JULY 14-20, 2014
Growing demand for high-end, low-maintenance living is fueling an apartment-building boom in Indianapolis’ northern suburbs—and raising concerns among some leaders about the risks of adding too much too fast. Andrea Davis examines changing attitudes toward apartments and whether the market can bounce back from the big influx. Also in this issue, Dennis Barbosa outlines a proposal to move Indianapolis police officers into the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. And in A&E Etc., Mike Lopresti visits all five minor-league baseball franchises in the state.
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Northern suburbs see blitz of apartment construction
Growing demand for high-end, low-maintenance living is fueling an apartment-building boom in Indianapolis’ northern suburbs—and raising concerns among some leaders about the risks of adding too much too fast.
Read MoreDemocratic city-county councilors want police to live inside county
IMPD officers are not required to live in the city, and about 240, or 16 percent of the force, choose to reside elsewhere. Many of the city’s highest-crime neighborhoods have the fewest police officers as residents.
Read MoreFletcher Place gains destination status
Fletcher Place on the southeastern edge of downtown for years served as little more than a pass-through for folks traveling between downtown and Fountain Square. But the triangle-shaped historic neighborhood is starting to carve out its own identity by drawing more residents and visitors to patronize the restaurants and drinking establishments sprouting along Virginia Avenue.
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Combatants in grocery feud are finally making peace
Attorneys for the Marsh Supermarkets and Don Marsh have quietly reached a settlement on the final issue: how much each side owes the other for legal fees on claims on which they prevailed. Each had argued since last fall the other owed $1.7 million.
Read MoreSallie Mae spinoff Navient tries not to shrink
Navient Corp., which employs 2,300 in its Fishers, Indianapolis and Muncie offices, is in the running for a big contract with the U.S. Department of Education even as the student-loan-servicing company faces criticism after admitting it overcharged military service members by millions of dollars.
Read MoreWellPoint stock ascends to a record $110 per share
Indianapolis-based WellPoint saw its shares close July 9 at $110.87 per share, compared with less than $85 just five months ago.
Read MoreCommuting safely on bike can require counterintuitive behavior
The rate of bike commuting in Indianapolis has more than doubled since 2000, but many cyclists still don’t know—or follow—some basic guidelines that can keep them safe.
Read MoreNew Obamacare rule could boost WellPoint
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule that would automatically re-enroll exchange plan customers each year, which would help companies like WellPoint that sold aggressively on the exchanges in their first year.
Read MoreJarden Corp. unit plans HQ in Fishers
A subsidiary of the consumer products giant behind Ball jars, Yankee Candles, Crock-Pots and Coleman tents plans to spend nearly $22 million to open a regional headquarters and distribution center in Fishers that could employ nearly 300.
Read MoreVeteran private investigator steps up cyber sleuthing
Overbearing spouses, disgruntled employees and corporate moles have a wide new path for spying, considering that nine in 10 adults own mobile phones. Aiding the hackers is protective software that’s thin at best.
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Duo creating waves in older Indy neighborhoods
A Realtor and builder are buying north-side homes to be overhauled and sold for big prices, dividing neighbors over the value of gentrification.
Read MoreBloomington now requiring visual standards for chains
Mayor Mark Kruzan succeeds in five-year battle for ordinance to protect downtown from visual blight.
Read MoreMultifamily projects abound in Chatham Arch, Lockerbie
The four projects, one of them condominiums, would add nearly 280 units within about a four-block stretch from East Michigan Street north to Massachusetts Avenue.
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EDITORIAL:Don’t be careless with prime site
The Indiana Finance Authority is wise to take its time deciding what might happen to the full square block of surface parking immediately north of the Statehouse.
Read MoreMORRIS: Indianapolis’ problems belong to all of us
Those of us who work in the city but live elsewhere should help pay to keep it strong.
Read MoreKENNEDY: We need to connect the civic dots
It isn’t only democratic institutions and behaviors that are affected by profound ignorance of our history and government.
Read MoreBRINEGAR: Indiana is still progressing too slowly
Progress is a word with very positive connotations. The mantra seems to be: If we’re making progress, we can avoid criticism for not taking action.
Read MoreHicks: Indiana good, but not optimal, for small firms
a recen studied of states’ friendliness to small businesses gave Indiana poor grades for ease in finding workers, leveling blame on networking and training programs. This is interesting, but almost certainly not the actual problem.
Read MoreSkarbeck: Lots of reasons to avoid ‘liquid-alt’ mutual funds
Considering that annual fees can run 3 percent or more, and investment performance for the vast majority of these funds has been subpar, if offered a liquid-alt mutual fund, our decision would be to pass.
Read MoreIndiana needs film incentives
The recent opening of the motion picture “The Fault in Our Stars,” based on the novel by Indianapolis’ own John Green, has led to a re-examination of Indiana’s film incentive policy.
Read MoreStats don’t tell full story
Kudos to Richard Gunderman and Mark Mutz for their [June 23 Viewpoint]. Their points are spot on. I’ve seen the power of inspirational leadership and the subsequent production that can be achieved. By contrast, I’ve seen the negative effect number worship has on the morale and integrity of a team.
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First Financial nabbing new hub, closing 3 branches
Cincinnati-based First Financial Bank is shuffling its operations in the Indianapolis area, including moving its regional hub to a new downtown location and opening a high-profile branch in the same building.
Read MoreIndiana Rail Road to speed up trains
The Indiana Rail Road Co. is investing about $1 million this year so trains can move faster and more quietly through the Indianapolis area.
Read MoreBeer technology firm buys N.C. company
Carmel software startup SteadyServ Technologies acquired North Carolina beer-app developer PintLabs.
Read MoreGreensburg factory to invest $28M, add 250 workers
Workers will be hired as global firm Valeo buys new equipment for its 400,000-square-foot engine cooling factory to start new product lines for Honda, Nissan, Chrysler and Ford.
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