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thanks a lot for these.  Union Station = where I will be working.  Love the building.  The canal is something unique for Indy, although it pales in comparison to the Riverwalk in San Antonio.  The canal in Indy needs more mixed use to allow it to become more of a neighborhood. 

Indy's fortunate to have the old Central Canal to work with.  A canal doesn't flood like a river does, so you can build very close to the waterline - which has been done here.  Along with many attractive ped bridges too.

 

Good mixture of uses.  The NCAA and the Indiana Historical Society along with offices, restaurants and residences.  Very nicely done.

Love Indy.

Are there any people in that city?

Love Indy.

 

You would.  You're so suburban. 

Are there any people in that city?

 

It was pouring on and off.  Plus I don't like taking pictures with people in them.

Are there any plans for rail there .. in terms of light/heavy rail, I mean?

Are there any plans for rail there .. in terms of light/heavy rail, I mean?

 

Yes, but it is controversial (of course, its the Midwest).  It would run from downtown at Union Station northeast to the suburb of Fishers. 

Love Indy.

 

You would. You're so suburban.

 

... and racist.

Right -- the Indpls MPO just released its request for proposals (RFP) to consultants to submit bids to conduct the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for rapid transit on the existing "Nickel Plate" rail corridor that runs out of downtown and up through Fishers and into Noblesville.    A firm should be selected in the next two months and the DEIS should be completed by late 2010.    Getting funds to build any light rail or commuter rail on the corridor will likely be tough -- but there is a lower cost "start up" plan that could help get a basic light rail system built for about $200 million.  At that cost - it might be able to get started and be built even without federal transit dollars.  Upgrades could come later.  More news should be coming out about this in the near future.  And Atlas --- welcome to Indy.    I think you'll find it a pretty nice place.  Its good you're moving here in May when the weather's decent and plenty is going on.  Check out some of the fun places on Mass Avenue (Chatham Tap, Bazbeaux, the Rathskellar, Buda Lounge, MacNiven's) -- explore Fountain Square and Broad Ripple, enjoy the fesivals like Italian Fest; Talbott Street Art Fair;"Orange"; Penrod; the Greek Festival; etc. -- and White River Park, the Canal district, the many outdoor restaurants all over downtown - the ones with decks are particularly nice like Creations Cafe at the north end of the canal; Bourbon Street Distillery and Zing (both along Indiana Avenue).  You'll find plenty to keep you busy I hope.    Other places to explore - the Indianapolis Museum of Art and its beautiful wooded campus, gardens and the new art and nature park surrounding the lake behind the art museum; Garfield Park, Holliday Park, Eagle Creek Park, and Fort Harrison Park are just a few excellent parks with much to enjoy; The extensive and growing greenways bike trails throughout the city - the Monon is nice - also the ones along the canal near Butler and the Museum of Art as well as the Fall Creek Trail which runs NE from the central part of the city and up to Ft. Harrison State Park.  Mountain Bike Trails are excellent at Wolf Run trail - entrance at 96th St. just west of where it crosses the White River on the far north side of town; The Mountain Bike trails at Brown County State Park about 45 miles south of Indy are some of the best in the country as well.  Go inside the amazing World War Memorial - located along Meridian between Michigan and Vermont Streets;  Hanging out on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on a sunny week day during lunch is a cool thing to do.  Be in town when Indy hosts the 2010 NCAA final four in April.    Its great to experience all of the excited fans.  Things get extra busy and interesting too throughout late May when the Indy 500 is happening - and Brickyard 400 week as well.  (Michael Phelps will be swimming at the IU Natatorium for some type of national championship later this summer as well.  I enjoy these kinds of big sports events as well.)  Anyway -- enough of that.    Again -- I hope you enjoy your move to Indy.

Indy is still a city I have not spent a lot of time in.  I really need to check it out.

[...]

 

Go inside the amazing World War Memorial - located along Meridian between Michigan and Vermont Streets;  Hanging out on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on a sunny week day during lunch is a cool thing to do.

 

[...]

 

I keep tellin' folks, don't just take photos of the outside of the World War Memorial. Go inside and explore. It's a period piece, 1920s Art Deco in its most glorious, dignified form and almost completely unmolested over the years. The soaring space in the center, accessed by one of two long, narrow stairways, took my breath away when I first saw it on an 8th-grade class trip more than fifty years ago. It still has very nearly that same effect on me - or is it just the stairs?

 

The trip to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Circle, in that tiny elevator, provides a neat view if your timing is right. They only wash the glass twice a year, and the pigeons crap 24/7/365. There are museums in both monuments.

 

The Capitol Building is pretty impressive, too, with it's classical skylighted spaces and decorative trim. The last I knew, there were no restrictions on photography inside.

 

It is really cool that Indy has the canal, but I agree with atlas that it needs a greater mixture of uses.  I walked along a good deal of the canal and didn't notice the amount of cafes or sitting areas along the canal that I had hoped to see.  Maybe in time this will come as the canal grows into itself.

 

One other thing was that it feels a bit isolated since it is separated psychologically from the rest of downtown by the large surface lots and big footprint buildings.  Once again, this could and probably will change over time, but right now it's kind of lacking imo.

Right -- the Indpls MPO just released its request for proposals (RFP) to consultants to submit bids to conduct the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for rapid transit on the existing "Nickel Plate" rail corridor that runs out of downtown and up through Fishers and into Noblesville.    A firm should be selected in the next two months and the DEIS should be completed by late 2010.    Getting funds to build any light rail or commuter rail on the corridor will likely be tough -- but there is a lower cost "start up" plan that could help get a basic light rail system built for about $200 million.   At that cost - it might be able to get started and be built even without federal transit dollars.  Upgrades could come later.   More news should be coming out about this in the near future.   And Atlas --- welcome to Indy.    I think you'll find it a pretty nice place.   Its good you're moving here in May when the weather's decent and plenty is going on.   Check out some of the fun places on Mass Avenue (Chatham Tap, Bazbeaux, the Rathskellar, Buda Lounge, MacNiven's) -- explore Fountain Square and Broad Ripple, enjoy the fesivals like Italian Fest; Talbott Street Art Fair;"Orange"; Penrod; the Greek Festival; etc. -- and White River Park, the Canal district, the many outdoor restaurants all over downtown - the ones with decks are particularly nice like Creations Cafe at the north end of the canal; Bourbon Street Distillery and Zing (both along Indiana Avenue).   You'll find plenty to keep you busy I hope.     Other places to explore - the Indianapolis Museum of Art and its beautiful wooded campus, gardens and the new art and nature park surrounding the lake behind the art museum; Garfield Park, Holliday Park, Eagle Creek Park, and Fort Harrison Park are just a few excellent parks with much to enjoy; The extensive and growing greenways bike trails throughout the city - the Monon is nice - also the ones along the canal near Butler and the Museum of Art as well as the Fall Creek Trail which runs NE from the central part of the city and up to Ft. Harrison State Park.   Mountain Bike Trails are excellent at Wolf Run trail - entrance at 96th St. just west of where it crosses the White River on the far north side of town; The Mountain Bike trails at Brown County State Park about 45 miles south of Indy are some of the best in the country as well.   Go inside the amazing World War Memorial - located along Meridian between Michigan and Vermont Streets;  Hanging out on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on a sunny week day during lunch is a cool thing to do.   Be in town when Indy hosts the 2010 NCAA final four in April.    Its great to experience all of the excited fans.   Things get extra busy and interesting too throughout late May when the Indy 500 is happening - and Brickyard 400 week as well.   (Michael Phelps will be swimming at the IU Natatorium for some type of national championship later this summer as well.   I enjoy these kinds of big sports events as well.)   Anyway -- enough of that.    Again -- I hope you enjoy your move to Indy.

 

Oh wow, I missed this.  Well thanks for the warm welcome and all the info.  I am actually moving in Late June so I am not there yet.  Also, I lived in Indy last summer and was able to experience a lot of Indy in the short time I was there.  I am looking forward to getting to know the place a bit better over the next few years or however long my stay is.