Urban Indy

It was bound to happen eventually. News of the latest home builder to close shop has given us a chance to reflect on the model of suburban tract housing. IBJ’s News Talk poses an important question: –What will become of Morgan neighborhoods, many of which are little more than rows of poor-man’s drywall castles? Will they, like tail fins, be viewed as vestiges of a super-sized America? Or will they, as was the case through much of this decade, be sought out for the sheer room for the buck? A related question: Will Morgan houses ever attract urban pioneers of the distant future? Why? I believe that the answer of this question could be the subject of a documentary film in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, what can … Read entire article »

I’ve been thinking recently at our moment in time. Studies such as this about Antarctic Glaciers melting away can be quite alarming. However, I believe that we need to realize the only constant on our planet is change. Mankind will have to adapt, and I believe that we have the capacity to do so. After all, humans existed at a time when the ground underneath my feet was once underneath a thick sheet of ice. Long before that, this land was at the bottom of the ocean. The continent we know as North America was once attached to Europe. The magnetic poles that we rely on heavily have flipped between the poles numerous times, and nothing is stopping them from flipping again. And, … Read entire article »

Well, the first post took off more than I expected, so I feel that I should post a follow-up.  I didn’t mean for the list to be exhaustive, and I also feared a North Side bias.  However, I agree with most of the choices of the responders, and many of them are on the North Side.  Without further ado, Part II of Places with Atmosphere: Shallo’s.  Yes, it’s difficult to find.  Yes, it’s in a part of town that I avoid at all costs.  However, they have succeeded in creating a place worth the effort. Brugge.  Get there early.  Drink good beer and eat good fries.  One of my favorite places in town. Ralph’s Great Divide.  Perfect for cold weather.  Cheesy potato soup is a must-have. Mama Carolla’s.  In an old “show house” from … Read entire article »

Commenter Graeme has updated me about the Irvington Streetscape Project, which has cleared a major funding hurdle. Good news here. … Read entire article »

Big Hat Books recently completed a move from Westfield Blvd to 6510 Cornell.  This is a new construction, and I believe they did a great job with it. Of course, they have the same friendly staff.  The building also contains a clothing store called Marigold. … Read entire article »

The Locally Grown Gardens blog has posted a nice article on the nascent Slow Food movement in Indianapolis. It seems that awareness on this front is increasing, which I believe is essential. … Read entire article »

The President had this to say yesterday: “Transportation is not just fixing our old transportation systems but its also imaging new transportation systems. That’s why I’d like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. That’s why I would like to invest in mass transit because potentially that’s energy efficient and I think people are alot more open now to thinking regionally in terms of how we plan our transportation infrastructure. The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this kind of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation. That will make a big difference.” It’s quite refreshing to hear candidness … Read entire article »

It was a great day for a walk in one of Indy’s more diverse neighborhoods. These pics are out of order from how we walked, but Blogger’s photo uploader is kind of funky. There were 3 cats in this house, this one wanted its picture taken: I was intrigued by this little place: Colors!: KIB’s looking pretty nice, especially next to the house that’s falling apart next door. … Read entire article »

I love a good atmosphere. They seem to be tough to come by in this city, but they are the places I tend to visit most often. Here are some of my favorites: Red Key. This is an obvious choice. The place hasn’t changed much since the early 1950′s, and has a great jukebox. It’s been in a movie. A classic. Broad Ripple Brew Pub. A non-smoking British style place in an old house. Darts are not an afterthought here. Monon Coffee Company. Coffee places have taken a major hit in this city, sadly. This venerable institution is still going strong. Working Man’s Friend. Set in a neighborhood near a railroad track and an industrial facility, this place is surprisingly open and almost … Read entire article »

The latest article regarding Mass Transit in the Star plainly presents how difficult it must be to govern. The article sites a survey which finds that a majority of Hoosiers want better Mass Transit, but they don’t want to see taxes rise in order to pay for them. So, what are the other options? The only thing that immediately comes to my mind is to cut other government services. Is there something else that I’m missing? … Read entire article »