Fountain Square Apartment Proposal

After many years of redeveloping the existing historic buildings, Fountain Square is potentially going to receive its first new multi-use structure.  Milhaus has attained the property which was recently pitched as a gas station, and is proposing to build new apartments with 3100 sq feet of retail.  The designs have been submitted to the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission, so we can now share them with the public:

1015 Virginia site1015 Virginia Ele 1 1015 Virginia Ele 2 1015 Virginia Ele 3 1015 Virginia floor 1015 Virginia n_ne ele 1015 Virginia s_w ele

This looks to be a nice addition to the neighborhood, and I hope to see it it approved.

Comments 14

  • I can’t say I’m a big fan of the rendering. It looks a little too much like a midtown, mid-century motel. Think North Meridian Inn or Indy East Motel, both demolished in the past 10 years.

  • Facade from brown to grey for a better look.

  • Feels very bland and generic.

  • I like that they’ve included retail. Also like that they’ve made attempts to tuck parking around back, though I imagine the north elevation, with wire mesh screening the parking garage, is going to be a pretty ugly view.

    Looks like dedicated/covered space for bicycle parking, which is a great.

    Overall the visual design doesn’t appear very inspired. Reminds me of Trail Side on Mass Ave, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Choices of materials are pretty depressing though: fiber cement siding and painted concrete, and a lot of both. Gross.

    • Fiber cement siding, “hardiplank”, can look just like cedar or wood siding if the grain isn’t too emphasized and once painted. It’s a more realistic looking alternative than brick veneer versus true brick, the construction technique is basically the same.

  • The look is standard Milhaus fare. Looks like the Artistry, Mozzo, and their submission for the MSA site. Varied but cheap materials on a boxy building. I wish VonDeylen was doing a Hinge II on that site.

  • I should have started with this: I like the concept, layout and density, and especially like the strong 45-degree corner, which emphasizes the fact that this is on Virginia.

    Since the “parking screen” faces the White Castle parking & loading dock, that’s probably the best place for an “ugly” side.

  • Hard to detach the discussion about design and materials with the fact that this is new construction in Fountain Square. This isn’t a large, superblock development that’s creating an entire neighborhood, this is needed infill and what looks to be market rate apartments. Perfect for the context and the average renter that doesn’t care much about whether it’s brown or grey, or brick or not.

  • There could be some changes I would make to the building, but I like the overall look. It’s not the Hinge, but I think it’s a good continuation from Fletcher Place and a nice commercial and residential addition to the Cultural Trail. I really like that it has 57 market rate apartments- a nice boon for local businesses including next-door Naisa (who’s proprietor lives a few blocks from me in Fountain Square).

    I laughed to read it compared to a mid-century midtown hotel! That’s kinda true, but is it wrong that I don’t think that’s a bad thing?? 🙂

    • Yes. 🙂

      It is fairly well-documented that many of a generation that grew up with too much of something present (in this case, Holiday Inn architecture) would just as soon see no more of it, ever.

  • Kevin – Please send me an email the next time you plan to post, and if our design is ready to hit the street I’d be happy to send you current drawings and renderings.

    What is posted above is apparently a mistake made by IHPC. The renderings were produced earlier this year as a first-run study for the site. The renderings above do not represent work that we are doing for Milhaus, they were for an earlier client. The renderings were shown to IHPC staff and planning staff to get feedback on some ideas – none of these concepts were ever intended to be filed.

    Milhaus filed the line drawings and not any renderings because we are still getting feedback from the neighborhood and working on critical aspects of the project: The unit mix, parking, the budget, the materiality, IHPC requirements, and yes, even the design and aesthetics. We’re not sure why IHPC stamped the old renderings and included them with the filing as neither Blackline or Milhaus intended for that to occur.

    I appreciate the feedback that is posted when our projects are blogged (well, most of the time I do). Design is a complicated process and the ultimate goal is to impact the neighborhood and building owners/users in long-term a positive way, while satisfying the challenging aspects of budgets and schedules. We are still studying this one and working together with Milhaus to make a great building with a positive impact on Fountain Square.

    As my former professor and guru Carlos Casuscelli used to say, “The potatoes are still in the oven. Why don’t you let them cooooook?”

    We’ll send you a press release when the potatoes are done.

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