This is great news for Herron-Morton. I used to live in that neighborhood (and loved it) and this will be a real asset.

Yeah, its also great the the contemporary art museum will be getting a much larger space.

Stadium design might elude scrutiny

The Indiana Stadium and Convention Center Authority may choose to bypass the only chance for public input on the design of the new stadium planned for the south end of downtown.

Typically, projects built in the immediate downtown area must receive Regional Center approval from the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, which includes a public hearing. But state-owned projects aren’t required by law to seek such approval, said city spokesman Justin Ohlemiller.

The state board overseeing the project hasn’t yet decided whether to bypass the hearing process, but “if it doesn’t add any value to the process, we probably won’t,” said John Klipsch, executive director of the Authority. He added he planned to meet with city officials to discuss, in part, what the value of seeking regional center approval might be.

More so than eliminating public input on the stadium’s design, forgoing the regional center process could also eliminate an opportunity for the city to influence plans for the area around the stadium, said local architect and planner Jim Lingenfelter, principal of Five2Five Design Studio LLC.

“Making plans for the area around the stadium would leverage the investment for everybody,” Lingenfelter said, noting the area south of South Street will in coming years be frequented by more convention attendees than fans attending stadium events. “[The Regional Center process] is not necessarily to add value to the stadium board’s project, but more to the area around there.”

http://tampa.ibj.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=IBJ/2005/09/19/15/Img/Pc0150700.jpg
The public and the city may have limited opportunity to weigh in on the new stadium’s design.

A good editorial in this week's Indianapolis Business Journal by a professor I had at IU....

Use property tax to boost investment
I walked a little more than two miles recently on the Monon Trail. This probably surprises those who know me. But even the most slothful will, on occasion, rise from the recliner and not go to the refrigerator.

The Monon Trail runs from 10th Street in Indianapolis to 146th Street in Carmel. That’s about 20 miles. It follows the route the Monon Railroad abandoned in 1987. It has been identified as a model for other rails-to-trails programs. The trail is heavily used by bicyclists, in-line skaters, joggers, power-walkers and dog-walkers. There are only a few who stroll, unhurried and unashamed.

What makes the Monon so popular is that it is a beautiful corridor through a heavily populated urban area. Many miles of the trail are shaded most of the day by towering trees. These are the most heavily used sections.

Most other former rail lines that have been converted to recreation trails are devoid of natural amenities. They sit out there on open plains, exposed to the blazing sun, unappealing testaments to an indifferent past.

And that brings us around to (surprise!) the property tax. No, you cannot escape a property-tax discussion anywhere in Indiana.

What makes a property valuable? One element is landscaping, and the best landscaping is not a row of petunias on a broad expanse of grass, but a grove of trees. Tree-lined streets are a characteristic of older, gracious, friendly neighborhoods. But today’s barren subdivisions will leave no heritage of beauty, no sense of community.

Today’s houses are surrounded by grass. If we eliminate the property tax, as some propose, home buyers will be encouraged to own more land, with yet larger lawns. Sprawl will be encouraged.

Grass demands chemicals, water and mowing. Mowing is noisy and requires gasoline. I understand the testosterone surge of a riding mower, but we must ask males with identity doubts to sublimate their insecurity for the sake of the environment.

In place of our existing residential property exemptions, I would give exemptions for wide sidewalks and shade trees. You don’t have a sidewalk or shade trees? Then I suggest credits be offered for installing sidewalks and planting hardwood shade trees.

Our suburban areas are virtual wastelands. They are truly sub-urban, below urban. Many developments say they have walking paths, but they are too narrow for two people to walk side-by-side. Two normal people, to say nothing of obese Hoosiers, could not pass each other without one stepping off those narrow paths.

Such developments do not plant shade trees on their streets. Nor do their owners plant shade trees to enhance the quality and value of their properties while reducing air-conditioning costs. I don’t know why they don’t plant trees. Perhaps they don’t understand the value and utility of trees in residential areas. Perhaps they spent too much on too much house, the big-screen TV, the wet bar and the luxury master bath.

Let’s get the property tax to work for us by getting rid of the meaningless exemptions and deductions we have today. Instead, let’s use the property tax as an instrument to build our communities, to encourage investment and to enhance our environment.

•

Marcus taught economics for more than 30 years at Indiana University and is the former director of IU’s Business Research Center. His column appears weekly. To comment on this column, go to IBJ Forum at www.ibj.com or send e-mail to mortonjmarcus@yahoo.com.

Stadium design might elude scrutiny

The Indiana Stadium and Convention Center Authority may choose to bypass the only chance for public input on the design of the new stadium planned for the south end of downtown.

Typically, projects built in the immediate downtown area must receive Regional Center approval from the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, which includes a public hearing. But state-owned projects aren’t required by law to seek such approval, said city spokesman Justin Ohlemiller.

The state board overseeing the project hasn’t yet decided whether to bypass the hearing process, but “if it doesn’t add any value to the process, we probably won’t,” said John Klipsch, executive director of the Authority. He added he planned to meet with city officials to discuss, in part, what the value of seeking regional center approval might be.

More so than eliminating public input on the stadium’s design, forgoing the regional center process could also eliminate an opportunity for the city to influence plans for the area around the stadium, said local architect and planner Jim Lingenfelter, principal of Five2Five Design Studio LLC.

“Making plans for the area around the stadium would leverage the investment for everybody,” Lingenfelter said, noting the area south of South Street will in coming years be frequented by more convention attendees than fans attending stadium events. “[The Regional Center process] is not necessarily to add value to the stadium board’s project, but more to the area around there.”

http://tampa.ibj.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=IBJ/2005/09/19/15/Img/Pc0150700.jpg
The public and the city may have limited opportunity to weigh in on the new stadium’s design.


This article is completely false. The Regional Center Approval process DOES NOT invlove as public hearing. The RC Approval is done administratively and is only called before a Public Hearing unless the decision is appealed. I probably issued 100 RC approvals while on Staff. Where do reporters come up with this stuff?

This article is completely false. The Regional Center Approval process DOES NOT invlove as public hearing. The RC Approval is done administratively and is only called before a Public Hearing unless the decision is appealed. I probably issued 100 RC approvals while on Staff. Where do reporters come up with this stuff?

It was in this week's IBJ. You might want to contact them to let them know of their error.

I forwarded the article to friends on Staff. I have yet to hear back. If you recall the debate overr the Simon building, that was given RC approval by Staff and McANA (Marion County Alliance of Neighborhoods) appealed the decision which caused it to be put before a public hearing.

Also, for the Herron site, "planners chose.." is WRONG! Planners don't "choose," in Indy, they are "Told."

City Market plans raising concerns
Coming renovations worry some tenants

Renovation plans for City Market intended to boost sales at the downtown landmark have some tenants concerned about what it will cost them.

In early January, the market’s management expects to begin work on $350,000 worth of lighting and flooring improvements in the historic main hall. Tenants will be permanently moved, with preparedfood stands along the perimeter of the building and retail stands in the center. And stands will sport a uniform look.

Individual tenants will bear most, if not all, the cost of moving their stands and making necessary improvements, which in some cases will require total reconstruction.

The goal is to highlight the building’s historic architecture, and make City Market more shopper-friendly and less of a hodgepodge of widely varying stands, said Nikki Longworth, executive director of Indianapolis City Market Corp., the not-for-profit organization that manages the cityowned building.

Few tenants disagree with that goal, but in an environment where most are barely scraping by on proceeds from a weekday lunchtime crowd, some worry they won’t survive the required financial investment or the downtime during construction.

Four tenants contacted by IBJ expressed uncertainty about the upcoming renovations, and one current tenant who requested anonymity said she wouldn’t have located her business in the market if she’d known about the changes beforehand. Most current tenants said they plan to stay at the market through the renovations if possible.

“It’s quite exciting to be moving forward,” said David Jarrett, owner of Dotty’s Deli and Prestige Catering. “It’s a little bit scary, to be making an investment. When you’re just making ends meet, that’s not what you want to hear. But we’re really looking forward to it. I just hope it goes as smoothly as they think it will.”

Jarrett said he’s estimated it might cost $10,000 to move and rebuild his two stalls, including some new equipment he plans to add by his own choice. The estimate, he said, is still “very rough” because it’s not clear what individual tenants will have to pay toward infrastructure improvements like electrical or plumbing or how much it will cost.

Four months before managers hope to start construction, other tenants complain they haven’t been given necessary information required to estimate how much they’ll need to spend to bring their stands into compliance with new design standards.

Lease negotiations that have taken place over the past year required tenants to agree to the new standards in anticipation of the coming renovations. Longworth said she expects “all but one or two” of the 15 leases affected to include those standards by the time construction starts at the first of the year.

It’s also unclear whether tenants will have to close entirely during construction or move to a temporary location within the market, and for how long.

Longworth and other market managers are in the process of meeting with architects to draw up bid documents, but until a contractor is hired, they hope in the coming weeks, exact time lines and costs won’t be known.

“We’re trying to minimize the impact on businesses here,” Longworth said. “We’re trying to do it so nobody has to close. Whether or not they’ll have to temporarily relocate will depend on the contractor.”

Market managers are also trying to offset the financial burden for tenants, possibly by working out deals with construction companies or obtaining volume discounts on materials.

“[Renovations] shouldn’t be a problem, but we’re praying for the best for this,” said CATH Inc. owner Mike Batarseh. “We’re hoping for good things to happen.”

The renovations come at a pivotal time for the market. Several businesses have closed in recent months, including longtime tenant City Market Seafood and Italian deli and market La Cucina. Periods of heavy tenant turnover are nothing unusual for the market, which has struggled to remain viable at various periods throughout its 119-year history.

One former stand manager said average daily sales declined 60 percent over the last seven years. Nora Spitznogle, who managed CATH Inc. until its sale early this year, was reluctant to blame market management, instead citing lower occupancy in nearby office buildings and the demolition of Market Square Arena as factors.

With the upcoming renovations and repositioning, management is being choosy with new leases it signs, Longworth said.

“It’s more important to get the right mix of tenants,” she said.

Since arriving at City Market in 2001, Longworth has been working on longterm plans to return the market to the vibrancy of its early-20th-century heyday, when downtown was the center of the city’s residential population.

Coming renovations will be some of the most tangible effects of that planning, which calls for City Market to be a foodoriented destination for eating, celebration and learning. The lighting and flooring will be paid for with a city historic preservation grant. Longworth also is working on funding to install a hood ventilation system under the main hall’s mezzanine for food stands, and hopes to get the market’s interior walls painted.

Those plans are the first phase of a three-tier “market renewal” plan. The renovations in the first phase will pave the way for phase two, which involves attracting more retail tenants—those who sell packaged food or produce, for instance.

The market is working with a group of farmers who frequent the popular Original Farmers’ Market to set up a cooperative that would occupy space in the retail portion of the main hall. There, fresh farm goods—including vegetables, meats, cheeses and preserves—would be sold year-round, Longworth said.

The market tried a similar concept a few years ago to generally positive customer response. This time around, Longworth said, the cooperative will be run by the farmers, not by market managers, which should make for smoother operation.

Phase three involves converting the market’s non-historic east wing into a culinary school, shared commercial kitchen, demonstration kitchen and other learning-focused food activities.

Further down the line, City Market will focus on the west wing of the building and Whistler Plaza, planned as the entertainment component of the market. Performances are now held throughout the summer on a stage built on the plaza with help from Market Square Partners, redeveloper of the Market Square Arena site. As part of its deal with the city to build condominium towers and retail on the arena site, the group pledged financial and in-kind support to help City Market thrive.

Last year, a group of City Market supporters formed the Historic Indianapolis City Market Foundation to raise money for the market. The group is gearing up for a pair of fund-raisers, the Gingerbread Village and Holiday Market this November and December and the Market to Market Ball next May.

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New design standards for City Market stands, plus $350,000 worth of new lighting and flooring, are scheduled for early 2006.

Advocates seek to revive proposed gay-bias ban

The battle over a proposal to ban discrimination against gays in the workplace and housing market in Marion County is quietly heating up, nearly five months after local officials voted against the idea.

Gay rights activists have invited individual City-County Council members to meet with small groups of gay, lesbian and transsexual people in the home of the ordinance's sponsor, Jackie Nytes. The setting is informal, without media glare or public pressure.

Conservative Christian groups have again ramped up an e-mail campaign to deluge council members with messages in opposition. Last spring, that method convinced many council members that their constituents were against making a change.

In the weeks after the council finishes its budget vote scheduled for today, it may revisit the issue, inviting a national culture war into its normally quiet chamber.

"I've committed to Jackie that I will put it on the agenda if she can come up with the votes," said City-County Council President Steve Talley, who attended one of two meetings held at Nytes' house.

But he stopped short of saying he would support such an ordinance, allowing only that his position is "starting to move."

The debate is familiar to most Americans: One side says homosexuality tears at the foundation of American families and shouldn't become a special legal class equivalent to race or gender. The other says gays and lesbians deserve equal protection and freedom from persecution over their sexual orientation.

A proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity failed in an 18-11 City-County Council vote in April that crossed party lines.

Current laws protect all workers from discrimination based on race, religion, age and several other factors. The anti-discrimination ordinance would protect gay and transgender people from being fired or denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Personal approach

Talley was one of five Democrats to vote against the measure last spring, maintaining then that he had seen no evidence of discrimination against gays and lesbians.

He and other council members met recently with gay activists to learn whether the proposal is needed. At one meeting, an 11-year-old with a gay parent asked him how her father being fired would help strengthen her family.

"It's about being able to put a human face to the issue," said Bill Browning, who as the regional leader of Indiana Equality has been collecting stories of discrimination for council members.

It was his daughter, Paige, who questioned Talley.

"It's hard to look in my eyes and say, 'You're not as important as other people who deserve basic protection from discrimination,' " Browning said.

Talley described his meeting with ordinance supporters as powerful and compelling.

He said he never knew, for instance, that some people are born with both or no sex organs, and doctors choose a gender at birth.

"He's 62 years old and has heard in church that this is an abomination," Nytes said of Talley. "Many of us have never met a person with sexual identity problems."

One of those people is Marti Abernathey.

Abernathey, a health care worker, said she always knew she was different but suffered such severe depression in 2000 -- while living as a man with a wife and three children -- that she had to make a change. She began a transition process that involves surgeries and taking hormones.

"When people get to know me, they realize this isn't a whimsical thing," Abernathey said. "I didn't wake up one day and say, 'Let's try this.' It's tough. Surviving discrimination day to day, sometimes it's crushing."

Moral objections

Scott Schneider, a Republican City-County Council member and an opponent of the ordinance, said there is little evidence of a problem.

"Homosexuality is a lifestyle choice, and to elevate that to protected status is not good law," he said. "I'm sure people have been fired because of tattoos or jewelry they wear, but we shouldn't make that a special legal class."

Schneider said he doesn't believe the issue will resurface because no matter how much supporters lobby for it, the votes aren't there. The volume of constituent mail he's received shows the public opposes the ordinance, he said.

But Nytes and Scott Keller, the only Republican supporter of the ordinance in the spring, know they need just four votes to turn an 18-11 defeat into a 15-14 victory.

They already have picked up one vote in Republican Lance Langsford, who said his military and personal experiences have convinced him the country needs more tolerance.

Keller said most of the opposition e-mails he receives are form letters generated by conservative lobbying groups and sent by an out-of-state computer server.

Ordinance supporters are planning more small-group meetings with lawmakers who opposed the legislation last spring because they say the sessions allow a more personal connection than e-mails.

Like Talley, Democrat Ron Gibson met with a group at Nytes' house. He said supporters need to do a better job of showing the proposal is about discrimination rather than moral values.

"I'm more open on this but not there yet," Gibson said. "Before, I thought it was an ordinance to let people cross-dress for work."

U.S. Rep. Julia Carson and Mayor Bart Peterson have both called on council members to pass the ordinance to make a statement against discrimination and for progressive attitudes that would bolster the local economy.

But Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, said similar ordinances in other cities and states have been used to force private businesses to embrace an agenda they don't support.

"This is part of the whole culture war we're fighting over what's normal and what's not," said Clark, whose organization says its mission is reducing "destructive sexual behavior by promoting Judeo-Christian values."

The national landscape

In Indiana, Bloomington and Lafayette already have passed similar ordinances. Across the country, more than 100 communities and at least 17 states have some form of anti-discrimination statute for private employers, according to gay-rights groups.

Supporters said legal protection in the state's largest city could put pressure on the state to pass a similar law. Gov. Mitch Daniels already has adopted a nondiscrimination policy for state employees that has angered some conservative leaders.

Opponents, including former gubernatorial candidate Eric Miller, founder of the conservative group Advance America, vow to fight any statewide initiative, maintaining it's a step toward gay marriage. Advance America champions what it describes as a pro-family agenda.

Robert Ferguson, president of the gay group Black Pride, said gay people often can't complain about discrimination for fear of losing their job.

Stephanie Mineart said she experienced outright firing from her position as a graphic designer with a small printing company about a dozen years ago. The company owner said his religion wouldn't allow him to employ "someone like you," she said.

Mineart has since found a job at a publishing company that has an anti-discrimination policy, but she said many other gay people simply choose to leave Indiana.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050919/NEWS02/509190458/1006/NEWS06

Has anyone heard of a condo/loft project called Meridian at 21? I was doing a random search of condos in Indy and came across this website...

http://www.meridian2121.com/default.asp

looks like a great project. good to see this kind of development in midtown, although the developers call the area uptown.

found a rendering of phase one...

http://www.meridian2121.com/pictures/floorplan_body.jpg

A new project in Lockerbie...

http://www.koseneandkosene.com/desoto/desotologo.gif
With its unique rooftop gardens, Italianate architecture and lush landscaping, the De Soto extends the historic beauty and charm of the Lockerbie neighborhood at 521 East New York Street. Surround yourself with contemporary space planning, more than 20 versatile floor plans, upscale amenities and luxurious style. Enjoy all that downtown Indianapolis has to offer — the finest dining, shopping and nightlife are within walking distance. Experience it for yourself . . . Sophisticated Urban Living™ at the De Soto Townhomes.

http://www.koseneandkosene.com/desoto/desototbig03.jpg

http://www.koseneandkosene.com/desoto/desoto_newyork.jpg

http://www.koseneandkosene.com/desoto/index.shtml

I am really excited and impressed with the DeSoto. Whenever I head to the City-County Building, I get off at the Ohio Street Exit and they have a large sign for the project. I wonder if they will be tearing down the building that faces Ohio Street on the site...I would think so.

In new retail news, another high-end store is locating at the Fashion Mall...SEPHORA. Saks locating there has done wonders for that mall. The sales at Saks have been higher than expectations and smaller high-end retailers have really taken notice.

from the Sephora website:

Indianapolis, IN
On October 14, 2005, Sephora opens in the upscale Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In new retail news, another high-end store is locating at the Fashion Mall...SEPHORA. Saks locating there has done wonders for that mall. The sales at Saks have been higher than expectations and smaller high-end retailers have really taken notice.


Yeah, a lot of new retailers will be opening at the Fashion mall soon...Williams Sonoma Home, Crate & Barrel & Tiffany as well.

Wow. Those DeSoto townhouses look absolutly wonderful. Sweet!

Coming changes keep downtown a dining hub
Au Bon Pain coming to Circle, Noble Roman’s returns

Downtown is still sizzling for national restaurants looking to expand, based on recent deals.

Au Bon Pain is cooking up a 2,200-square-foot Monument Circle store, taking over a recently closed Roly Poly Sandwiches shop and the Hardwickes Pipe & Tobacco that has entertained passersby for decades with its caricature statues.

The Boston-based chain’s arrival in early 2006 will mark one of several dining changes near the Circle and one of the final steps in a tenant retooling of the Guaranty Building.

Elsewhere, sandwich chain Jimmy John’s has signed a lease for the former Bad Ass Coffee Co. shop in the King Cole building at Washington and Meridian streets, and Noble Roman’s Inc. is planning to open a co-branded Noble Roman’s Pizza and Tuscano’s Italian Subs location on West Market Street near the Statehouse.

A nightclub is seeking to take over Nicky Blaine’s old haunt in the King Cole building, and several tenants are said to be eyeing a first-floor restaurant space in Simon Property Group Inc.’s headquarters, now under construction at Washington Street and Capitol Avenue.

Au Bon Pain’s planned Guaranty Building location would be the chain’s third in the city. The other two are at 901 Indiana Ave., near IUPUI, and at Indianapolis International Airport.

Mansur Real Estate Services Inc., which leases and manages the Guaranty Building for local Guaranty Holdings Co. LLP, is working with Hardwickes to find a new downtown location, said Mansur Leasing Manager Dave Buchanan. The store is expected to close late this year or early in 2006.

Hardwickes’ managers declined to comment.

When Au Bon Pain (“bon pain” is French for “good bread”) moves in next spring, it will have entrances on both Meridian Street and Monument Circle. The restaurant, which offers bakery items, sandwiches and soups, plans to locate its bakery in the former Roly Poly space and the café in the Hardwicke’s space, said Mark Perlstein, a principal of locally based Linder Co. who represented Au Bon Pain in the deal.

“I think anybody who’s been looking [at restaurant space] has looked at the southwest quadrant [of the Circle],” Perlstein said. “It probably has the most foot traffic. It has great visibility and a great view to the monument itself.”

The Au Bon Pain deal represents a resurrection of sorts for the Guaranty Building. Including pending leases, occupancy stands at about 95 percent, up from less than 40 percent when Mansur took over leasing 10 months ago.

The Guaranty Building, along with Circle Tower to the northeast, offers some of the only ground-level retail spaces on the Circle, noted Mansur President Chuck Cagann.

Just south of the Guaranty Building at the corner of Meridian and Washington streets, Porter-based Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchisee Finner and Finner has signed a lease to occupy 1,500 square feet in the prime corner position of the King Cole building. Bad Ass closed a short-lived coffee shop in that location early this year. Principal Todd Finner said his company is negotiating to purchase the Jimmy John’s franchise at 15 N. Pennsylvania St., a block away.

Also in the King Cole building, a group of local businessmen is working on financing for a nightclub in the basement, occupied until last fall by Nicky Blaine’s Martini and Cigar Bar. Nicky Blaine’s moved to larger digs in the basement of the Guaranty Building last December.

The as-yet-unnamed nightclub has received approval for a permit to serve alcohol, but is still working on financing and other leasing details, said partner Nick Patel.

To the west of the Circle, a nearly 2,600-square-foot Noble Roman’s/Tuscano’s is slated to open at 135 W. Market St. later this fall, said Noble Roman’s President Scott Mobley.

The store will be modeled after prototypes open in Zionsville and Fishers, Mobley said. The locally based company now has about 100 co-branded locations open nationwide, Mobley said.

Looking further into 2006, Simon is rumored to be close to signing a tenant for the first floor of its 315,000-square-foot headquarters building across the street from the Statehouse. Restaurants said to be eyeing the space include Colorado-based Paradise Bakery and Café, which has a local store at Simon’s Clay Terrace shopping center in north Carmel; locally based Café Patachou; and Seattle-based Starbucks.

“There’s continually a nice selection of restaurant concepts looking to do something downtown,” said Brian Epstein, a principal of locally based Urban Space Commercial Properties. “There’s more demand than quality locations.”

http://tampa.ibj.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=IBJ/2005/09/26/11/Img/Pc0110300.jpg

Flanner & Buchanan headquarters returns downtown

Flanner & Buchanan Funeral Centers is moving its headquarters into 12,000 square feet at 635 E. Market St., just a few blocks from its original 1881 location. Flanner & Buchanan is creating the space by renovating three adjacent buildings it purchased. In addition to serving as the company's headquarters, the location will house a cremation facility and a pet crematory. Flanner & Buchanan has 12 locations in the Indianapolis area. It previously had its headquarters at 10722 E. Washington St.

http://trinity.ibj.com/newdaily2/index.html

New life for the Indianapolis Athletic Club

Indianapolis, Sept. 26 - Once one of the city's best known clubs, the Indianapolis Athletic Club looks much the same when you walk through the revolving door off Meridian Street.

You see the high ceilings, the paneled walls, the richness of a bygone area. But walk beyond the famous South Lounge and big changes are underway. The hallway is abuzz, not with the sounds of music and laughter, but with power saws, drills and nail guns.

The former athletic club is well on its way to becoming the city's newest luxury condo development.

"We're way ahead of schedule," says Hearthview Residential's Jim Thomas, Jr. "There's no way we thought we'd be 75 percent sold by now, but we are."

Thomas points out that on the seventh floor workers just finished the new model. It's a 2,017 square foot two-bedroom unit with hardwood floors, granite counters and marble vanities, a unit that will sell for roughly $400,000.

Talking about the pre-sales, Thomas says, "It's an affirmation of how much people appreciate this kind of product and the amenities offered in this location."

The Athletic Club sits at the corner of Vermont and Meridian streets adjacent to the Indiana War Memorial. It also offers striking views of downtown. Looking out a ninth floor window and pointing to the skyline, Thomas says, "This is one of the highest priced units." It will sell for more than $1 million.

The transformation of the landmark building comes roughly a year after the Athletic Club abruptly closed its doors following ongoing money problems. Efforts to sell the top five floors and maintain the rest of the building failed.

In September 2004, then Board President John Durbin told Eyewitness News, "Over the years we lost members and we're down to our core, and that wasn't sufficient to generate the cash we needed to keep the doors open."

The closing left 80 employees out of work and 900 members without a membership, a sad day for the once prestigious private club.

Hearthview, which bought the building, promised new life. Thomas says the company will ultimately invest $24 million in the project.

Thomas says the condos are popular because of the "historical aspect" of the building as well as the many amenities.

For one, developers kept the original basketball court. "We kept the floor so it will be exactly as it was when this building opened in 1922," he says.

Hearthview also retained one squash court and one racquetball court. Because the well-known pool was in such bad shape, developers took it out, replacing it with an exercise room and an area for computerized golf.

Also new is an underground parking garage.

As for the future of South Lounge dining room and pub, Thomas says they're hoping for a commercial lease which would retain "as much of the historic aspect of the building as possible."

Looking around the still grand, but eerily quiet South Lounge, he says, "The historic finishes here are much too beautiful to contemplate any other use."

link to video with some good shots of the interior (http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3901004)

The Indianapolis Monthly Downtown Condo Tour

Friday and Saturday, October 21st and 22nd 5:00pm to 9:00pm

Indianapolis Monthly, the city’s leading lifestyle publication, is planning a tour event showcasing downtown condominium projects. The tour, scheduled for the evenings of October 21 and 22 2005, will feature twelve high-end condo projects within the Mile Square.

The Indianapolis Monthly Downtown Condo Tour will be a “must-see” occasion for all those interested in exciting living alternatives and for those curious to see these new projects in an intimate and exciting atmosphere. Attendees will shuttle from project to project, enjoying complimentary cocktails and appetizers provided by the city’s top caterers and restaurants.

Indianapolis Monthly is excited to partner with Mayor Bart Peterson, The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., Circle Centre and Indianapolis Public Schools for this one-of-a-kind event. All partners are committed to the Downtown Condo Tour as a way to promote the exciting downtown housing renaissance.

Proceeds from the Indianapolis Monthly Downtown Condo Tour’s $25 ticket price will benefit Indianapolis Public Schools’ educational programs.

Advance sale tickets will be available October 1st at all Indianapolis-area Marsh Supermarkets and O'Malia's Grocery Stores.

http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/images/monthly/CondoTour2.jpg

What's in it for the fans?
A wider seat, more legroom and Wi-Fi for all. Those who pay more also will get fireplaces, beer tubs and pool tables.

Whether you're a Colts fan paying top dollar for a fancy suite, or a blue-collar backer who can only afford the cheap seats, there's something in the new Indiana Stadium for you.

Fireplaces in club lounges. Pool tables in the quarterback suites. Wireless Internet access throughout. A little more room in the seat.

The nearly 500-page stadium plan released Monday details how nearly every inch of the new building will look and be used -- from the size of potted plants to the width of the seats.

Though officials are three years away from installing the last seat, here's what fans can expect in the new facility, depending on how much you're willing to pay. Prices, however, haven't been set.

The cheap seats

Forget those metal, stadium bleacher seats found in the RCA Dome. The new stadium will have all real seats with backs, small armrests and cup holders. The seat width will grow by approximately 1 inch, to 20 inches. The legroom grows, too, from about 31 inches now to 33 inches.

Colts-themed trash cans will be sprinkled throughout the concourses, as will lifesaving defibrillators, ATMs and approximately one concession stand for every 175 patrons. The concession stands will have a 1920s and 1930s retro theme. Those who venture outside their seats won't miss the action either, as televisions will line the concourses.

Bathroom facilities will be plentiful. There will be an average of one toilet for every 200 men and one urinal for every 80. There will be an average of one toilet for every 50 women. Toilets will automatically flush, and hand washers will use paper towels, not dryers.

Clubbing it

Those who want to pay more for roomier, cushier club seats will get an extra inch of seat space -- or about 21 inches. Legroom also grows, to at least 35 inches. Seat bottoms will be extra plush and padded.

Club patrons will have access to approximately 72,700 total square feet of lounge space, or upscale, private bar and dining areas.

There, they will find dozens of high-definition television sets sprinkled throughout, along with 10- and 30-gallon potted plants and four fireplaces.

The bathroom ratios get better for men here, where there will be an average of one urinal for every 60 men. In the restrooms, patrons will be able to keep track of the game through a sound system tied into the stadium audio.

Club seat fans also are likely to have shorter lines at the concession stands. There will be approximately one point-of-sale for every 125 patrons.

The suite life

There are at least 14 different types of suites, or luxury boxes.

Fans who can afford this luxury will get theater-style seats, at least 22 inches wide and 36 inches of legroom with either leather or premium-grade upholstery. There will be a refrigerator, icebox, built-in beer tub and granite countertops.

The suites will have interactive touch-screen computers with special software where fans can interact with replays, game stats and rules. Flat-screen HDTVs will not only be in the suites, but outside them as well so fans don't miss any action.

No detail is too small. Coat closets will even have upscale hangers.

Bathroom lines will be even shorter. There's an average of one toilet and urinal for every 32 men, and one toilet for every 16 women.

For fans in any of the 10 quarterback suites, there will pool tables and servers who can take individual food orders.

Tailgaters

A parking lot with 3,000 spaces will provide tailgating space before and after events. Speakers will hang off the light poles, which also will provide electricity for RVs. About 200 of those spaces will be reserved for coaches and players.

Coach and players

Players get a locker room with 90 lockers, three grease boards, 24 showers and a drying area for 15 players at a time. The coach (now Tony Dungy, left) gets his own office, restroom and refrigerator. The coach and players' families get lounges.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050927/SPORTS03/509270466/1006/NEWS01

Indianapolis flights among ones to be cut by Independence

Dulles, Va. (USA Today) -- Low-fare start-up Independence Air is cutting daily departures by more than half in a bid to avoid bankruptcy court.

Battered by high fuel prices and fare wars, Independence Air said Monday it will cut daily departures in October to between 225 and 250 from a peak of 600 last October.

Based at Washington Dulles airport, Independence will halt cross-country flights. It also will stop serving Indianapolis, Cleveland and Louisville.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050927/BUSINESS/509270368/1003

Hopefully Northwest isnt going to cut any of their flights from Indy, although I think they will have to cut a few.

Expansion Will Keep IU Cancer Center at Forefront of Care for Patients and Families

INDIANAPOLIS -- The shovels may be ceremonial, but the implications are concrete for cancer patients and their families as officials break ground Thursday for a major expansion of the Indiana University Cancer Center.

The center, a partnership of IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health Partners, is now under construction at the corner of West Michigan Street and University Boulevard.

The $150 million structure, which will be connected to Indiana University Hospital on the IU Medical Center campus, will make the most advanced treatment facilities and modern, comfortable resources available at Indiana's only National Cancer Institute-designated Clinical Cancer Center. The 405,216 square-foot building is scheduled to open in 2008.

"The IU Cancer Center will extend and enhance the extraordinary cancer care already delivered at Indiana University Hospital," says Daniel F. Evans, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Clarian Health Partners. "It's a state-of-the-art facility that allows patients from Indiana and around the country to receive the most comprehensive and innovative cancer treatment in a family-focused environment."

The new facility will have the capacity for 80 new cancer treatment beds, for both in-patient and out-patient care, as well as facilities for up to 40 patients receiving chemotherapy, along with their families.

"The new IU Cancer Center demonstrates our commitment to providing both the finest patient care and investing in the cutting-edge research that will result in tomorrow's state-of-the-art treatments," says D. Craig Brater, MD, dean of the IU School of Medicine. "The foundation of this new center is years of expertise in providing the best in cancer care."

The cancer center project will build on the successful 8-year-old collaboration between the IU School of Medicine and Clarian. That collaboration is a key component to the biomedical research community that is growing in downtown Indianapolis and to the state's life sciences initiative in partnership with BioCrossroads.

"Construction of the new facility is part of a joint commitment to quality care for Hoosiers. It moves us significantly closer to our goal of becoming one of the nation's top five centers for cancer research, diagnosis and treatment," says Adam Herbert, PhD, president of Indiana University.

Patient and family-focused care has been a key aspect of planning for the IU Cancer Center, thanks to the involvement of members of a patient advisory board that provided input based on their experiences and those of their families in being treated for cancer.

Dr. Brater noted that cancer will be the primary area of research in the new Research III building, for which the School of Medicine will be breaking ground in November. The new research building will result in a three-building complex of scientific research laboratories connected to the IU Cancer Canter. Many of the scientists in the complex will be working to bring the results of basic scientific research to the bedside in new treatments for cancer patients.

http://www.clarian.org/eportal/layoutTemplates/documentum//Images/web_champions/exterior_shots/cancer_center.jpg

http://www.clarian.org/portal/patients/news?clarianContentID=/health/announcements/20050921_cancercenter.xml

Condo high-rise plans revamped to impress
Wood floors, granite countertops and Downtown views will all come standard

After several hang-ups in getting One Market Square off the ground, the developers of the Downtown Indianapolis condominium project are ready to show off dozens of revamped floor plans.

And they're aiming to impress.

High ceilings, wood floors, granite countertops and floor-to-ceiling windows all will come standard for the 208 units going up on the east side of Downtown. Many of the units also will have balconies that stretch from the living room to a bedroom.

Potential buyers can see for themselves starting Saturday.

Market Square Partners is opening a sales office at Alabama and Ohio streets where people can stroll through a fully furnished model. Using computerized kiosks, they also can check every floor plan for the 208-unit high-rise and view what Downtown Indianapolis would look like from each of those units.

The plans aren't all new, but they are more elaborate than what was proposed in the past.

This is the second go-round for the One Market Square project.

The first effort fizzled when only 42 people bought condos in the high-rise, partly because not enough of them had views of the Downtown skyline.

The development team, Market Square Partners, has addressed that by putting in more balconies and terraces, including more that look out over
Downtown.

The tower also is going to be two stories higher, at 31 floors. Retailers will occupy the bottom floors, while condos will start on the sixth.

Still, the biggest changes have nothing to do with the view, said Mark Cain, development manager for One Market Square.

"We've added a pool, and we've improved the fitness amenities," he said. There also will be a whirlpool, a bike storage area and more parking spaces in a heated garage that spans five floors.

Market Square Partners also scrapped what some people called cookie-cutter floor plans.

The high-rise now has 29 floor plans instead of 13. That includes one-, two- and three-bedroom condos, as well as four floors of penthouses.

The smallest units are 874 square feet, while the penthouses are about 3,000 square feet.

All of the condos are plush, but the developers decided to broaden the range of prices, and to add more units at the low end. Market Square condos start around $200,000 and go to $1.75 million.

The price structure is intended to entice a wide range of buyers.

"We've got to appeal to the empty-nester, appeal to single professionals and appeal to young couples," Cain said.

The revamped One Market Square is designed to appeal to people who spend their time Downtown anyway, at the symphony, sporting events, restaurants and the like, said Richard Shields, principal of Chicago's Mesa Development LLC, which is part of the Market Square development team.

"The city made a decision to populate Downtown with people, to make it a 24-hour city," he said.

"When these units come on line," Shields added, "there will be a quantum leap."

Indianapolis officials have been trying to develop the site since Market Square Arena was demolished in July 2001.

Two other mid-rise buildings with lofts are going up at the Alabama Street site. A second high-rise of condos is planned for later.

Justin Ohlemiller, spokesman for the Department of Metropolitan Development, urged patience.

"We'd rather do this right than do it quickly," he said. "This is the best proposal. It's the boldest. We're shooting for the stars, but we think we can achieve that."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050929/BUSINESS/509290394/1003

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