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Residents love “Living in the Districts”
Convenience
Walkability
Diversity
Low-Maintenance Living
Community Spirit
New residential options
Say the words “urban living” and what comes to mind?
Energy? Activity? Commerce? Sure.
But what about family-oriented neighborhoods? Close-knit communities? Pedestrian-friendly streets? Holiday block parties?
Residents of Indianapolis’ six Cultural Districts want you to know that life within city borders combines all of these elements. Want to live in a classy high-rise or a hip condo within steps of the city’s key business districts? Yep, Indy’s got those.
But if your taste runs more toward a new single-family residence or a refurbished architectural beauty from decades past – complete with tree-lined neighborhood streets – well, you’ll find those within city limits, too.
Just ask Randy and Amy Jones, who are raising two daughters, ages 11 and 8, in the Indiana Avenue Cultural District, in Downtown Indianapolis. Their three-bedroom, two-bath single-family home is nestled along a quiet, residential street lined with neatly trimmed front yards – a scene straight out of the suburbs, but instead, only minutes from IUPUI, the Indianapolis Central Library and the attractions of Downtown.
“I feel like we’ve got the best of both worlds,” Amy Jones says. “We’ve got a nice neighborhood and good neighbors. We’re close to a great school – IPS’ Center for Inquiry. And we can just step out the door and go to all these wonderful places.”
People of all ages live in Indianapolis’ six Cultural Districts: Broad Ripple Village, The Canal and White River State Park, Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave and the Wholesale District.
Four of the six Districts are within walking distance of the heart of Downtown and its many businesses, restaurants, shops and attractions. Fountain Square is just a mile south of Downtown. And Broad Ripple Village is only a short drive, or bike ride, away.
Within these Districts you’ll find a mix of ages, personalities and family structures, from couples with children to upwardly mobile singles to active empty nesters. And while the population is diverse – itself a benefit, say residents – these neighborhoods tend to share common traits that make living in the Districts the perfect choice.
Location, location, location. It’s long been a real estate agent’s mantra, but it could also serve as a motto for Cultural District residents.
It certainly applies to Adam Kallick, 24. He had been commuting from his home in West Lafayette to his job in Indianapolis when he decided to move into the 110 East Washington Street condominium development in the Wholesale District.
The Wholesale District embraces the heart of Downtown Indianapolis, including its luxury hotels, trend-setting sports arenas, marquee restaurants, Circle Centre mall and the Indiana Convention Center. It also includes Monument Circle, where the offices of Kallick’s employer, Centaur Gaming, are located – just a two-block stroll from his home.
“When I went to go look at (the development), I liked the location,” Kallick says. “That was probably the number-one thing, the location. And the convenience...Everything is right there.”
It’s a sentiment that Tadd and Julie Miller echo. The 30-something couple and their toddler son live in The Packard building in the Mass Ave Cultural District, just blocks away from Tadd’s job as a broker for Milhaus. The urban-savvy couple -- “We’re not suburban-soccer-type people,” Tadd says -- travel frequently and, when at home, savor dining out, attending Indianapolis Colts games and shopping.
“Being Downtown…we can plan our time so much better,” Tadd says. “I mean, we don’t have free time. Saving 30 minutes going back and forth to the airport is a big deal. (So is) saving five minutes by being able to walk across the street to a grocery store. My office is located the next block over, so I can be (home) in under five minutes.”
Ron and Michelle Dow enjoy a different type of convenience in the Broad Ripple Village Cultural District. Located northeast of Downtown Indianapolis – a quick drive from both of the Dow’s offices – this District also offers easy access to the city’s popular northside restaurants and shops.
But Broad Ripple Village is also a self-contained community, complete with its own eclectic roster of independently-owned boutiques, eateries and night-time hot spots, along with parks, grocery stores and other niceties of neighborhood life.
Proximity, Ron Dow says, is a major advantage of this District. Other communities, he says, can be “so spread out. In Broad Ripple, it’s compact.” Adds Michelle, “And the location is such that we are 10 minutes from the Interstate, 20 minutes from Downtown.”
Hand-in-hand with the convenience factor goes another common trait of Indianapolis’ Cultural Districts: walkability. Resident after resident sings the praises of the pedestrian-friendly lifestyle that living in the Districts affords.
David Andrichik is one. A resident of the Mass Ave Cultural District (and owner of the District’s well-loved Chatterbox Jazz Club), he chose his home in the Renaissance Place townhouse development in part for its central location.
“I just can’t emphasize (walkability) enough…The automobile becomes optional rather than necessary,” he says. “…I can walk to a place and spend a little bit more on a nicer dinner or going out one more time a week, because I don’t have that maintenance charge on a vehicle.”
The Wholesale District’s Kallick says his car “doesn’t get much mileage on it,” while Randy Jones says of life in the Indiana Avenue Cultural District, “We can walk to the grocery, we can walk to the drug store, we can walk to the movies, we can walk to the mall, we can walk to the library. We can walk everywhere.”
Just south of Downtown, in the Fountain Square Cultural District, resident Joe Cox stresses the importance of more than easy strolls. As owner of Joe’s Bike Shop, he’s a fan of self-propelled two-wheel transportation – and says Fountain Square is a great place for it, both within the District and to nearby Downtown.
“Single-handedly, undoubtedly, there is not another place in the city I would rather live,” Cox stresses. “It is one of, if not the, single most efficient places to live where you can viably commute on a bicycle -- not get in a car, not burn fuel -- every single day of the year. Sure, in the winter it’s a little less convenient. But the reality is, every day you can get on a bike and be exposed to the Symphony, to the theater, to movies, to restaurants, to groceries.”
And up in Broad Ripple Village, resident Anne Shane makes the most of the natural beauty of her Oxbow neighborhood. “It’s easy to get out and walk and exercise, because the houses are all built around a lake,” she says. “It’s pretty all seasons of the year. You can get out and walk at any hour of the day or night in the neighborhood. And we’ve got easy access to the Monon Trail.”
Translation for convenience and walkability: living in the districts is green! Downtown living offers walkable access to a great combination of amenities and lifestyle. It also offers less commute time and less gasoline consumption which translates to less pollution. Reuse of existing buildings and higher density reduces the amount of land and materials used, which also minimizes the impact on the environment. It’s a win-win for residents and the environment.
Residents of the Cultural Districts treasure their neighbors as much as they do their neighborhoods. One major reason why: the diverse mix of people who populate these communities.
Mass Ave’s Andrichik sees that first-hand at his Chatterbox Jazz Club. “If you were to do a (survey) of people that walk through the door, it’s a tremendous cross section,” he explains. “I think that lends to the vitality of any city…It’s really the slice of life that you need, rather than seeing only people like yourself. And I think that is a tremendous cultural advantage.”
Brian and Mary Anne Sullivan see just such an intriguing mix in The Canal and White River State Park District, where they live in the Watermark development just west of Downtown. Not only does the neighborhood include a variety of residents, but the ever-evolving roster of area events keeps the atmosphere lively.
“There is a lot of variety,” Brian says, “depending upon what parade is happening, what convention is in town, if there’s a Colts game. The complexion of our Downtown neighborhood changes dramatically from event to event. And that’s cool. It’s like kinetic art, in that it’s just very changeable.”
That’s also what keeps Broad Ripple Village residents loyal to their District. “You have retirees, you have high school students, you have college students, and you have everybody in between,” says Ron Dow. “And you have seasonal traffic.”
The result: a community where everyone enjoys interacting with – and learning from – one another. Stresses Broad Ripple Village’s Shane, “I think it’s better to be in an environment where you’ve got all age groups and lots of different interests. Once you get stuck with (only) people who are your age, you all have the same kinds of issues (and) you tend to focus on that. It’s better to be around a lot of other people who are thinking about different things.”
Then, of course, there is the architectural diversity the Cultural Districts offer. The six Districts showcase a variety of housing styles, from sleek new condos and townhomes to painstakingly refurbished developments and lovingly restored homes from earlier eras.
That’s what attracted Indiana Avenue Cultural District resident Theresa Crawford to her Ransom Place neighborhood and its 1890 Queen Anne-style home. “I particularly don’t like the ’burbs because of the cookie-cutter (environment),” she says. “I don’t like everything looking alike. I like things that are very distinct looking. I like originality.”
Many homes in the Cultural Districts come complete with development managers or homeowners associations that provide basic maintenance functions – a strong draw for busy residents who would rather spend their limited free time relaxing than raking, mowing or shoveling.
Before moving to The Canal and White River State Park District a decade ago, the Sullivans lived in an eastside neighborhood, where they renovated two older homes. Says Brian, “We were sort of done with that program. We wanted to simplify our lives and not spend a lot of time with rakes and shovels and chainsaws and chipper shredders and garden tools and -- do I need to go on? Just the oversized burden of a big house.”
Likewise, Tadd Miller sings the praises of his Packard condo in the Mass Ave District. “I couldn’t imagine having to commute every day to work, and then have to take care of a yard and a roof and siding and deal with contractors every three years. I mean, it’s a mess. (Living in the District) is just hassle-free.”
With so many advantages to living in the city’s Cultural Districts, singling out any one is a challenge for most residents. But repeatedly, they do stress one key component: life in the Districts doesn’t mean sacrificing a neighborhood feel.
The Jones of Indiana Avenue are typical.
“I’d like for people to understand that you can raise a family Downtown and it’s safe,” Randy emphasizes. “It’s a happy place to be. You don’t need to move out to (the suburbs) for a nice neighborhood and a nice set of neighbors. There are lots of Downtown neighborhoods that have that as well.”
Mary Anne Sullivan raves about the neighborhood block parties held each year in Watermark – the largest, for the Fourth of July, draws 300 neighbors, extended family and friends to the development’s courtyard for barbecue, live music and fireworks viewing.
“I actually feel I know many more of my neighbors Downtown than I did living (in her former eastside neighborhood),” she says. “There, I felt attached to the community, but not necessarily to my neighbors. We’re so close here to our actual neighbors, so much closer to the people.”
That sense of place and people was a major draw for Matt and Tina Aalsma (pictured to right), who live in a refurbished 1885 home in Fountain Square. Says Tina, “You know who lives in each house, and they know you.”
In fact, the Aalsmas and their three young children share a backyard garden with one resident. And every Sunday night, some 40 neighbors gather for family dinners, rotating hosting and cooking duties.
“It feels,” says Matt Aalsma, “like a community.”
The theme continues, District by District. Concludes Randy Jones, “The people are the anchor to this neighborhood… We’ve got multiple generations of a couple families living in the neighborhood… We have one that’s actually four generations. That’s amazing. You don’t get that in the suburbs.”
Visit www.discoverculturaldistricts.com to learn more about the six Cultural Districts.
Find new residential options here.
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Written July 2009 |
