Do Wide, Busy Streets cause Temporary Architecture?

The empty Starbucks at Fall Creek and College is a fine example of temporary architecture. The building dates from 2005, and is already becoming a burden to a neighborhood that does not need another one. There was cautious optimism when the Starbucks first opened, however, as they employed people from the neighborhood. For this, Starbucks is to be commended. However, my main problem is with the building itself.

The building failed to engage the street, and could have been right at home on any random suburban thoroughfare. The business was dependent on commuters speeding down Fall Creek or College Avenue, and they built a drive-thru for their convenience. The fact that a car-dependent drive-thru can be built in a neighborhood in Center Township did not seem to raise many eyebrows at the time, but I see it as a big problem. What will go in this building now?

However, an even larger issue is this one: could anything worth saving be built along Fall Creek Boulevard as it exists today? The street handles so many cars, going at such a high speed, that it is oppressive to all other means of travel. Who would want to walk along such a street? This leads me to believe that the street will continue to be a barrier to foot, bicycle, and transit, and that any new structures will be temporary in nature. So, perhaps we should turn our attention towards this problem. If all we do is take down the former Starbucks and leave Fall Creek Boulevard as it is, we are treating a symptom, and not the cause.

I do not know of a good solution for Fall Creek. Its condition is so ingrained in our city's culture that a transition would be difficult and costly. Traffic calming along it may cause a cataclysm of congestion. What are your thoughts on this situation?

UNWA!

Yesterday I was in the UNWA neighborhood (United North West). Here are my photos:

Southwest Corner of Harding and Roach:

Beautiful brickwork on the North West corner:

I had planned on only featuring this corner for now. However, I happend to find this stunner on the way back. This old fire station at Udell and Rader Streets deserves to be documented:

Another surprise, a block east on Udell. A nicely-restored two story. I'm not sure what is in this building, but the front door mentions that it's a safe haven:

Across the street, my heart aches for this classic house:

And surprise! Two blocks south on Annette and 27th features this corner building.

As well as this humble church:

There is still much more in this neighborhood that I didn't capture, mostly to the north of 29th Street. I hope to find more in the future.

Promote Your Neighborhoods

Recently, I've been exploring Indy's less well-known neighborhoods, and have been finding some real gems. Starting with my post on the Southwest side earlier this month, digging deeper has been quite rewarding. The next surprising neighborhood I've found is on the near South Side containing the exquisite Sacred Heart church. One block east is the remarkably cool entrance to the Vollrath Tavern. A few steps to the east of this is a pedestrian bridge over Madison Avenue. That's right, a pedestrian bridge. The only other (non-gerbil tubed) pedestrian bridge in town that I'm aware of is over I-65 on the Near Northwest Side. There are also several corner buildings in the area that are under utilized.

I have been south on Meridian Street a number of times, and I've seen the Sacred Heart spires, but nothing has compelled me to explore the area. I had (wrongly) assumed that the church was the only neighborhood attraction. The question I ask myself is this: Why did it take me a decade to truly discover this neighborhood? The only answer to my question is that this neighborhood has not been promoted enough. If we are to compete as a city against suburban counties and prevent an implosion, we must promote the advantages of neighborhood living. Neighborhoods have 2 important characteristics that aren't viewable with a high-powered telescope in vinyl subdivisions: history and character.

Finally, as a general question to the readers of this blog: let me know about your neighborhood. What do you have that is unique?

New Hope for 2 Downtown Buildings

Property Lines has updated us with news on a couple of troubled buildings Downtown.

• The Illinois Building, which has been vacant since 2003, has a pending meeting between Halakar Properties and the City regarding tax abatements for redevelopment as first floor retail and apartments.
  

• The McQuat Building, which has been vacant for much longer, is owned by Uptown Realty Investors, which hopes to renovate the structure, in addition to adding a new low-rise on their property next door.

Fine Profile of Near East Siders making a difference

The NUVO has posted an inspiring article about a group of people on the Near East Side that are working on improving the community through farming and affordable healthy foods.

Map of Indiana's Green Businesses

Indiana Living Green Magazine has posted a fantastic resource for those interested in finding out which companies in Indiana stand to benefit as we transition towards renewable resources and improving our efficiency.

Spades Park Library

This is the second of two unrelated posts on the Near East Side (here's number one).

Spades Park is one of only two remaining Carnegie Libraries in the city that is still in use as a Library. The exterior is stunning:

Before and After: Dorman Street commercial Building

The first of 2 unrelated posts on the near East Side. I was driving past this building when I noticed that it was undergoing major renovation. Here's what it looked like a few years ago, courtesy of Google Maps:

Now, here's what it looks like today:

 Kudos to the restorers for bringing back this beauty.

More New Links

I've been adding more relevant links to the blog lately.  Here's a run-down if you haven't seen them:

A Place of Sense.  A blog by frequent commenter Graeme.

Indy Cog.  Exciting new bicycle blog.

Indy Tilth.  Blog and website about sustainability issues.  A nice resource to have if you are looking to start new projects.

Earth House Collective.  I have not visited the Earth House yet, but they host some intriguing programs.

Really Really Free Market.  A monthly market to share goods, located at the Earth House.

I try to keep my link list fresh, and I visit the links occasionally.  I also don't want the list to become unmanageably large, so if I have removed a site, it is due to the lack of activity on said site.

Smart Growth Indy

Sometimes, it's funny what can fall in your lap when you have a blog. I was sent an e-mail from a person working on a new site called Smart Growth Indy. The site, and its associated blog, starts with a focus on the area around 22nd and the Monon. I wish them the best of luck in their venture.

Unique places on the Southwest Side

The Southwest Side contains an interesting array of little-known places.

Here's an Eritrean Orthodox church, on West Morris Street:

This is on the north side of the church:

This is a gorgeous Byzantine Catholic Church, on Blaine street:

A nearby former school:

This is St. John the Forerunner Orthodox Church, just a bit south on Blaine:

Just north of the church, a corner gem.  Yes, a tripod might be a good thing:

One block west.  I wasn't planning on taking a picture of this place, but I can't resist a sign like this:

Finally, perhaps the most unique place of all, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on Division

My lame attempt at a Heidelberger Papers-type shot.  Notice the bus to the left.  This is very close to I-70: