Urban Indy

I’ll be away from the blogging world for the next two weeks.  As always, thanks for reading and interacting. … Read entire article »

Green Piece Indianapolis has highlighted 2 new schools that will open in the near future. Both are worthy of mention here. The Indianapolis Early Learning Center will focus on pre-school education. Located in a formerly run-down home on West 30th Street, the school will focus on jump starting a young person’s interest in nature. The Paramount School of Excellence will focus on Kindergarten through 8th Grade. Located in the former Brookside Masonic Lodge, the grounds of the school will feature a wind turbine and a garden. … Read entire article »

I know, it’s weird to term a city of almost 40,000 an enclave. However, I find it interesting that the historic center of Lawrence is not well known, as the most of the “downtown” has shifted to the Fort Benjamin Harrison area at 56th and Post.  The historic center is at 46th and Franklin Road: … Read entire article »

We stopped in Crown Point on the way to Chicago. I was impressed by the town square, as it seemed more lively and populated than many others in the state. And, of course, the historic courthouse is impressive: I love this theater.  I’m imagining it’s historic, with a remodel from the 1970′s.  Totally unique.There were quite a few motorcycles about: Quaint: This picture didn’t turn out great, but I was amused by the fact that the … Read entire article »

Earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to stay for 3 nights in downtown Chicago. A Chicago trip always trips my urbanist triggers, and this time was no different. Comparing Indianapolis and Chicago is a futile pursuit, but that doesn’t mean I don’t do this while I’m there. Fortunately, I’ve come away with some inspiration that can apply to our city. Each Bus Stop has the map of its route posted. This would be a nice way to give people an idea of where the buses travel without needing to find a guide or the internet. Still, we probably should re-design our routes first before enshrining them on bus stops. Green Roofs. I actually saw 2 different green roofs from the vantage point of our … Read entire article »

Here’s a few pics from my trip to Beech Grove a few weeks ago:   The Amtrak Train Shed, dating from 1909: How many songs have this particular title? City Hall:Beech Grove has done quite a bit of work to make Main Street and Emerson Avenue more attractive and walkable.  I can’t imagine how hard it would have been to cross Emerson a few years ago; now there’s a prominent crosswalk, and the street has been narrowed. … Read entire article »