Indy Can Be A Great Urban Place, And You Can Too!

Hi! Ace here.

I had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis this fall, the capital of the state of Indiana and a city known as “The Crossroads of America.” While there I noticed that the city had all the makings of a future great urban (and cosmopolitan) place, something that many other American cities have as well but may not be recognized as such. Indy is a place that felt like an excellent crosscut into what many Americans believe our country to be like, and as such I believe there are four items in particular that are important to recognize in Indianapolis—and in your own community—that mean you are on the path to creating great places where people want to be.

Let’s break it down.

What some in my industry like to call “good bones.” (Fountain Square)

There are great grids that make great neighborhoods

Good neighborhood character is created largely by the characters in that neighborhood, but a solid grid that creates streets people can easily walk and navigate helps those neighborhoods become great. I stayed with a friend of mine that lives in Fountain Square, which has a great grid like this and was the commercial center of the south end of Indianapolis for many years. Unfortunately, like other American neighborhoods during the mid-20th century it was decimated by the construction of a highway that cuts through the area and encourages the dominance of cars (to the detriment of people). That said, new developments like the photo shown are recognizing that the basic infrastructure needed to have a lively neighborhood is already there. Activation is key.

There is great design already happening

It’s very easy for people to gravitate to major centers of design like Los Angeles and NYC while overlooking the great work that is being done in their own community, and I believe Indianapolis is a good example of that. I spent some time working in and enjoying a local coffee outpost shown here, Bovaconti Coffee. A sumptuous and indulgent mix of colors both inside and out, the interior concept for Bovaconti was created by a local business, Funnel, while the exterior mural was created by another Indy native, Nick Smith. Works like this prove that in the change and growth that cities aim to see, there are individuals in your own backyard that you can rely on to do an excellent job. And if you are still looking for something even more unique, I am always available for house calls.

There are great cultural spaces

A place I was fortunate enough to go to was Newfields, a campus that is both park as well as art museum. A composite of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, a sculpture garden, a historic estate, and a nature walk, this unique experience is something both exquisite and world class. Art as well as the environment play an important role in creating soft spaces within cities; as such these are things that cities should both encourage as well as provide cheap/free space for. Connecting them in some manner, like Indianapolis does with its cultural trails, can also amplify the impact and enjoyment of these spaces by locals and visitors alike.

There is a desire to get out of cars, but only when it is more convenient

The Red Line, Indianapolis’ first foray into the world of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), is a transit spine that connects many of the great spots in the city as well as moves lots of individuals in the city to and from their places of work, worship, and well-being. From the first day there has been lots of excitement to experience and take the Red Line by residents, similar to new lines of transit that are being opened in other cities. Transit projects can serve to move people quickly from one portion of the city to another, though I will argue that it’s important to ensure that you’re connecting places that people already go to and that will be improving upon traffic or other issues in your city. Future development is always a bit risky so ensuring you take care of immediate needs as well as creating options that are rapid and reliable will be sure to win people over and get them out of their cars. The fact that transit is more sustainable will not always cut it.

With a nickname like “The Crossroads of America,” Indianapolis has a lot to live up to as the place where highways lattice over a city that is as American as apple pie. Still, I believe this city of quiet confidence has a lot of great things happening that any other city can learn from. The surface just needs to be uncovered to reveal the great city underneath.