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Demolition on the the Maryland Street parking garage in downtown Indianapolis is expected to start in the spring, as the Indiana Pacers make way for a new plaza adjacent to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The 770-space parking structure at 121 E. Maryland Street is set to be torn down starting in March or April, according to a $1.2 million demolition contract approved by the Capital Improvement Board on Friday.
The contract was awarded to Cincinnati-based O’Rourke Wrecking Co., the project’s only bidder. The price tag was also well below the $3.6 million that had been budgeted for the work.
The plaza is one of several components to the $365 million Fieldhouse of the Future renovation announced in April 2019, as part of a 25-year deal to keep the Indiana Pacers in the city. The garage was acquired for about $29.9 million in August 2019.
The 1.5-acre plaza development is expected to include green space, seating areas, a massive canopy and basketball courts that can be converted to an ice skating rink in the winter.
The project is being paid for by the Pacers, although the city plans to kick in up to $25 million for infrastructure. Work is expected to be completed by fall 2022.
Denison Parking manages the Maryland Street garage, with monthly rates ranging from $132 to $162, as well as daily rates of $5 to $15.
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Wow, what a bargain. Meanwhile, the Simons pour millions to acquire J.C Penny and other retailers.
Hopefully the half baked design of the plaza and elements of the Banker Life Fieldhouse entrance reconfiguration are refreshed before construction begins.
What a waste
Wow! What an absolutely horrible idea. The plaza looks terrible. I’m all for nice civic amenities, but… First we lose all that parking, essentially paying over $30mm for land ($29.9mm garage + $1.2mm demo). And all for a piece of crud like this U-G-L-Y plaza! It makes me sick to my stomach. Are there any real leaders in this town? Stand up and say it: this cannot stand! How many much better amenities could we fill this town with using $30mm-plus. Can this even be real? Please tell me this story is incorrect, fake news, P-L-E-A-S-E! To anyone who can support this, I have a naked king I’d like to show you so you can praise his wonderful outfit. You have got to be kidding!
wow ….. let’s make it harder & more inconvenient to park for a Fieldhouse event. 30mil? Before a dime is spent to improve the “park”?
wow …. how about trying to recapture the safety & security of downtown Indy? I guess this park will house the increasing homeless population? How about help for the surrounding businesses that have suffered thru recent events? The problem? “Governmental systemic stupidity”
These are OUR TAX DOLLARS! NOT YOUR PIGGY BANK.
wow….opens your eyes
As a downtown resident, I’m looking forward to outdoor skating to replace the PanAm rink.
Outdoor skating rinks are rarely viable economically. Equipment cost to maintain and operate are very cost prohibitive. You think public pools create a sucking sound to a budget operate an outdoor rink. It is either to cold, snowy, raining or warm the majority of the time and probably can’t achieve 15% utilization.
Used to park there when I worked down town. It was very convenient. Seems like the demolition will create a real problem for many people. Parking is at the top of my list for reasons to avoid downtown Indianapolis whenever possible.
There isn’t a parking problem in Downtown. In fact, the City’s own commissioned study shows that we are wasting money by having so much parking in the form of lost property tax revenues. It’s insanely easy to park anywhere in Downtown, or take IndyGo, and be at your destination in 5-10 minutes walk.
A.T.,asking a resident of Indy to walk a few blocks? How dare you! 🙂
Good. Tear down more parking garages and replace them with housing.