Downtown Indianapolis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term Downtown Indianapolis refers to the central business district, or CBD, of Indianapolis, Indiana. The boundaries of Downtown Indianapolis vary; the original mile square of Indianapolis is considered to be the true "downtown", though some may consider downtown's boundaries to include many smaller neighborhoods nearby.

[edit] History

OneAmerica Tower

Indianapolis' downtown has undergone a dramatic transformation from being a place of vacant storefronts and no activity to that of a dynamic urban district in the United States. In the 1970s, the city suffered under the dramatic effects that plagued other nearby Rust Belt cities such as decreased economic activity, white flight, racial tension, etc. As a result, Downtown Indianapolis was not a desirable place to be in the 1970s, and often saw little to no activity. The City of Indianapolis dealt with these issues and tried to come up with solutions to help revitalize the city's downtown.

Starting in the 1980s, Downtown Indianapolis begin to develop into the state that it is today. A series of modern skyscrapers were constructed during this period, including the Chase Tower. Revitalization of the city's canal followed. This, along with plans for a new downtown mall, basketball stadium, and new attractions such as museums helped to revitalize Downtown Indianapolis.

[edit] Tourism

Tourism is a large part of the economy of Downtown Indianapolis, due in large part to the presence of the Indiana Convention Center.

[edit] Retail and Transportation

Circle Centre Mall, facing Nordstrom

Downtown Indianapolis has many attractions, including the well known Circle Centre Mall, which is considered to be one of the most successful downtown malls in the country. It is home to many stores and boutiques that don't have a presence in other malls in Indiana, including the only Nordstrom in the state. There are also many other boutiques located throughout the central business district.

Although Indianapolis is home to the first Union Station in the world, demonstrating the city's late nineteenth-century heritage as a rail hub, there is no commuter rail service. This remains a problem, and many residents of the city are trying to make plans to make use of the station for public transportation. Many consider commuter rail service a potential solution to the city's pollution and traffic congestion; the latter is especially marked downtown, along I-465, and running toward the northeast to Fishers.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Some of the ongoing developments in Downtown Indianapolis include proposals for a series of cultural trails throughout downtown[1], a series of new mid to high rise buildings[2], and construction of the Lucas Oil Stadium[3].

[edit] Attractions

Notable attractions that can be found in Downtown Indianapolis include:

• Indiana Central Canal
• White River Gardens
• White River State Park
• Indianapolis Zoo
• Circle Centre Mall
• Monument Circle
• Wholesale District
• American Legion Mall
• Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
• Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers and WNBA's Indiana Fever
• Indiana Convention Center
• Massachusetts Avenue
• Indiana Avenue
• Military Park
• University Park
• Victory Field, home of the IL's Indianapolis Indians

[edit] External links

• Wikimapia Location
• Panorama of Downtown Indianapolis on Windows Local Live
• Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. Website
• Indianapolis Visitors and Convention Bureau Official Website
• Official City of Indianapolis Website

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