Milhaus alters design to win condo project approval

Milhaus Development LLC is moving forward with its plans to build condominiums in downtown's Chatham Arch neighborhood after altering some design elements to win approval from the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission.

Milhaus presented plans for the first time Aug. 12 to the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission to build 84 units on a one-acre property between 10th and 11th streets bordered by Broadway Street and Park Avenue. The IHPC approved the plans Sept. 3.

Construction should start by the end of the year, with completion by late fall of 2015, Milhaus President Jeremy Stephenson said. He estimated the cost of the project at $20 million to $22 million.

The project will consist of five buildings—three townhome-style buildings on the north end of the property and two flats-style buildings to the south. The rendering at top (click to enlarge) has the view from along Park Avenue, with townhouses to the left (north) and flats to the right (south). The second rendering shows the view of the flats along 10th Street.

“We made some modifications to the architecture, in terms of color and materials, along the 10th Street façade,” Stephenson said. “We broke that down some, and reduced the scale.”

The brick for the flats is lighter in spots, and the siding is different colors, to give the buildings four distinct fronts instead of just one, he said.

The multifamily developer whose downtown apartment projects include Artistry and Circa needs to demolish a church and two industrial buildings on the block before work can start.

The northern property fronting 11th Street was owned by Irish & Sons Realty LP and formerly housed operations of The Frank E. Irish Co., a large Indianapolis mechanical-contracting firm that closed in 2008. The southern parcel fronting 10th Street was owned by Park Avenue Church of Christ.