10 signs of a still-flourishing Mass Ave.
There’s no sign that the culture-rich Mass Ave. is slowing its rise to popularity.
From science-infused alcohol to pop-up art showcases, Mass Ave. continues to grow and diversify its rich mix of art culture, cuisine and entertainment.
These 10 signs speak for themselves.
Marietta
333 N. Delaware St.
Real estate firm Gershman Partners starts construction in the next 30 days on a four-story addition to the Marott Center that will be called the Marietta. The site is currently used as a street-level parking lot bordered by Massachusetts Avenue and East Vermont Street. The firm acquired the building two years ago for $3 million. The addition will have a multi-level glass atrium facing Mass Ave and Vermont Street. Eric Gershman said there are no official takers so far for the new space, but the firm is in talks with potential retail, restaurant and boutique office tenants.
The Art Bäks
430 Massachusetts Ave.
Emerging artists will showcase their creations in one of the most prominent spots of Mass Ave. The Art Bäks will be plopped down in Davlan Park, the public space at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Alabama Street. A venue will be constructed out of a shipping container and will feature large doors that open to serve as a patio for curious passersby. The idea is to give exposure to new makers, artists, designers and architects through an on-street presence. The venue will be available to renters for 30-day periods starting in May.
Broken Beaker
643 Massachusetts Ave.
A husband-wife duo is opening a science-themed distillery at the former location of Bikes on Mass Ave. Old sci-fi movies will play on wall-mounted TV screens while customers are served test-tube-style glasses of spirits with physics- and chemistry-themed names. Thomas Wysocki and Heather Finfrock will offer tours of the distillery with an aim to entertain and educate. The two science lovers plan to open in October.
Coca-Cola building
850 Massachusetts Ave.
The largest tract in the Mass Ave. district to hit the market in years may give the lesser-developed end of the corridor some commercial muscle. Indianapolis Public Schools, which owns the 11-acre site of the former Coca-Cola Co. bottling plant, is hoping to have a developer selected by the end of the year. IPS currently uses the land for school bus parking. However, depending on the developer, residents may be seeing a mix of housing, retail and parking in their future.
The Eagle
310 Massachusetts Ave.
The longtime favorite Downtown sports bar Front Page closed this summer to make room for The Eagle, a new restaurant from the owners of Bakersfield. The Eagle will bring signature fried chicken and southern-style cuisine to the nook on Mass Ave. Front Page regulars may lament the loss of their beloved watering hole but the familiar faces won’t go away. Front Page owner Ben Knapp said there is an agreement to keep many Front Page employees. The Eagle is expected to swing open its doors in December.
Firefighters museum and union hall expansion
748 Massachusetts Ave.
The Indianapolis Professional Firefighters’ Union hall at Massachusetts Avenue and College Avenue is getting a facelift. The hall is going to expand to better serve the union and the community, said Scott Williams, the union’s secretary. The first level will have meeting space, the second level will be offices and a continuation of the Indianapolis Fire Department Museum, and the third level will be rented to another organization. “Our space, currently we’ve outgrown it,” he said, adding that membership in the union is a little more than 2,200 people in Marion County. The meeting space is open for union members’ use when it’s not serving another function, which allows members to host graduation parties, weddings and other events without paying a high price. The current space also hosted an Indy Fringe theater show during the festival and the Chatham Arch Neighborhood Association meets there as well. They do not charge for the community to use the space. “We want to continue the tradition of firefighters being part of the community,” Williams said.
Montage on Mass
North New Jersey Street and Massachusetts Ave.
Picture a grand painting 40 feet tall, mounted on the side of an apartment building. It’s getting dark, but the electronically lit painting keeps that side of the street from looking gloomy. As you watch, it changes to a different piece of art. And so on. That is one of the most striking features of Montage on Mass, a mixed-use development that will feature about 36,000 square feet of retail space and four stories of apartments. The development is set to be built on the site of the Indianapolis Fire Department Station 7 and Firefighters Credit Union at the intersection of Mass Ave., New Jersey Street and North Street. As of now, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission has not approved the design, but the request will be heard again on Oct. 7. “Mass continues to grow and thrive and we want to be a continued part of that longevity,” said Desma Belsaas of Schmidt Associates, the group that is designing the building. “We’ve felt this has been a necessary key project to help finish Mass Ave.”
Millikan on Mass
500 block of Mass Ave.
The mixed-use development between Massachusetts Avenue and Michigan Street that houses Nine Irish Brothers will be adding more eateries. An unnamed steak and seafood chop house and Fat Dan’s Chicago-Style Deli will move into the space by fall. “It brings some more variety to the neighborhood,” said Brian Epstein, a spokesman for Urban Space, which represents Insight Development, the owner of the project and an arm of the Indianapolis Housing Agency. The retail portion of the project received a federal grant of $750,000 in exchange for agreeing to offer jobs to low-income residents of the development. “I think it’s really positive for residents of the development,” said Bruce Baird, the president of Insight. “I think we’re fortunate to have this; it sort of fits in with other great things happening Downtown and in the city.”
Pattern Workshop
871 Massachusetts Ave.
For those who love knowing where their favorite accessories come from, Pattern provides an inside look into how it’s made. Pattern Workshop, formerly Pattern Store, is a makerspace-boutique hybrid. It’s an opportunity to meet the people who craft local goods by hand, said Polina Osherov, Pattern’s executive director. The new workspace currently houses artisans of bookbinding, fashion design and leather goods.
The Tap
300 N. Delaware Ave.
A taste of Bloomington craft-beer goodness is slated to froth forth mid-September in the Pulliam Square development. The new bar and venue will boast 70 craft-beer taps, a taproom for house brews and live music. The Tap Fries with Chipotle Ranch or Parmesan Garlic Aioli is a Bloomington favorite and sure to become a choice Downtown munchie.
Follow Dennis Barbosa on Twitter: @DennisBarbosa86.