Potential Multi-Use Proposal for Chatham Arch

The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Committee has filed renderings for a proposal on the former Day Nursery, along East Street. This location currently serves as a de facto dog park. The renderings look promising:

daynursery1 daynursery2 daynursery3 daynursery4 daynursery5 daynursery6

As usual, there are neighborhood concerns about the parking variance within the posted document. Overall, it looks like it could be a nice project.

Comments 31

  • Who is the developer and architect? This is one of the best I’ve seen in a while.

  • This has a Chicago-like look to it in terms of design and color. Any idea as to the number of units or total square footage? It looks to be a significant size. Regardless, it would be a nice addition to the neighborhood.

  • Beautiful development, and I am glad urban indy has started posting again, heck after seeing that same posting for so long with that bus sign, i though they had abandoned the site, so glad to see you guys back and posting new development again as their is a lot of new and updated development taking place .

    • I have been very busy with work and kids. It’s been tough to find time or energy to blog. But the site will stay up for as long as possible. I’ve paid the url and server fees. I’m still interested and engaged. Plus, we’re less than 6 months away from our 10 year anniversary, so I have to at least make it that long.

  • Oooh lawdy, i like it. Wish this was the fountain square project. Nice.

  • Hold the phone folks! Do you understand that they want to put this five-story condo in a historic neighborhood of one- and two-story homes? This might be an example of fine urban design for other areas but not in this part of Chatham-Arch. I live in five-story condo in Chatham-Arch but it’s east of Mass Ave with other buildings of similar size and height. Five stories is totally inappropriate in the proposed location and, along with other members of the neighborhood’s Urban Design Committee, I oppose it.

    Don Hanlin

    • It is next to the Lugar Tower

      • And two blocks to the east is the IPS/old Coke Plant, which will feature buildings of similar height to this proposal.

      • I support the development, but it is a bit disingenuous to say it is next to Lugar Tower. It is a block or more away with an expansive open field between the two.

        • It’s across the street. The 5-story building is less than 250 feet from the foot of the tower.

          • I think a five story building would be appropriate for this site in any event. Still, it’s a bit disingenuous to suggest that this is a five-story development adjacent to one and two story houses. The only part of the project that is five stories is the building at the NW corner, which is directly adjacent to East Street and a mixed-use, two story building to the north, and across the street from the lawn of the Lugar Tower. The parts of the project directly across the street from single family homes are three stories. Again, I think a more dense project would be appropriate for the site, but the proposed configuration of the project provides little ammunition for reasonable criticism. What do the Chatham Arch NIMBYs want there? Renaissance Place, phase II?

          • I didn’t directly say so, but I agree: this is perfectly appropriate, and it would be better if it covered more of the site.

            I suspect if it is not Renaissance Place II, some people nearby will object…to people, to noise, to lights, to traffic and parking, to height/bulk/shadows…in other words, to city activity.

    • are you being sarcastic?….

    • what’s inappropriate is the fact that we let the existence of 1 and 2 story buildings DOWNTOWN dictate the height of other buildings DOWNTOWN….. move to Brownsburg if you want a village.

    • Because mixed-height buildings aren’t seen anywhere else….. -_-

      http://i.imgur.com/wgPahiE.jpg

    • It’s on the edge of the nieghborhood. On a busy thoroughfare called east st..

    • Finally: a development appropriate for downtown

    • The only thing that remains constant in urban neighborhoods is change. Five stories next to the already existing Lugar Tower mixed with townhouses on what is now an empty lot is perfectly appropriate.

  • I live in Chatham Arch and I will go door to door and obtain signatures to get this approved. The CANA has a minority of members (I think under 120) and that small group is not reflective of the 1,700 or more residents. You pay to vote. Not a democratic process if you have to pay and vote.

  • A significant percentage of homeowner and neighborhood associations in the nation (see Community Associations Institute) require people to be dues-paying members in order to vote on association issues. For those who don’t agree, proposed CANA by-laws be changed.

  • Better yet, another organization that automatically enrolles every resident with no pay to vote and proxy voting can be created as YIMBY organization. If a petition is signed with hundreds of votes versus Cana 60 or so, it should mean something.

  • Just as i stated in my earlier comment of this being a beautiful development, I would like to add that this would have looked just as cool if not nicer on mass ave. or the canal even the GMC stamping plant sight , otherwise it would be nice if not cool to see taller in those parts of downtown like 18, 20, 21, or even a 25 story mixed use tower would go perfect there and would show authority and coolness of indys skyline.

  • According to IBJ today, the IHPC deferred action on the development proposal this month. Sheesh.

  • So, the Park Ave. rendering calls for single family? If so, what could be the problem with this?

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