Dear Indy,
We’ve been closely following plans to redevelop Indiana Avenue. Today, Tyler Fenwick examined a proposal for a 12-story, $100-million building on the 500 block along the Central Canal. Some folks are worried the new building wouldn’t adequately fit the character of the historically Black business district.
Claudia Polley, who founded the Indiana Avenue-focused nonprofit BlackLight, essentially thinks the project looks ordinary and is worried it would set the wrong tone for future developments.
“We’ll have to do this fight again and again,” Polley said.
Developer Rodney Byrnes, though, said his team has been working with city staff for months on the project. And at this point, the list of details to work out is small and includes things like landscaping and bicycle racks.
“We’ve all spent a lot of time to get to this point,” Byrnes told Mirror Indy.
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In other news
- Indy Parks will gather public input this month for its plan to spend $80 million from the Lilly Endowment to improve 42 parks.
- The Community Alliance of the Far Eastside, 8902 E. 38th St., has opened a new education and training center.
- The Indianapolis City-County Council introduced a proposal Monday for Vision Zero, a term used to describe a safety plan to eliminate all traffic deaths and severe injuries. The council’s public works committee, which next meets July 18, will hear the plan.
Today’s weather from WTHR
Patchy morning fog gives way to sun, scattered clouds and some pop-up storms with highs in the 80s.
What’s going on around the city
- Friday, July 12-Saturday, June 13: IU Health will host Momentum Indy, a two-day celebration of bike races, riding and family from 5 p.m. Friday to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Throughout the weekend, there will be two bike races, family activities, a celebration of Major Taylor and more. Prices vary.
- Saturday, July 13: Hope Packages, a local initiative helping to provide food and other necessities for unhoused residents, will host a benefit concert at State Street Pub, 243 N. State St., at 9 p.m. Local punk rock band Iota, pop musician Lee Lloyd and the rock/pop hybrid group Hoodwink are all set to perform. Tickets are $10, with proceeds going to Hope Packages for supplies.
- Monday, July 15: The Irvington Development Organization’s Public Spaces committee has commissioned local artist Andrea Light to create a mural of Madge Oberholtzer on the 100th anniversary of her death. At 6:30 a.m., community members are encouraged to meet with Light before she begins creating the piece at 5855 E. Washington St. Free.
— Breanna Cooper, arts and culture reporter
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
What else we’re reading today
- Indiana Capital Chronicle: Workers are putting up new signs on Indiana state government buildings. The Mike Pence-era “A State that Works” slogan is being replaced with “Indiana For the Bold” and “IN Indiana.”
- IndyStar: Democrats continue to flounder in Indiana. They haven’t won a statewide election since 2012 and are arguing internally about whether to run moderate or progressive candidates in what’s becoming an increasingly conservative state.
- Indianapolis Business Journal: The CEO of the Washington-Street based Horizon House, which seeks to help those experiencing homelessness, will resign at the end of the year.
Arts and Culture
We’ve published a number of poetry stories throughout Mirror Indy’s young life as a news organization — Indianapolis has lots of poets and open mics, and poetry is a big part of our local arts and culture.
Still, when I read a poem, I don’t always feel that I understand all that is happening or being said.
Because at Mirror Indy we like to understand what we love, we invited poet Samantha Fain to interview Sophie Salerno, who writes poems about the color green. The subjects that show up in Sophie’s poems include plants, but also grocery store items, and people searching for remedies for maladies that Sophie believes also boil down to the color green.
Samantha’s interview with Sophie includes a poem and a Spotify playlist.
— Jennifer Delgadillo, arts and culture editor
Want to explore more of our city’s vibrancy? See Mirror Indy’s latest arts and culture newsletter here.
Reflections
We celebrated Lucy’s third birthday a couple Saturdays ago. She loves her birthday. I’m not ready to take down the balloons and decorations yet.
Chris
P.S. If you liked something about today’s newsletter, or didn’t, let me know at chris.sikich@mirrorindy.org. It helps us serve you better.
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