Most of remaining catacombs will be exposed as part of City Market plaza overhaul

The plan to overhaul the western plaza of City Market will result in the daylighting of nearly all of Indianapolis’ historic catacombs.

Chris Merritt, principal of Indianapolis-based landscape architecture firm Merritt Chase, said the catacombs—what remains of the former Tomlinson Hall’s basement level—will be fully integrated into the redesign of Charles L. Whistler Memorial Plaza, which will also incorporate land currently occupied by the Platform building immediately to its north.

The $15 million plaza project, a collaboration between the city and Indianapolis developers Gershman Partners and Citimark, is tentatively expected to expose about 13,500 square feet of the catacombs on the southern portion of the site, with another 2,500 square feet remaining enclosed for visitors to view and future programming.

The renovation is expected to be paid for by the city of Indianapolis and will keep the project a public space, which will also feature greenery, outdoor seating and gathering areas, while also preserving the historic archway of Tomlinson Hall, a 3,500-seat auditorium which stood on the site from 1886 until it was destroyed in a fire in 1958.

Plans for how the indoor portion of the catacombs will be programmed—and who will orchestrate those efforts—have not been finalized.

The update is part of a larger plan to redevelop the full City Market block, including a $185 million apartment conversion of the office building at 151 N. Delaware St., commonly known as the Gold Building, and renovations for the market house itself.

Gershman and Citimark are also spending about $12 million on improvements to the parking garage and $30 million to renovate the 11-story office building at 251 E. Ohio St. The companies are also considering building an 11-story apartment tower on the eastern plaza, as part of the same multi-phase project first announced in 2022.

“Part of the aim is to … keep as much of the vaults intact so you can literally see it and experience it from the street level,” said Merritt. “Today it’s kind of hidden underground, so to just immediately be awestruck about what was here and learn the history of this place, and to discover it and and go see it … will allow visitors to understand it in a new way.”

The demolition of the Platform will create a direct connection between the plaza and a new main entrance for the revamped Gold Building, which will receive an all-new (non-gold) glass enclosure as part of its overhaul. The building conversion—which will include at least 35 units set aside for individuals and families making up to 80% of the area’s median income—is expected to be finished by the end of 2026, along with the plaza renovations.

Unlike most catacombs, the Indianapolis Catacombs are not home to human remains, but are a series of underground passages and walkways featuring vaulted arches and limestone columns. The newly exposed portions of the catacombs will be professionally treated to help them withstand weathering.

“This new design allows for full access, to experience those historical elements of the catacombs, and really just adds that authentic character to the development that you don’t get to see in brand new development all that often,” said Megan Vukusich, director of the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development.

Merritt said the city, the developers, his firm and nonprofit preservation group Indiana Landmarks have worked closely over the past several months to shore up plans for the plaza, which was dedicated in 1987 to Charles Whistler, a civic leader who wrote much of the legislation consolidating the city and county governments under Unigov.

“We have been very sensitive to arrive at that concept while really understanding the historic nature of the architecture of the structure, the construction of the structure, and the use and duration of [Tomlinson Hall] and what it’s meant for for Indianapolis,” Merritt said. “It’s something we think about in all of our projects and all of our work, not not just this project. We’re building them for many future generations, and not just short-lived moment of development or single generation. We really want the spaces to be loved and lived in and to continue on.”

Plans for the demolition of the Platform building, and the redesign of the west plaza, are expected to be submitted in the coming months to the regional center hearing examiner, a body that considers major projects within downtown that don’t fall under jurisdiction of the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission.

A spokesman for the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development, said the project will be considered “high-impact” and will be required to adhere to historic preservation and best practice principles established by the city. If approved by regional center, it will go to the Metropolitan Development Commission for a final decision.