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“How is downtown?”
This question is often asked of us by our friends from surrounding suburbs. As longtime downtown Indianapolis residents, we have a perspective that many of them do not. We live, work and play in downtown. And we are so pleased to share with others that the livability, walkability, access to health care, access to sports and arts, proximity to world-class academia, outstanding restaurants, cultural events for all ages and much more in downtown Indianapolis are unparalleled.
Our lived experience is in stark contrast to the thinly veiled insulting words some nonresidents use to describe our neighborhoods and the business environment as of late. We take umbrage at their coloring of downtown Indianapolis as an unsafe living and working space that has inadequate programs and initiatives to address its challenges. We bristle at suggestions that downtown residents and workers are too nice and are not already accountable for managing downtown opportunities and needs. These ancient tropes are unfair and ill-informed. And in many cases, fueled by a point-in-time news story or sensationalized social media posts.
We hope those with sullied concerns will take an opportunity to understand what is happening within our downtown neighborhoods to build and improve on the good foundations and programs already in place. Indianapolis is blessed to have the best civic minds in every pertinent profession collaborating to focus on keeping downtown Indianapolis a premier location to live, work and play. Because of this collaborative and civic-minded culture, Indianapolis compares favorably to all other U.S. cities our size in every aspect of city dwelling.
Of course, every community can improve. An example of the power and ability of downtown organizations and groups to come together to address a living environment problem is the way we reacted to the protests experienced in 2020. Within weeks, steps were quickly taken by local leaders, legislators and employers, including policy changes within IMPD.
And we’re seeing firsthand the impact of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s downtown resiliency strategy, which was launched to strengthen downtown as a livable neighborhood, destination and place for business in a post-pandemic world. Historic momentum in development and public-private partnerships are creating dense housing supply, mixed-use economic development, active public spaces and pedestrian-centered infrastructure. Further, Downtown Indy Inc., the civic group that exists to improve downtown, is providing a launching pad for development of a Downtown Neighbors’ Alliance, which will allow downtown residents to network and come together to powerfully influence common downtown objectives and concerns.
The future of downtown is bright. And we’re so pleased to call it home. We welcome new businesses such as Elanco Animal Health and new residents in every quadrant of downtown. Come be a part of a community that will play host to over 600 conventions and major events over the next several months, including the Circle of Lights, Big Ten Championship games, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and the USA Swimming 2024 Olympic Trials, not to mention our symphony, theaters, world-class attractions and museums, and professional sports teams—all just a brief walk from our front door. We will continue to be highly involved. Please join us and collaborate with us.•
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Carol and Kevin Sears live in the Indianapolis Athletic Club Lofts and are helping to organize the Downtown Neighbors’ Alliance.
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As a fellow downtown resident with a family of four, this story is long overdue. Very well written and can see self in their shoes trying to explain these very issues to coworkers from suburbs who pain an apocalyptic view of our city. The development around mile square to “close gap” of surrounding downtown neighborhoods and to help expand downtown indianapolis has been unparalleled in recent years (think bottleworks, Monon, stutz, eleven park, elevator hill, elanco, etc). When I moved downtown a decade ago, downtown was only mile square, and just barron otherwise. I remember thinking “when med school is over we are moving out of this city.” The choice was between a downtown which had a solid mile square but lacked identity versus homogenous chain driven suburbs.
I am happy to say that we did not leave and are so thankful for the downtown that we now live and have started a family here to grow. With that being said, opportunities for growth are much needed, especially in the mile square neighborhood-largely due to circle center mall (unfortunate as now that tax base exists that would love to shop here, it is not an option for downtown residents) which I believe is factor in why so many folks have perception of downtown indy being unsafe, going in wrong direction. What people do not see is the development in so many other areas of downtown that has been absolutely transformational for indy to lose some of the “boring” connotations. Thank you for this article!