East 10th Street

10th Street, from Woodruff Place to Sherman Drive, might be the longest stretch of dense semi-commercial development in Indianapolis. It does not have the best reputation for safety; however, during my walk, the street was alive with activity. I have always wanted to feature it on this blog, as I feel it has great potential, as long as it isn’t abandoned.

The new community center. I like the integration of the bus stop with the building:

Community Center’s Extension, which is an historic apartment.

Across the street:

More of the community center building:

Just beautiful:

I like peace:

Tick Tock lounge. I love that checkerboard pattern:

The corner of Rural and 10th. Somebody has put a lot of time into this area. Later, I saw a cop car careening around this corner with its lights on, right out of a movie.

The original “green roof”:

Character:

Here was a surprise, a new, modern looking school:

Some good stained glass in this building, didn’t get a very good capture of it:

The old Rivoli is still standing. May it continue to do so:

Someone decided to paint some of the boards:

Looks in good shape:

Comments 19

  • Pretty sure it’s pronounced “Bahner”, but it’s nice to see my neighborhood featured. 🙂

  • It definitely rhymes with Connor – phaedrus is right. And the people working there, both for the Center and their nonprofit tenants, do really great work for our community.

    It’s named for one of the original center leaders, John H. Boner, who helped begin the neighborhood transition that is still take place there.

  • I didn’t really mean to downplay the place. It’s good stuff.

  • I’ve edited my post. I apologize if I caused offense.

  • WE LOVE THE RIVOLI! Why won’t anyone give that place some love?

  • Aw lighten up – he was joking.

  • That building on the corner of 10th and Rural has a bona-fide green roof on top, I went to the installation opening. They reinforced the ceiling and re-did the building, put a Live Roof system on top along with a competitor’s system to show the differences. It is pretty neat, but hard to see unless you have a ladder.

    I have a living sample of the roof. I located it so that it gets full sun in summer and none in winter, but it is thriving.

    I also go to the cycle place to get old bike parts, so I’m familiar with the area. Just like the rest of the Eastside (which I reside in) it has some ways to go before everyone would feel safe and secure living there, but you have to get from here to there and this is how you do it. Keep the Eastside Pride going strong!

  • That’s really cool Graeme.

  • That “Walking and Bicycling Map of Indianapolis” that’s going around shows a streetcar line on East 10th. That would explain the dense historic development pattern.

    Also…this area is part of the Near East Side GINI area, and it’s at the northern edge of the Housing TIF.

    For reasons I cannot fathom given the area and its reputation, “Housing TIF” is abbreviated “HoTIF”.

    Sounds more like the city is getting a cut of someone’s revenue, not like a housing revitalization area.

  • The school is brand new, it just opened last year or the year before, I think.

    10th street is one of Indy’s few urban commercial corridors. It would be really great to see it revitalized.

  • Go to http://www.focusindy.com for more information about revitalization efforts underway on 10th St.

  • Thanks for featuring the east side! I serve as co-chair of the Near East Side Community Organization’s History and Preservation Committee, and we’ve developed a walking brochure of East Tenth Street, with a history of many of the buildings. If anyone wants it, please e-mail me at grhindpls@yahoo.com and give me your mailing address. We’re also glad to welcome new volunteers to our committee (we sponsor lectures, give tours, collect oral histories and photos, etc.–it’s a lot of fun!).

  • Good post. There are lots of promising structures along that 10th Street corridor, unfortunately surrounded by grim neighborhoods and deteriorating housing stock. Like the area around Brookside Park, just to the north, I see lots of potential but hope things aren’t too far gone. Still, if people ever do start re-assessing based on energy issues, this whole corridor would seem ripe for improvement. I suppose the best hope is that liveability creeps eastward from downtown and westward from Irvington.

  • The corner of Rural and 10th. Somebody has put a lot of time into this area. Later, I saw a cop car careening around this corner with its lights on, right out of a movie.

    Just another day in the swamp. A few years back when I was working night shift, I heard that Village Pantry there (might be gone now) get robbed three times in one week!!!

  • Lots of good information on the East 10th Civic Association site.

    And, yes, it’s “Bonner” — but I still titter to myself when I ride by. Deep down, I’m 12.

  • hey, that E 10th Civic Association has the green roof on the available properties link…

  • All-

    Thanks for noticing the positives and progress along the 10 East Main Street district (East 10th Street)! Lots of cool things happening in this up-and-coming neighborhood! http://www.teneast.org

    Stay tuned for the new cafe opening at 10th & Jefferson!

  • Aw, go ahead “tlh”…tell ’em who you are and that it’s your work with the community groups and property owners making all this stuff happen!

  • I am a concern East side resident of the changes happening to 10th Street from Emerson Avenue to Arlington Avenue. These barriers that are being put up in the middle of the street in the “Turn Lane” are causing me to wonder how will Emergency vehicles to get by the traffic when making a run to an accident or to Community Hospital ?
    And now I’m seeing Trees are being potted inside pots that are inside these square barriers. Is that really a good idea ? Won’t the Trees need more green space to spread roots than those little pots?

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