highest density of commercial office space and employment in the state of Indiana.
When Indianapolis was founded in 1820, the new capital city was planned to occupy an area of one square mile (2.6 km2) adjacent to the White River and near the geographic center of Marion County. The plat included eastern and western "anchors": the Indiana Statehouse (west) and the Indianapolis City Market and Marion County Courthouse (east), respectively. As the population increased and the city matured, the original plat continued to densify, developing into the region's central business district.
The city's historical core and present-day central business district is sometimes referred to as the "Mile Square". However, the Downtown "neighborhood area" defines a broader geography, incorporating an area bounded by 16th Street and Interstate 65 (north), Interstate 65/70 (east), Interstate 70 (south), and the White River (west). Downtown is generally bisected into four quadrants, divided by Meridian Street (north to south) and Washington Street (east to west).(about 7 square miles)
Downtown Indianapolis is sited on flat terrain near the confluence of the White River and Fall Creek. Pogue's Run, a smaller tributary of the White River, flows beneath Downtown. The waterway was channeled into a sanitary tunnel in 1914. [2]
Downtown Indianapolis contains 36 apartment buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the Apartments and Flats of Downtown Indianapolis Thematic Resources. [3] Entries in italics denote designated cultural districts.
Downtown Indianapolis dates to the city's founding as the state of Indiana's new capital in 1820 near the east bank of the White River. The state legislature appointed Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham to survey and design a town plan for Indianapolis, which was platted in 1821. [4] Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for a town of one square mile (2.6 km2) bounded by North, East, South, and West streets (although they were not named at that time), with Governor's Circle, a large circular commons, at the center of town.
Ralston's grid pattern with wide roads and public squares extended outward from the four blocks adjacent to the Circle, and also included four diagonal streets, later renamed as avenues. [5] Public squares were reserved for government and community use, but not all of these squares were used for this intended purpose. [6] Ralston altered the grid pattern in the southeast quadrant to accommodate the flow of Pogue's Run, but a plat created in 1831 changed his original design and established a standard grid there as well. [7]
Ralston's basic street plan is still evident in present-day Downtown Indianapolis. [8] Streets in the original plat were named after states that were part of the United States when Indianapolis was initially planned, with the addition of Michigan, which was a U.S. territory at that time. Tennessee and Mississippi Streets were renamed Capitol and Senate Avenues in 1895 after several state government buildings were built west of the Circle near the Indiana Statehouse. There are a few other exceptions to the early street names. The National Road, which eventually bisected Indiana, passed through Indianapolis along Washington Street, a 120-foot-wide (37 m) east–west street (more recently converted into a one-way westbound street west of New Jersey Street) located one block south of the Circle. The city's address numbering system begins at the intersection of Washington and Meridian streets. [9] Meridian and Market Streets intersect the Circle. Few street improvements were made in the 1820s and 1830s; sidewalks did not appear until 1839 or 1840. [10]
In the last half of the nineteenth century, when the city's population soared from 8,091 in 1850 to 169,164 in 1900, urban development expanded in all directions as Indianapolis experienced a building boom and transitioned from an agricultural community to an industrial center. [11] Some of the city's most iconic structures were built during this period, including several that have survived to the present day in Downtown: the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (1888, dedicated 1902), the Indiana Statehouse (1888), Union Station (1888), and the Das Deutsche Haus (1898), among others. [12]
Following World War II, expansion of the American middle class, suburbanization, and declining manufacturing employment greatly impacted Downtown Indianapolis, similar to most U.S. central business districts at this time. Urban renewal projects of this era hastened the central business district's decline, particularly the clearance of working-class neighborhoods. The neighborhoods surrounding Indiana Avenue, the center of the city's African American community, were particularly impacted. The establishment of the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus in 1969 and the construction of Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 in the 1960s and 1970s resulted in large-scale displacement of African Americans.
The loss of population and activity Downtown prompted civic leaders to plan for economic development and revitalization of the area. Among the first projects was the opening of Market Square Arena, which served as home to the Indiana Pacers and host to numerous concerts and other sporting events. The success of Market Square Arena helped persuade decision-makers to make Downtown the center of an aggressive sports tourism strategy. Throughout the 1980s, $122 million in public and private funding built several athletic facilities Downtown, including the Indianapolis Tennis Center, Indiana University Natatorium, Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium, and the Hoosier Dome. The latter project helped secure the 1984 relocation of the Baltimore Colts, the 1987 Pan American Games, and scores of subsequent athletic events of national and international interest. [13]
Modern skyscraper construction catapulted Downtown office and commercial space in the 1980s. A building boom, lasting from 1982 to 1990, saw the construction of six of the city's ten tallest buildings. [14] [15] These included OneAmerica Tower (1982), Fifth Third Bank Tower (1983), Capital Center South Tower (1987), BMO Plaza (1988), Market Tower (1988), 300 North Meridian (1989), and the tallest, Salesforce Tower (1990). [16]
The non-profit Downtown Indy, Inc. was established in 1993 to help promote economic development, beautification, and program events. Reinvestment continued through the 1990s, with the continued buildout of White River State Park museums and attractions, development of the Canal Walk, Circle Centre Mall (1995), Victory Field (1996), and Gainbridge Fieldhouse (1999).
The city's successful sports tourism campaign provided local leadership with a template for increasing Downtown's capacity to host conventions and trade shows. Two of the city's tallest buildings to be completed in the 21st century, Conrad Indianapolis (2006) and the JW Marriott Indianapolis (2011), are hotels. Following the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008, the Indiana Convention Center completed its largest expansion in 2011.
In the 2010s, Downtown experienced increased demand for housing. Numerous mixed-use and apartment buildings were developed during this time. According to Downtown Indy, Inc., the number of apartment units Downtown increased 61 percent from 2011 to 2015, with more than 50 percent of new development occurring inside the Mile Square. [17] In 2010, the population of Downtown was 14,664; by 2020, the population had increased to 22,412.
Downtown is the densest employment cluster in the state of Indiana. [18] According to Downtown Indy, Inc., in 2021, there were about 154,500 workers. [lower-alpha 1] According to Colliers International, the central business district commercial office market contained 11.8 million square feet (1,100,000 m2) of office space, with a direct vacancy rate of 16.9 percent in 2017. [19]
Downtown Indianapolis is home to two of the city's three Fortune 500 companies: health insurance company Elevance Health and pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company. Other prominent downtown employers include AES Indiana, Cummins, Rolls-Royce, [20] Indiana University, IU Health, Angi, Barnes & Thornburg, Emmis Corporation, the Indianapolis Star , OneAmerica Financial Partners, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Simon Property Group, and Salesforce.
As the location for several local, state, and federal government agencies and buildings, downtown Indianapolis is home to a large concentration of white-collar workers with roles in public policy, law, advocacy, and public relations.
Located on Market Street, the City-County Building serves as the seat of the consolidated government of Indianapolis and Marion County. The office building houses the executive and legislative branches of local government as well as numerous municipal departments. The John Morton-Finney Center for Educational Services at Walnut and Delaware streets houses the administrative headquarters for Indianapolis Public Schools.
The Indiana Statehouse, located at the west end of Market Street, houses the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of Indiana's state government, including the offices of the governor and lieutenant governor of Indiana, the Indiana General Assembly, and the Indiana Supreme Court. Administrative offices for several state agencies are located in neighboring buildings, mainly the north and south buildings of the Indiana Government Center.
Several federal field offices are located in the Minton-Capehart Federal Building on Pennsylvania Street. The Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse on Ohio Street houses the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The United States Postal Service operates two post offices downtown as well as its Indianapolis Processing and Distribution Center on South Street.
The hospitality industry is an increasingly vital sector to the Indianapolis economy, especially downtown. According to Visit Indy, 28.2 million visitors generated $4.9 billion in 2015, the fourth straight year of record growth. [21] Indianapolis has long been a sport tourism destination, but has more recently relied on conventions. [22] The Indiana Convention Center (ICC) and Lucas Oil Stadium are considered mega convention center facilities, with a combined 750,000 square feet (70,000 m2) of exhibition space. [23] ICC is connected to 12 hotels and 4,700 hotel rooms, the most of any U.S. convention center. [24] In 2008, the facility hosted 42 national conventions with an attendance of 317,815; in 2014, it hosted 106 for an attendance of 635,701. [22]
Most hotels are clustered in the blocks immediately adjacent to the Indiana Convention Center in downtown's southwest quadrant. According to Downtown Indy, Inc., there are 34 hotels with a total of 7,839 hotel rooms. [25] Notable hotels include:
Recent developments in downtown Indianapolis include the construction of new mid- to high-rise buildings and the $275 million expansion of the Indiana Convention Center completed in 2011. [26] [27] After 12 years of planning and six years of construction, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail officially opened in 2013. [28] The $62.5 million public-private partnership resulted in 8 miles (13 km) of urban bike and pedestrian corridors linking six cultural districts with neighborhoods, IUPUI, and every significant arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment venue downtown. [29] [30] [31] [32]
Notable independent establishments such as St. Elmo Steak House and Slippery Noodle Inn mix with chains in the blocks surrounding Circle Centre Mall in downtown's Wholesale District. [33] Massachusetts Avenue, one of the city's original diagonal streets, is lined with numerous local bars and eateries. [34] Anchoring downtown's Market East district, the Indianapolis City Market features dozens of local food vendors that generally serve lunchtime patrons. [35] Sun King Brewing is located about five blocks east in the neighboring Cole-Noble District. Since the 2010s, downtown's Fletcher Place neighborhood emerged as a popular dining destination. [36]
Indianapolis's professional sports clubs and facilities are located downtown south of Washington Street, including Gainbridge Fieldhouse (home to the Indiana Fever and the Indiana Pacers), Lucas Oil Stadium (home to the Indianapolis Colts), and Victory Field (home to the Indianapolis Indians). Other notable venues are located on the Indiana University Indianapolis campus in the northwestern section of downtown. The IU Indy Jaguars compete at the IUPUI Gymnasium, Indiana University Natatorium, and Carroll Stadium. The latter is also home to the Indy Eleven, the city's second-tier men's professional soccer team.
Note:For an overview and complete list of all memorials and monuments on the grounds of Indiana Government Center, see Indiana Statehouse Public Art Collection.
Museums and libraries with collections of local, state, and national interest can be found in downtown Indianapolis, including the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana State Museum (both located on the downtown Canal Walk) and the state's largest public library, the Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau, is also located nearby at the intersection of Ohio Street and Senate Avenue. [37] Neighboring White River State Park contains the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and the NCAA Hall of Champions.
Indiana Avenue, in downtown's northwest quadrant, is home to Crispus Attucks High School and Museum and the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Located in downtown's northeast quadrant, the Mass Ave Cultural Arts District is home to the Indianapolis Firefighters Museum and James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home. Rhythm! Discovery Center is located in the Claypool Court near the intersection of Washington and Illinois streets.
Two of the city's three major Masonic landmarks—the Indianapolis Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral [38] —share the block of North Street between Meridian and Illinois streets. Immediately east across Meridian Street is the Indianapolis Public Library's Central Library and the five-block Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, home to the American Legion's Emil A. Blackmore Museum, the Indiana World War Memorial Military Museum, and the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum.
In 2021, downtown Indianapolis contained about 340 acres (140 ha) across 28 parks and plazas. [lower-alpha 1] The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza encompasses three distinct downtown greenspaces: American Legion Mall, Veterans Memorial Plaza, and University Park. The Indianapolis Canal Walk also includes three pocket parks: Community Service Plaza, Vermont Street Plazas, and Walnut Street Commons. Bicentennial Unity Plaza, the newest public space downtown, opened in 2023. [40]
Note:Entries in italics denote privately-owned parks and plazas or those not under the management of the State of Indiana or the City of Indianapolis.
Downtown's northwest quadrant is home to Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. IUPUI enrolls about 30,000 students in 450 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs offered by 17 schools. [43] Notable schools on the campus include the Herron School of Art and Design, Kelley School of Business, McKinney School of Law, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Indiana University School of Medicine, the largest medical school in the U.S. [44] [45]
Two public schools belonging to Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) serve the downtown area: Center for Inquiry School 2 and Crispus Attucks High School. In partnership with IPS, the Simon Youth Foundation operates Simon Youth Academy at Circle Centre Mall, an alternative school for eleventh and twelfth grade students. One private school, Lumen Christi Catholic School, is located in the southeast quadrant of downtown in Fletcher Place.
Downtown's northwest quadrant is home to the largest cluster of healthcare facilities in the region. Indiana University Health and the Indiana University School of Medicine form an academic medical center that includes University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children in an area roughly bounded by 10th Street (north), Michigan Street (south), University Boulevard (east), and Riley Hospital Drive (west). IU Health Methodist Hospital is located on 16th Street in the neighboring Near Northside.
The city's primary public medical centers, Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, are situated immediately west of the Indiana University Medical Center in an area bounded by 10th Street (north), Michigan Street (south), Eskenazi Avenue (east), and Porto Alegre Street (west).
Downtown Indianapolis has been the regional transportation hub for central Indiana since its establishment. The first major federally funded highway in the U.S., the National Road (now Washington Street), reached Indianapolis in 1836, [46] followed by the railroad in 1847. Indianapolis Union Station opened in 1853 as the world's first union station. [47] Citizen's Street and Railway Company was established in 1864, operating the city's first mule-drawn streetcar line. [48] [49] Opened in 1904 on Market Street, the Indianapolis Traction Terminal was the largest interurban station in the world, handling 500 trains daily and 7 million passengers annually. [50] Ultimately doomed by the automobile, the terminal closed in 1941, followed by the streetcar system in 1957. [51]
Two of the region's four interstate highways (Interstate 65 and Interstate 70) form an "inner loop" on the north, east, and south sides of downtown Indianapolis. I-65 and I-70 radiate from downtown to connect with the "outer loop," a beltway called Interstate 465.
IndyGo operates the city's public transit network, with downtown Indianapolis serving as the region's hub and spoke origin. In 2016, the Julia M. Carson Transit Center opened as the downtown hub for 27 of its 31 bus routes. [52] The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority is headquartered in downtown Indianapolis. The quasi-governmental agency provides commuter bus service and oversees regional carpool and vanpool programs.
Downtown Indianapolis continues to be the city's intercity transportation hub. Amtrak provides intercity rail service via the Cardinal , which makes three weekly trips between New York City and Chicago. Union Station served about 30,000 passengers in 2015. [53] Three intercity bus service providers stop in the city: Greyhound Lines and Burlington Trailways (via Union Station), and Megabus (via City Market). [54]
The Indianapolis Airport Authority operates the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport, which opened for public use in 1979.
AES Indiana, the city's electricity provider, is headquartered on Monument Circle. Citizens Energy Group's Perry K. Generating Station burns natural gas to produce steam to provide heat and hot water to 200 customers as part of the downtown district heating system.
Indianapolis, colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of the White River. The city's official slogan, "Crossroads of America", reflects its historic importance as a transportation hub and its relative proximity to other major North American markets.
Downtown is the largest central business district in the city of Houston and the largest in the state of Texas, located near the geographic center of the metropolitan area at the confluence of Interstate 10, Interstate 45, and Interstate 69. The 1.84-square-mile (4.8 km2) district, enclosed by the aforementioned highways, contains the original townsite of Houston at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou, a point known as Allen's Landing. Downtown has been the city's preeminent commercial district since its founding in 1836.
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The economic and cultural center of the city and the Cleveland metropolitan area, it is Cleveland's oldest district, with its Public Square laid out by city founder General Moses Cleaveland in 1796.
Downtown Memphis, Tennessee is the central business district of Memphis, Tennessee and is located along the Mississippi River between Interstate 40 to the north, Interstate 55 to the south and I-240 to the east, where it abuts Midtown Memphis.
The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a 284 ft 6 in (86.72 m) tall neoclassical monument built on Monument Circle, a circular, brick-paved street that intersects Meridian and Market streets in the center of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. In the years since its public dedication on May 15, 1902, the monument has become an iconic symbol of Indianapolis, the state capital of Indiana. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1973, and was included in an expansion of the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza National Historic Landmark District in December 2016. It is located in the Washington Street-Monument Circle Historic District. It is also the largest outdoor memorial and the largest of its kind in Indiana.
Downtown Atlanta is the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The largest of the city's three commercial districts, it is the location of many corporate and regional headquarters; city, county, state, and federal government facilities; Georgia State University; sporting venues; and most of Atlanta's tourist attractions. It measures approximately four square miles, and had 26,850 residents as of 2017. Similar to other central business districts in the United States, it has recently undergone a transformation that includes the construction of new condos and lofts, renovation of historic buildings, and arrival of new residents and businesses.
Circle Centre Mall is an indoor shopping mall located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Circle Centre Mall was opened to the public on September 8, 1995, and incorporates existing downtown structures such as the former L. S. Ayres flagship store. The mall is anchored by Regal Cinemas and the offices for The Indianapolis Star. The space occupied by former anchor Carson Pirie Scott is vacant.
Seven neighborhoods in Indianapolis, Indiana, are designated as official Cultural Districts. These are Broad Ripple Village, Canal and White River State Park, Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Market East, Mass Ave, and the Wholesale District.
Downtown Spokane or Riverside is the central business district of Spokane, Washington. The Riverside neighborhood is roughly bounded by I-90 to the south, Division Street to the east, Monroe Street to the west and Boone Avenue to the north. The topography of Downtown Spokane is mostly flat except for areas downstream of the Spokane Falls which are located in a canyon; the elevation is approximately 1,900 feet (580 m) above sea level.
The Indiana Convention Center is a major convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The original structure was completed in 1972 and has undergone five expansions. In total, there are 71 meeting rooms, 11 exhibit halls, and three multi-purpose ballrooms. The connected facilities of Lucas Oil Stadium offer an additional 183,000 square feet (20,000 m2) of exhibit space and 12 meeting rooms.
Fountain Square is one of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. Located just outside the city's downtown district, Fountain Square is home to three designated national historic districts, the Laurel and Prospect, the State and Prospect, and the Virginia Avenue districts, all of which were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The neighborhood derives its name from the successive fountains that have been prominently featured at the intersection of Virginia Avenue, East Prospect Street, and Shelby Street.
The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza is an urban feature and war memorial located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. It was conceived in 1919 as a location for the national headquarters of the American Legion and a memorial to the state's and nation's veterans.
Downtown is the central economic, political, and cultural district of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is bounded on the east by Canal Street and the Providence River, to the north by Smith Street, to the west by Interstate 95, and to the south by Henderson Street. The highway serves as a physical barrier between the city's commercial core and neighborhoods of Federal Hill, West End, and Upper South Providence. Most of the downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Downtown Providence Historic District.
Meridian Street is the primary north–south street in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Washington Street is the primary east–west street in Indianapolis, in the central part of the U.S. state of Indiana. The street follows the route of the National Road for almost all of its length in the city of Indianapolis. For a time, its entire length was designated as U.S. Route 40 (US 40) before that highway was re-aligned with the southern segment of Interstate 465 (I-465); now only the segments of Washington Street between I-465 and the city limits on either side of the city are part of US 40.
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop, bounded on the east by I-345 (although known and signed as the northern terminus of I-45 and the southern terminus of US 75, on the west by I-35E, on the south by I-30, and on the north by Woodall Rodgers Freeway.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, officially the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick, is an 8.1-mile-long (13.0 km) urban shared-use path and linear park located in the vicinity of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The trail is often compared to other popular bicycle and pedestrian paths across the U.S. and has inspired similar projects throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Market East is the newest of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. The district is on the east side of downtown and is bounded to the north by New York Street, to the south by the railroad tracks, to the west by Delaware Street and to the east by East Street.