Carmel, IN new "downtown."

[cwilson758]

carmel transformation
City Center project gets a growth spurt
Plan would expand retail, housing units


Part of a proposal for the new 50-acre Carmel City Center. -- Matt Detrich / The Star

New plan for Carmel's City Center

• More shopping space: from 112,000 square feet to 170,000-plus, about a quarter of the size of Circle Centre mall
• More housing units: from 200 to more than 500
• More office space: from 30,000 square feet to 60,000-plus

http://www.indystar.com/images/pics2/image-222666-1288.jpg

By Bill Ruthhart
bill.ruthhart@indystar.com
February 16, 2005


CARMEL, Ind. -- This aspiring city's quest to build its skyline grew bigger, taller and more expensive Tuesday.

Months before construction starts, a key developer in Carmel's sweeping City Center project said he would increase his original $60 million investment to more than $100 million, adding two stories to its signature building and sharply expanding housing, offices, shops and underground parking.

After encouragement from city officials, architects and the public, Pedcor Investments chief Bruce Cordingley presented new plans for his 12-acre development at a joint meeting of Carmel's City Council and Redevelopment Commission. The commission unanimously approved the preliminary design of the project.

Compared with initial plans Pedcor announced in July, retail space in the development has increased from 112,000 square feet to more than 170,000, or close to a quarter of the size of Circle Centre mall.

Cordingley said his preliminary plans have created a buzz among possible retail tenants, which he hopes will include specialty stores from California and New York -- stores that would be new to Indiana. He declined to offer specifics.

While retail space increased significantly, so did the number of housing units -- from 200 to more than 500. Office space also has increased, from 30,000 square feet to more than 60,000.

Cordingley said he added housing in part because of public demand -- in fact, he said, three of the penthouses are spoken for.

"This really is a better plan than we ever thought we'd get for this area," Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said. "It's going to be a true downtown for Carmel."

As part of the new plan, Brainard said the city will spend $10.7 million on infrastructure and parking, which the city-owned performing arts center would share. That's up from $7 million. City officials estimate Pedcor's project will generate $1.3 million in annual tax revenue for the city.

Since his election a decade ago, Brainard has pushed to transform Carmel from fast-growing suburb to a city in its own right.

Cordingley's mixed-use project -- including penthouses, luxury condominiums, apartments, shopping, restaurants, offices, underground parking and a hotel -- aims for a high-end contrast to Indianapolis and other communities.

"I'm sure most communities would like this," Cordingley said.

"But in Carmel, there is more affluence to pay for the restaurants, pay for the retail and visit the facilities that are not going to be inexpensive. The disposable income in Carmel helps allow something like this to happen."

According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, Carmel's 1999 median household income was $81,583; Indianapolis' was $40,051.

In July, Cordingley revealed his original plans, a core of five-story buildings with retail on the first floor and apartments above.

That plan also included a hotel built on 400 underground parking spaces with a pair of nearby office buildings.

The revamped plans released Tuesday show dramatic changes, including a seven-story tower with condos and penthouses. Also among the changes are a two-story hotel building with a lobby and ballroom connecting to Carmel's planned $80 million performing arts center.

The plan also incorporates a multistory restaurant overlooking a planned outdoor amphitheater and the Monon Trail, which runs through the project.

With condos and penthouses connected to the hotel, Cordingley said, "if someone is living there and wants to order dinner from the hotel, it could be easily wheeled to their residence."

As the project's density has increased, so has the amount of parking. The original plan called for 400 underground parking spots and 500 above ground; Cordingley's new proposal calls for nearly 2,000 spaces -- all underground.

Cordingley said the development's design is based on some of his favorite neighborhoods, such as Paris' Left Bank.

Chris McComas, who has invested in a bank and second office site in City Center, was encouraged by the new plans.

"I applaud you, and I think it's absolutely amazing," McComas told Cordingley. "As a landowner in City Center, you just made my property value go up significantly."

Council and commission member Rick Sharp also lauded Cordingley's work.

"He has taken an initial concept, pursued it and exceeded the commission's expectations," Sharp said. "The level of design quality is far beyond what we could have imagined. How can you not be thrilled about a project like that?"

The project still is subject to a final development agreement with the redevelopment commission, although Pedcor already has purchased much of the land from the city for $1.7 million. Cordingley said he hopes to break ground on the project this spring and complete it in four to six years.

"It's something people are greatly anticipating, and we're trying to complete something that the mayor has helped lead the community to accept," he said.

"This is what this city wants."

[SChristopher]

That sounds kinda ambitious, I cant wait to see how it affects the region, not to mention what it looks like. Did they ever even mention how tall the signature building was going to be?

[cwilson758]

I will have to do a search on IndyStar because when this first was in the paper they showed elevations.

[KM1410]

That sounds kinda ambitious, I cant wait to see how it affects the region, not to mention what it looks like. Did they ever even mention how tall the signature building was going to be?

I think the tallest building will be 7 stories. I agree, its very ambitious, but i think carmel can pull it off.

[KM1410]

another ambitious carmel project...

161 acres set for park
$55 million site envisioned as key to Carmel's future

It's a park that could draw visitors -- and envy -- from across the region.

Straddling the Monon Trail, Carmel's new Central Park will include features such as a fishing pond, swimming pools, gyms and a play area on 161 acres.

At a cost of $55 million, the sprawling municipal park project will be one of the state's most expensive by the time it opens in 2006.

But that cost will be worth it, officials hope, as Carmel strives to further position itself among elite suburban communities such as Minneapolis- St. Paul suburb Eden Prairie, capable of attracting corporate headquarters and the executives who work for them. This year's final approval of Central Park capped an eight-year plan to acquire 500 new acres of parkland.

"This park is critical for continued economic development, as well as our desire to maintain the high quality of life our residents have grown to expect," said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard in January 2004. He was first elected in 1996, back when Carmel had 20 acres of parkland.

Most Central Indiana towns can only dream of such projects.

"It is something to be a little jealous of," said Evan Springer, parks director in Greenwood, a suburb south of Indianapolis. "Sure, we'd love to bond $55 million, but then we'd have to be able to pay it back."

Some elected Carmel officials had the same concerns, even as many fast-growing suburbs push to secure more park space. The bond issue passed the Carmel City Council by only one vote earlier in January. In March, it survived the threat of a petition drive to stop the bond.

Philip Conklin, a former Indiana budget director and a Carmel resident since 1972, wishes more of the bill could be paid through local income taxes, rather than property taxes."

This could easily add a couple hundred dollars to our tax bills here," said Conklin, who complains about the sheer size of the project. "I think they are trying to do too much at once."

The park's primary clientele will be residents of Carmel and Clay Township, the same people who will be asked to pay off the $55 million the city expects to raise from bonds.

But its mix of natural and man-made attractions -- from fishing in a real pond to swimming in both indoor and outdoor pools -- likely will draw a significant number of noncity residents, whose higher admission fees to such features will help with operating costs. How much those fees will be has yet to be determined.

That's partly because of its location along the Monon Trail greenway and proximity to the city center and Carmel arts center.

"The trail is very popular," said Greenwood's Springer, a parks director for 27 years. "It will pull people out of Indianapolis, Westfield and all around."

In places like Hamilton and Johnson counties, where parks officials compete for open space with developers, Carmel may have scored a coup by acquiring the land needed for the park. Just south of the city center, the mix of farmland and natural wetlands sat empty for decades.

"This was really the last large site left in Carmel," said Brainard. "And the location was key. We really needed a spoke in the middle of the wheel (of our park system)."

Steve Valinet, who sold the land to Carmel four years ago for about $45 million, said his grandfather started buying it in the 1940s. His father added more parcels, the last of them in the 1970s. By the 1990s, Valinet had about 170 acres and plenty of interested developers knocking on his door.

"But many of them wanted to break the land up," Valinet said. "And we wanted the right use for the land, something that would be pleasing to the city of Carmel. And we couldn't think of a better use than this."

Surrounded by sprawling neighborhoods and not far from the corporate office buildings that line U.S. 31, the swath of land compares in size with large parks such as Southeastway Park in Indianapolis.

Visitors will see a number of outdoor garden areas, open spaces for festivals, art fairs and the local farmers market. A 12-acre central lagoon will provide fishing and nonmotorized boating opportunities. There will be 760 parking spaces.

More than 9 acres of created wetlands will provide a habitat for wildlife. Nearly 6 miles of trails will connect the Monon Trail to each of the features.

Millions of gallons of water will play a key role in entertaining families. The park will feature a 3.5-acre family aquatic center with a shallow activity pool, lap-swimming, slides, a man-made "lazy river" for inner-tubing and a kiddie pool and spray grounds.

The main piece of construction will be the Monon Centre, a 106,000-square-foot community center with gymnasiums, indoor pools, health-and-fitness areas and indoor play areas -- all built into a landscaped hillside and designed to bridge the Monon Trail.

Jack Edwards, who has lived in the area since 1934, is excited about the park, despite the prospect of paying higher property taxes to pay off the bonds.

"It's an investment," he said. "It will bring more people into the community, which will eventually lower the tax rate."

To critics who warn of a tax increase, Brainard responded that Carmel has the lowest city-tax rate for a city its size in Indiana.

Brainard predicts that tax rates for other services such as schools and libraries will drop, offsetting any increase in taxes related to the bond issue.

"Our hope is that (this project) will not cause any increase in property taxes."

Brainard said he realizes the project appears to be a lot of work done at one time. But the rapid growth in Carmel -- its population increased by nearly 50 percent during the 1990s -- makes that unavoidable.

"We're not a 150-year-old city with an existing park to plan around," he said. "We are growing so fast that we have to do it all at once."

What visitors to Central Park may find

Key features of Carmel's Central Park will include these:

• The Monon Centre, a 106,000-square-foot community center with gymnasiums, indoor pools, health-and-fitness areas and indoor play areas.

• An "eco" gateway garden and planted median at the College Avenue entrance.

• A neighborhood labyrinth garden and water feature for pedestrians entering the park at the southwest corner.

• Event and wedding gardens near the Monon Centre for general use and revenue generating special events.

• A woodland garden and shelter set among mature woodland north of the Central Lagoon.

• Carmel Creek and wetland overlooks that double as outdoor education spaces with interpretive signs.

• Sculptural island gardens located within the Central Lagoon, viewed from the bridge above or from the water in a canoe from the boathouse.

• Demonstration wetlands that serve water- quality functions and could provide potential revenue generation if they are developed as a wetland bank.

• A model-boat basin and children's garden located near the Monon Centre.

• Public art strategically located at the end of key vistas, in open landscapes, in woodland settings and at park gateways.

• A park sign or "wayfinding" system that will help orient park visitors inside the park as well as along its periphery, guiding them to the correct park entrance for their desired activity and to attractions and parking once inside the park. This system should be coordinated with Carmel's comprehensive signage system along its major thoroughfares such as 116th Street and Rangeline Road.

[SChristopher]

WOW awesome! I think satellite power cities are definatly part of what makes a big city feel, is there any population estimates for Carmel 10 years out? It seems to be growing so damn fast. Indy period seems to be growing fast. And yeah I think they can pull it off as well.

[KM1410]

WOW awesome! I think satellite power cities are definatly part of what makes a big city feel, is there any population estimates for Carmel 10 years out? It seems to be growing so damn fast. Indy period seems to be growing fast. And yeah I think they can pull it off as well.

Carmel has over 60,000 people right now and will have over 100,000 in 2014 due to growth but also aggressive annexation.

[cwilson758]

As much as I hate suburban sprawl, you have got to give the Carmel City Council and Mayor credit for having a real "vision" for this City. They are truely creating a "destination" bedroom community. And I agree with SChristopher, suburbas like this really contribute to the urban fabric of large metro area. Carmel has very progressive (and agressive) groth strategy and it certainly will be in the upper tier of suburbs by the time all of these projects are completed. It's funny to think that Carmel had just a couple thousand people 20 years ago!

How well-known is Carmel outside of Indiana?

[xzmattzx]

How well-known is Carmel outside of Indiana?

not well known at all, i thought it was a small town in the farmlands until you said that this will contribute to the greater metro area.

[SChristopher]

I have heard people that have been to Indy from Louisville and Cincinnati speak of Carmel...mostly in a dirogatory manner or referring to rich soccermoms.

[james2390]

Great plans! Im looking forward to seeing some renderings.

[jacerw99]

I think Carmel will continue to gain more and more of a good reputation, both within and and outside of the state. It is already recognized as a model for success amongst edge cities. It has a certain prestige that the other sprawling Indy suburbs (Fishers, Greenwood, etc.) don't have. And I also believe its government has made a very conscious decision to transition away from sleepy bedroom community toward a more thriving commercial center with attractive shopping and restaurants (more like Overland Park, KS). I prefer to live the more urban lifestyle in downtown Indy; but I think as far as suburbs go, Carmel has a lot going for it. Good to hear of "smarter" growth like this to balance out the endless sprawl of culdesacs and subdivisions with names like "Woodstone" and "Brookhaven." :-)

[ADL]

I have heard people that have been to Indy from Louisville and Cincinnati speak of Carmel...mostly in a dirogatory manner or referring to rich soccermoms.

Pretty much...full of soccer moms and golf club swinging hubbies. Carmel is so boring. So is Fishers and Noblesville. But I guess these are great areas to live in if you want to get away from the inner city yet still have a foot in Indianapolis....

[KM1410]

Arts district ripe to grow
Carmel hopes to add 4-star hotel, luxury retail mix by 2008

CARMEL -- Shane Hartke opened his modern home décor and gifts shop on Main Street in the city's Old Towne downtown district not only because he loved the area, but also because he loved what the area would soon become.

Hartke's Addendum is located west of Rangeline Road. The shop sits in the heart of the city's arts and design district, set to open in 2008 with a mix of upscale boutiques and restaurants, high-end antique and furniture stores, designers and fine-art galleries.

"It's why we opened here," he said.

"People here are really looking for this type of thing so they won't have to go to downtown Indianapolis or out to Broad Ripple anymore," Hartke said. "They definitely have the clientele here and they definitely have the money here."

That's what city leaders are banking on as they turn this suburban city of more than 43,000, known for high- income households, million-dollar homes and top-notch schools, into an arts destination.

At the heart of the effort are the Carmel Arts and Design District, which is set for the century-old Old Towne buildings centered at Rangeline Road and Main Street, and the nearby City Center. City Center will include shops and restaurants, a performing-arts center, an outdoor amphitheater, an ice-skating rink and a hotel.

Both projects are expected to benefit the city twofold: By bringing in added tourism and by bringing in more revenue.

"Just think what it'll do for Carmel," said Doreen Squire Ficara, a longtime supporter of the local arts scene and executive director of the Carmel Arts Council, an organization formed in 1993 to promote the arts. "People will come to Carmel and want to stay in Carmel instead of going downtown" to Indianapolis.

The goal, city leaders say, is to get away from the strip malls and create more sense of community.

Evan Lurie said Carmel is prime for the arts. An art gallery owner with locations in West Hollywood, Calif., and Boca Raton, Fla., and others planned to open soon in London and Carmel, Lurie oversees the arts district and City Center projects.

According to his staff:

• Retail spending in Carmel is two times the national average.

• Nearly 95 percent of Carmel's population is working professionals.

• About 40 percent of Carmel residents earn incomes of more than $100,000 a year.

"They have the money here," Lurie said. "We need to give them a reason to spend it here."

City Center
Carmel's answer to an established downtown, City Center will feature 200,000 square feet of upscale retail and a four-star hotel called The Georgian, complete with its own 10,000-square-foot ballroom and a restaurant and a bar, Lurie said. The all-suite hotel will be decked out with antique furniture and flat-screen TVs in each room. A world-class spa will be adjacent to the hotel. There'll be 500 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with New York-style penthouse condominiums with floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors and rooftop gardens.

Restaurants and cafes will surround an outdoor ice rink and offer year-round outdoor seating. Hot-air blowers will protect diners during chilly weather. Other ideas being considered include a jazz bar and comedy club, Lurie said.

Crews will break ground on the long-awaited performing-arts center this summer. It will house the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and off-Broadway shows. An outdoor amphitheater will host family shows, jazz festivals and more.

"The idea is to have night life for the more mature crowd," Lurie said.

Lurie said the City Center would host an international calendar of events ranging from Chinese New Year and Cinco de Mayo celebrations to St. Patrick's Day festivities. The annual Carmel International Arts Festival will move here.

"We need to bring more culture here," he said.

The area will have an underground parking garage with more than 3,000 spots and valet parking, Lurie said. The stores and the parking lots will be color coded to help shoppers find their way. Auto traffic along the area's cobblestone and brick streets will be limited to emergency vehicles.

"You'll get the feeling you're in a European street," Lurie said. "You'll feel like you're shopping in Paris or Rome."

Arts district
The Carmel Arts and Design District will include similar upscale boutiques and restaurants with loft-style apartments. Lurie said the goal is "to create a walking community where people can get out and enjoy the galleries and art."

He expects as many as 20 to 30 art galleries. So far, five have signed on, including his: A 15,000-square-foot, three-floor building that will feature fine art and interior-design services. The Evan Lurie Fine Art Gallery will be where the World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery is located. It's moving to the west side of the Carmel Old Town Antique Mall.

The district will also house the Indiana Design & Merchandise Mart, interior-design and landscape services, educational seminars and showrooms.

Lurie said the area will feature traditional architecture, but each storefront will be unique.

"An art and design district, by definition, is individualized," he said. "The businesses will reflect that."

He said none of the current businesses located in the proposed district will be forced out, but city officials are trying to "raise the bar" in the area to make storefronts and interiors look more upscale. Several businesses received grants from the Carmel Redevelopment Commission for face-lifts. Lurie said city leaders plan to meet with storeowners to help them fit into the district's plan.

Lurie previously rejuvenated older parts of a city like Carmel's Old Towne. In West Hollywood, he transformed run-down warehouses into the West Hollywood Avenues of Art & Design, home to hundreds of design studios and art galleries.

The area saw a boost in revenue. Lurie said the idea is simple, really.

"Where you have art galleries you have money," he said. "People who go there have expendable income. Then, others (businesses) see this and they want to be a part of it and you have all these boutiques and cafes wanting to open."



http://www.topics.com/images/pics2/image-045905-1341.jpg
The Muldoon's restaurant at First Avenue Southwest and West Main Street in the Carmel Arts and Design District offers outdoor seating. Future restaurants and cafes in the area will offer more outdoor dining.

[SChristopher]

People here are really looking for this type of thing so they won't have to go to downtown Indianapolis or out to Broad Ripple anymore

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! The only thing that keeps downtown aflow is that it has alot of unique venues to the metro...In my opinion.

The goal, city leaders say, is to get away from the strip malls and create more sense of community.

*Applause*

Retail spending in Carmel is two times the national average.

WOW!

Nearly 95 percent of Carmel's population is working professionals.
AND
About 40 percent of Carmel residents earn incomes of more than $100,000 a year.

Thats not a surprise....its a wealthy suburb.

All in all that really does sound cool, nice apartments...upscale retail (how upscale what on earth would Fashion Mall mean after that :-/) Indianapolis seems very saturated for a metro its size and they just keep on keepin on....it just seems like with what they already have they could support about 4 million people lol, or maybe I am missing something.

[KM1410]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! The only thing that keeps downtown aflow is that it has alot of unique venues to the metro...In my opinion.

Yeah, I didnt like the comment about people not going to downtown or broad ripple. But then the more I thought about it, it sure beats the hell out of more strip malls.

All in all that really does sound cool, nice apartments...upscale retail (how upscale what on earth would Fashion Mall mean after that :-/)

Yeah, im not sure what kinda upscale retail they are thinking about bringing in. Maybe something like Tiffanys or Burberry, etc.

[SChristopher]

The way people always talked about Carmel I expected hideous Atlanta-esque suburbs (no offense to ATL :)) But when I saw it, I was very surprised. It is very soft on your eyes...the walmart is brick not a big blue lol... and now Clay Terrace, I think is pretty handsome and it has a pretty neat downtown. I dont think Carmel is that bad at all and yeah the cease of strip malls will be nice...it just seems like upscale retail should be directed to the city center or at Keystone, but it would be nice out there too as well.

[KM1410]

The way people always talked about Carmel I expected hideous Atlanta-esque suburbs (no offense to ATL :)) But when I saw it, I was very surprised. It is very soft on your eyes...the walmart is brick not a big blue lol... and now Clay Terrace, I think is pretty handsome and it has a pretty neat downtown. I dont think Carmel is that bad at all and yeah the cease of strip malls will be nice...it just seems like upscale retail should be directed to the city center or at Keystone, but it would be nice out there too as well.

That Walmart is in Westfield, not Carmel. I dont think Carmel would ever allow a Walmart. The city fought Lowes when they wanted to build and only allowed them to build an all red brick Lowes on the northern border of Carmel.

The mayor really has done a lot to limit sprawl and prevent Carmel from turning into Fishers or those Atlanta suburbs you are talking about. He has increased the acres of parkland from 20 to over 500 and is spearheading the $55 million central park project. The city is spending hundreds of millions of dollars, but the property tax rates are still the lowest in Central Indiana and one of the lowest in the state. For a suburb, we are lucky to have a mayor with vision. He's probably the only Republican I will ever vote for in my life, lol.

[SChristopher]

I read in a paper that Carmel was trying to outlaw Vynil siding LOL. Oh whoops about the walmart....I thought it was Carmel, I am new tho :)

[KM1410]

I read in a paper that Carmel was trying to outlaw Vynil siding LOL. Oh whoops about the walmart....I thought it was Carmel, I am new tho :)

Yeah, that Walmart is just over the border on the Westfield side. I even think Walmart refers to the store as the "carmel" walmart. Yeah, the mayor wanted to ban vinyl siding, but it caused such an uproar in the Indianapolis media about carmel being elitist that he dropped the proposed ban. I thought the ban was a great idea. People were whining that it would keep lower income people out of carmel. I didnt know it was a rule that all houses under a certain dollar amount had to use vinyl siding, lol. The neighborhood I grew up in probably didnt have a house more than $130,000 and not a single house had vinyl siding.

[SChristopher]

HAHAH, Yeah now that I remember it, it was in INTAKE and they [skeptics] said it was racist and a ploy to keep it white out there and keep the poor out. Vynil is just not that attractive to me, I would have loved to see it pass as alot of new developments in Indy are vynil :( or have large vynil components. It isnt sturdy either... oh well ...

Oh and yeah they do brand it as your Carmel Wal Mart...haha, still cool that it is so nicely fit in, it is one of the only walmarts i have seen that blends and isnt huge with outlandish colors...I dont think its a super center there though ... hopefully they dont do what they are doing with the walmarts all around...closing the regular stores and building a massive blue superstore up the street.

[KM1410]

When I was looking for articles about the vinyl siding ban on google, I found this wonderful website...

http://www.thecarmelinsider.com/index.php

[SChristopher]

Whoa HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH...that is too much!

[KM1410]

Whoa HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH...that is too much!

Actually the more I read that site, it seems more like the onion. pretty funny stuff on there.

[cwilson758]

I would expect the high-end retail of Tiffany's, Dolce & Gabanna, Versace, etc to locate stores in Carmel. The demos completely support it and the fact that the City is in a metro estimated between 1.6 and 1.9 million make it ripe for one of those retailers to enter the market. Evidently the Sacks at Keystone does quite well, so I think it is only a matter of time.

[KM1410]

Carmel debates cost, merits of concert hall
Mayor says arts center will be one of state's top venues; critics contend city can't afford the $80 million price tag.

By Bill Ruthhart
March 6, 2005

CARMEL, Ind. -- One of Indiana's most affluent cities soon will begin debating whether to build an $80 million concert hall -- but amid growing concern that Carmel finally has found something it can't afford.

The Carmel Performing Arts Center would bill itself as Indiana's only true concert hall, playing occasional host to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and inviting prestigious performances that now steer clear of the state.

Communities around the country are opening similar venues, moving the arts closer to home for suburban patrons in cities such as Baltimore and Atlanta. Carmel is counting on music to anchor its effort to build a new downtown that would give the growing city a skyline and an identity distinct from Indianapolis'.

"This hall will be so much better than anything else in the Indianapolis area," said Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, aiming for a slice of the estimated $300 million spent annually on the arts in the metro area. "This will be the top performance concert venue in the state and among the best in the Midwest."

A third-term Republican in a city that never has elected a Democrat, Brainard might face his toughest political test in getting the 1,600-seat concert hall built.

"The mayor has spent thousands and thousands of dollars getting this project to this point, and he's just assuming, like everything else, that we're all going to buy into this," said City Council President Kevin Kirby, among critics who suggest Carmel should deal with problems such as annexation and traffic congestion before signing the biggest check in city history.

"To me, $80 million seems like an absurd number. Right now, there's not a whole lot of support on the council for this."

Doubters also argue that Indianapolis already is home to venues such as the Hilbert Circle Theatre, Clowes Hall, the Murat Theatre and the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. But Brainard counters that none of them was built as a concert hall, with the acoustics that draw touring acts such as European symphonies.

"There are not any facilities in the Indianapolis area that one certainly would call a world-class concert hall," said Willem Brans, a New York consultant whom Carmel hired to oversee the project.

"In fact, there is no purpose-built concert hall in the state of Indiana. That niche is what's missing."

Operate at a loss
Planned near the corner of Range Line Road and City Center Drive -- the heart of Carmel's emerging downtown -- the Carmel Performing Arts Center would include a 500-seat theater as well as the concert hall. The doors would open in 2008.

Like most venues of its kind, it would operate at a loss -- an estimated $300,000 every year, none of it covered in the $80 million cost of construction.

As a result, Brainard faces the challenge of raising an additional $20 million as an endowment fund, covering operating expenses as well as other features such as a grand piano.

He hopes to raise the money through donations and fees for the concert hall's corporate-sponsored boxes.

The arts center's name is up for grabs, too -- for $25 million.

Whatever name is chiseled into the building's brick facade, Carmel's own symphony, a 25-year-old, volunteer-based ensemble of 65 musicians, desperately wants a new place to perform.

"We practice and perform in Westfield, Carmel, Fishers, Pike Township and anywhere else we can find open time," said Alan Davis, director of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra.

"We're pretty much a gypsy road show until the performing arts center opens."

One of Brainard's biggest selling points is a commitment from the Indianapolis Symphony, though only for a limited number of dates during the first season. While orchestra officials declined to offer a specific number, Brainard said the commitment is for four to six concerts.

Last month, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra became the first major metropolitan orchestra to open a second home.

Located outside Washington, D.C., in North Bethesda, Md., The Music Center at Strathmore will host around 40 of its concerts per year.

In comparison, Carmel's concert hall still would be playing second fiddle to the Hilbert Circle Theatre -- but it would have the advantage of offering a shorter drive for an audience centered in Hamilton County and Indianapolis' Northside.

Nationwide, more high-priced arts venues are being built in areas known more for subdivisions and strip centers. The desire to capture the discretionary income of growing, affluent suburbs led to arts centers being built in suburban Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

"The core audience for orchestra and the arts is declining in most markets across the country, and at the same time, the suburbs are growing and have greater education levels and greater affluence," said Michael Mael, vice president of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

"It's become truly a matter of going to where the customers are. The idea of building a concert hall in the suburbs was probably unthinkable 10 or 15 years ago, but today it makes perfect sense, and we're going to start seeing more of it."

Council support lacking
Brainard's plan would be funded from a tax increment finance district in the City Center and the nearby Carmel Arts & Design District. A TIF district siphons new business tax in a redevelopment area and reinvests that money in public infrastructure.

"The key is that none of this will be funded by residential property taxes," Brainard said. "It's all coming from businesses in the area that will benefit from this performing arts center."

Carmel's Redevelopment Commission is expected to vote in favor of floating an $80 million bond for the project this month.

But final approval will rest with the City Council, and if a vote were held today, council President Kirby said, the performing arts center plan would fail -- even though the city already has spent $500,000 on engineering and planning fees.

Most council members remain on the fence, citing concerns about the endowment. Clerk-Treasurer Diana Cordray said she supports the arts center concept, but would "absolutely like to get the private sector involved first."

Carmel approved a $55 million township bond last year to build its planned Central Park -- complete with water slides, fishing ponds and gymnasiums -- and there is concern in the community about the city's finances, said business owner Charles Key.

Not including the parks bond, the city has more than $102 million in bond debt, but recent reviews from financial groups such as Standard & Poors indicate Carmel's financial health is good.

That doesn't keep people like Key, who owns a liquor store near City Center, from worrying.

"They just borrowed more than $50 million-plus for their water park, and now this," Key said. "There's a lot of concern by the common citizens of Carmel about how the city is spending their money, but I don't think you hear much about it because people are afraid to speak out."

John Koven isn't.

The former council member says the mayor is juggling too many projects -- including annexations and road improvements -- and shouldn't be relying on a $20 million endowment.

"You don't borrow $80 million and hope to hell you can keep the thing open," Koven said. "Who's going to die and leave the city of Carmel $20 million? He's not going to get an endowment like that for a public facility."

Brainard points to a 1 percent provision in the city budget dedicated to the arts that could help cover the operating costs in the absence of an endowment. Brans, the New York concert hall consultant, says cities typically secure public financing before embarking on fund raising.

"It's not until that point we can go to people and say this is going to happen, here's how much we need and why," he said. "It has more reality then."

Not trying to compete
But should Indiana's newest arts attraction be located in Carmel, and will it hurt Indianapolis?

"We don't feel threatened by this at all," said Kimberly Harms, a spokeswoman for the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association. "We already feel Indianapolis is well-recognized as one of the premier arts communities in the country, and this will only add to that foundation."

Wendy Riggs is managing director of the Cobb Energy Centre for the Performing Arts in Cobb County, Ga., northwest of Atlanta. That $140 million facility under construction would provide an alternative to older venues in downtown Atlanta.

But Riggs believes there are enough customers in most metro areas for suburban and downtown arts centers to co-exist.

"In any major market, you have a lot of people that live in the suburbs and, no matter what, just never want to go downtown," Riggs said. "There is a major audience base most major cities aren't even hitting with locations downtown."

Carmel leaders insist they're not trying to compete with Indianapolis. Instead, Brainard says, this arts center falls into Carmel's strategy of using a high quality of life to attract top employers.

"We have to be competitive when it comes to cultural facilities and the arts," Brainard said. "This is how Carmel and Indianapolis compete for jobs and corporate headquarters -- by providing the quality of life necessary to become an economic powerhouse.

"This will make the entire Indianapolis region better, not just Carmel."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/227311-6844-092.html

[SChristopher]

As cool as it seems I still think its something bad brewing for Indy.

[KM1410]

As cool as it seems I still think its something bad brewing for Indy.

the concert hall or the city center as a whole?

[SChristopher]

All the talk about keeping people from North Indy and Carmel in Carmel. Really the whole project, but I think as cool as it will be, it is alot of talk, and shouldnt have a huge affect on the city.

[KM1410]

All the talk about keeping people from North Indy and Carmel in Carmel. Really the whole project, but I think as cool as it will be, it is alot of talk, and shouldnt have a huge affect on the city.

Yeah, hopefully it doesnt have an impact on downtown, but i think it will be a complement more than anything. But like you said, I think the concert hall is just talk right now, unless the simons are in the giving mood.

[KM1410]

Commission OKs Carmel arts center
City Council will have the final say on $80 million project; vote expected in May.

CARMEL -- Now, only the City Council can stop an $80 million vision to make this city's new downtown a destination for fine arts.

After several testimonials and a few questions from the public, the Carmel Redevelopment Commission unanimously approved plans for the Carmel Performing Arts Center, which would include a 1,600-seat concert hall and 500-seat theater.

The 3-0 vote marked the first of two hurdles for the most expensive city project in Carmel's history. A final City Council vote isn't expected until May.

"This is the culmination of what has been a decade's worth of fulfilling visions and dreams for what this community can have," said Ron Carter, the commission's president. "We make this kind of investment because we want to make Carmel the best place to live, work and raise a family anywhere in the state of Indiana and anywhere in the Midwest."

Arts organizations across Central Indiana, including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, have expressed interest in performing in what Mayor Jim Brainard has dubbed the region's only true concert hall.

The arts center, scheduled to open in 2008, would cost an estimated $300,000 to $375,000 per year to operate.

In a crowded meeting room in City Hall, most people who spoke expressed support for the plan, though a few raised concerns about the lofty price tag.

Brainard noted, however, that the project would not be financed from residential property taxes. Instead, the project will be funded with tax increment financing. That means a finance district is created around a new development, and increased tax revenue in that area -- in this case, business tax revenue -- is used to pay off the bonds on the new development.

The arts center would be built west of Range Line Road in City Center, a new downtown emerging on the site of an abandoned strip center.

"This seems very expensive for something that's only going to have 1,600 seats, but if you assure me that this will not cost residents anything on their property taxes, then I have no objection," said Jim Garretson, a longtime resident and former City Council member.

"I have to commend the mayor for his vision. A performing arts center would be a wonderful addition to the city."

Merrie Heniser, who lives in a City Center townhome, said she's eager for the arts center to open.

"I'm absolutely in favor of this," she said. "This will be tremendous for the value of our home."

Representatives from the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, the Carmel Community Players theater group and the organizer of a planned children's theater troupe praised the plan.

"We do over 60 shows a year, and the one thing our patrons keep saying is that they can't wait until we have a real place to put on shows," said Larry Creviston, president of the Carmel Community Players.

"If you're looking for something this city really wants, this is it."

Some members of Carmel's City Council, which will take up the issue in April, aren't so sure.

President Kevin Kirby has called the $80 million price tag "absurd" and has said Brainard will have a difficult time persuading the council to pass the plan.

Carter and fellow commission member Rick Sharp also serve on the council. Sharp said he's confident his peers will ultimately support the project.

"This will be the crown jewel of the City Center project, a product not offered in all of Central Indiana," Sharp said.

"Once my fellow council members look at this not as an expense, but as an investment, I think they'll end up having the ingenuity to vote in favor of this."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/229532-7986-009.html

http://wishtv.static.worldnow.com/images/3084756_BG1.jpg

http://wishtv.static.worldnow.com/images/3084756_BG2.jpg

[KM1410]

Developer proposes shops for Meridian
Plan Commission will review project that calls for 2, 3-story, brick structures in Providence.

Developers are planning two more buildings in Providence, a prominent apartment and business area in Carmel's closely regulated Old Meridian Street district.

Buckingham Companies is asking Carmel planning authorities to approve the design for Shoppes at Providence, the third of five phases expected in the project at 12700 Old Meridian.

A Plan Commission committee is scheduled to review the project March 31.

Earlier phases of the 28-acre Providence included construction of 330 apartment units beginning in 2001. Another 96 units by Ryland Homes is currently in construction.

Last year, the first office and retail building was built in Providence as the new home for Meridian Music, a longtime Northside piano store. The Carmel Clay Chamber of Commerce named the Meridian Music building the winner of the 2004 Look Award, honoring the design of the 18,300 square foot structure.

Plans call for the two new Shoppes at Providence buildings to join Meridian Music along the south side of Old Meridian, fairly close to the street.

Land is still available near the street for future phases of homes or businesses in Providence.

David E. Leazenby, vice president of land development for Indianapolis-based Buckingham, said the two new building are proposed as three-story brick structures.

Each would have about 10,300 square feet of commercial space for restaurants and other businesses on the ground floors.

Upper floors in each building would have 24 loft apartments, or a total of 48 units in the two buildings.

The district is covered by Carmel's Old Meridian Overlay, a special zoning area that includes building construction requirements intended to give an urban and pedestrian- friendly feeling.

Indianapolis attorney James E. Shinaver, representing Buckingham, recently told the Carmel Plan Commission that the buildings will be oriented to face toward Old Meridian and will be close to the street.

Parking lots will be located behind the buildings so cars aren't seen from Old Meridian.

Pedestrians would be on the sidewalk between the buildings and street, passing in front of rows of shop windows and doors. There could be some outdoor seating.

The loft apartments would be accessible from the rear of the buildings by stairways and an elevator.

Buckingham reported to city planners that the lofts would feature upscale amenities, such as hardwood floors, granite countertops, high ceilings and step-out balconies.

Plans call for the lofts to be one-bedroom units, which are in high demand in the area. All one-bedroom units are rented in the adjacent Providence apartment complex, which includes one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

The loft apartment residents also will have access to amenities, such as a golf simulator.

And they'll be living upstairs above restaurants and diners, much like the old downtown lifestyle of urbanites.

Leazenby said the two mixed business and apartment buildings are intended to fit the city's Old Meridian zoning district's goal of an urban design.

"The city is to be commended for changing design to give a variety of places to live and work. This involves bigger, taller buildings and more mixed-use buildings with apartments and condos and public spaces and pedestrian interactions," he said.

"These are designs that respond to the way people live without getting into their cars to do everything," he said. "By building apartments over restaurants and other shops and offices, they no longer have to get into their cars."

"It is a change in the way people live. It is an opportunity for people to have a choice in their lifestyle," he said.

http://www2.indystar.com/articles/1/230908-1601-128.html

[KM1410]

Illinois trip to offer suburban insights
City officials and others will learn from the victories and mistakes of Chicago-area towns.


Carmel city officials and staff will make their way to the Chicago area later this month as part of an effort to learn more about urban projects and design.

Officials describe the trip as part of the Carmel Urban Design Initiative, an effort to show planners and city officials examples of good urban design as Carmel builds a new downtown and redevelops the areas around it.

About 25 people are expected to make the trip, which includes visits to the suburban communities of Elgin, Geneva, Naperville, Oak Park and Wheaton. Carmel City Council members and members of city commissions and boards are invited, along with some of the city's staff.

"It's a way to show other examples of good things Carmel could do or what Carmel could be," said Adrienne Keeling, city planning administrator.

The trip, scheduled for April 15-16, is expected to cost the city roughly $4,000 to $5,000, which will cover expenses for city employees and elected officials.

Carmel Clay Chamber of Commerce President Mo Merhoff is participating.

Merhoff said it is a chance to better understand the urban design elements that Carmel officials want to bring to the city.

City Council members Ron Carter and Fred Glaser also are planning to take the trip.

"I think it's appropriate to go look at what other sister communities are doing," Carter said.

Glaser said he hopes to talk with officials in the other communities during the trip.

"I'm sure they could give us some insight on what they did wrong and what they did right."

http://www2.indystar.com/articles/4/234686-9864-128.html

[KM1410]

Arts center gets endorsement
Panel recommends sale of $80 million in bonds

The Carmel performing arts center is one step closer to final approval after a state advisory panel recommended the sale of $80 million in bonds to finance construction.

The local property tax control board on Thursday voted 3-0 to recommend approving the sale of $80 million in bonds.

Local Government Finance Commissioner Melissa Henson has until Aug. 16 to approve the sale of bonds, but approval might come sooner, said spokeswoman Kathryn Densborn.

"She just has to go though the information and made a decision," Densborn said.

Mayor Jim Brainard presented the financing plan to the advisory board on Thursday.

He said after final approval, the city will auction the bonds and can then lock in an interest rate.

"We answered their questions," Brainard said. "It was a good hearing."

Last month, the Carmel City Council voted 4-3 vote to approve the performing arts center, one of the most expensive projects in the city's history.

If the project is approved by Henson, the city will sell $80 million in bonds and use money from a tax increment financing district to pay back bondholders.

Construction should start next year on the center, which will include a 1,600-seat concert hall and 500-seat multipurpose theater.

The state-of-the-art concert hall is the centerpiece of Carmel's efforts to redevelop its new downtown, called City Center.

Townhomes and apartments have sprung up west of Range Line Road near the Monon Trail, and there are plans for a hotel and retail space.

Wayne Wilson, a former City Council member and the most outspoken critic of the plan, attended Thursday's hearing.

He said he didn't expect to change the outcome but felt compelled to tell the board his views.

"I'm not against the performing arts center, but I asked to delay the project," Wilson said. "The costs have not been explained to all the citizens."

Brainard says taxpayers won't feel the pinch of the bond issue. The idea is that the performing arts center will attract other big developments within the tax increment financing district.

The tax revenue generated by those new developments in the district will be used pay back the debt on the center.

Pending final approval, construction is expected to take about four years.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050618/ZONES01/506180351/1099/ZONES0106

[KM1410]

Equicor project to enhance urban appeal
2 buildings planned at 116th and Guilford to house medical offices, retail and townhomes.

Construction will begin within days on a project that will change the face of one of Carmel's gateway intersections.

Equicor Cos. is developing a mixture of retail, professional offices and townhomes in a 13-acre area around 116th Street and Guilford Avenue. The development will be named 116th Street Centre.

It is a key location for neighborhood businesses catering to residents of the area and for medical and other professional offices spilling out from the nearby Meridian Street corridor.

The developer said the design was worked out with Carmel officials, who are preparing to widen nearly a mile of 116th Street east from Meridian Street and install a new traffic signal at the Guilford intersection.

Currently, 116th Street in that stretch is a narrow, two-lane section of road that includes a crosswalk with the Monon Greenway.

The large Equicor project, which includes 70,000 square feet of retail and office space and up to several hundred upscale townhomes, also was designed with Carmel's "new urbanism" trend in mind.

"This fits with the city's plans for the urbanized look, which has the buildings two stories (high) with retail on the street level and offices upstairs. And the buildings are pulled up close to the street" with parking hidden behind the buildings, said Greg Small, chief executive of Equicor.

"We are very excited to begin developing this commercial property in a progressive community. This will become an exclusive address, with upscale office and retail that is an answer to the increasing demand for (ground-floor) space," he said.

The site plans show development in at least two phases.

Construction on the first phase beginning this month includes a two-story building of at least 24,000 square feet to be on the point of the northwest corner of 116th and Guilford. A second building of 7,600 square feet is to face along Guilford.

Those two buildings -- with detailed architectural features and brick-and-limestone exteriors -- are to be open by early next year.

A second phase of construction includes about 66 three-story townhomes by Centex. A total of about 500 new townhomes are in development by builders along Guilford just north of 116th and within walking distance of Equicor's Centre commercial area.

The second phase of the 13-acre project will spread more of the office and commercial development.

Tenants for the new buildings have not been announced.

But they are expected to include drive-through coffee shops, banks, insurance and professional offices, exercise spa, a restaurant in a free-standing building and other neighborhood businesses.

Mark Zukerman, vice chairman of Equicor, said the development takes advantage of being close to many current and planned homes to lure restaurants and similar operations.

It also is located outside Carmel's planning corridor affecting property along and close to Meridian Street, where all new buildings must be at least three stories tall.

"This site is a rare opportunity in Carmel . . . for medical-related businesses or offices to be on the ground floor," he said.

Considering Carmel's limitations on the size and locations of most new business signs, a street-level location on a busy corner can mean extra visibility for a company, Zukerman added.

"And this is the first new development along 116th between Carmel and Range Line Road," he said. "And we're in the process of master planning most of the rest of the north side of 116th between Guilford and College. That second phase could be a couple of years down the road."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050617/ZONES0106/506170422/1099/ZONES0106

http://cmsimg.indystar.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20050617&Kategori=ZONES0106&Lopenr=506170422&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=475&MaxH=350&Site=BG&Q=96&Border=0&Title=0
Corner anchor: 116th Street Centre will include 24,000 square feet of space for businesses expected to include medical and professional offices. A second building of 7,600 square feet also is planned.

[KM1410]

Art district getting Latin influence
Mexico-born painter planning studio

A look at new businesses and those in transitionArt surrounds and fills the days of Magdalena Hoyos-Segovia.

And now, she's come a very long way from Veracruz, Mexico, to become a pioneer in Carmel.

She plans to open one of the first art galleries in Carmel's new Arts and Design District, particularly to bring a little Latin flair to the art scene.

Often known professionally by the single name Magdalena, she is a wife, a mother of three and an accomplished painter who teaches and also creates works for sale and exhibit.

She's a figurative artist, meaning that many of her works are of people, she said, and most of the time the subjects are interacting.

"I find it easier to paint people, perhaps from growing up in my father's shop and learning to read the expressions on their faces. I try to capture a moment in time," she said recently in the kitchen of her Carmel home.

A corner of the kitchen, near large windows and French doors that allow sunlight to stream in just a few steps from the stove, is where she paints.

Nearly every wall of the home holds a beautiful example of the art collected by Magdalena and her husband, Ferdando Segovia.

One of the most engaging is "Two Happy Children at the Sacred Lagoon," by one of her teachers, Brazilian artist Elon Brasil.

After getting her son and two daughters off to school in the mornings, her days are reserved for painting the framed works that sell for hundreds or several thousand dollars each in galleries in the United States and other countries. More of her works sell in art fairs including close-to-home events, such as Broad Ripple's fair last month.

She also receives commissions for her work, which art experts have found to be vivid and emotional, with Mexican, Spanish and American influences.

Her work is found in several Indianapolis galleries, and she is one of the Indiana artists exhibited in a new gallery opening this month in Columbus.

When Carmel city officials began touting a redevelopment strategy to remake portions of the old downtown into an arts district, Magdalena was intrigued.

She is one of five artists and designers to sign a letter of intent to buy one of the $500,000, three-story commercial town homes in a proposed building at Main Street and Range Line Road.

The building is part of the plan by the Carmel Redevelopment Commission and real estate partner Pedcor Companies to lure fine artists, home designers, studios and galleries to Main Street to complement the city's proposed performing arts hall.

Magdalena has lived in Hamilton County about two years. She said her father, Leopoldo Hoyos, a fourth generation wine merchant in Mexico, will be her partner, investing in the building project.

She expects to have a gallery on the ground floor and a teaching studio on the second floor and offer the third floor for lease.

Born in Mexico, the 44-year-old Magdalena said she grew up helping in the family wine shop and learning the retail business. She studied finance and accounting in college before discovering her talent for art and receiving a graduate degree in Mexico.

She's lived in several countries as her husband has moved with his work as a business manager for Dow AgroSciences, now assigned in Zionsville.

Her business education, life experiences, raising of a family, and passion for art as an artist will be keys for success, she said, in opening her first gallery.

"I would hope that about half of the art in the gallery would be from Indiana artists and about half would be from Latin artists," she said.

"But we'll see how the market reacts. You have to learn what people want. You have to know the market and what the clients want, but you also have to put in a little of yourself."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050608/ZONES01/506080316&SearchID=73211540023258

http://cmsimg.indystar.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20050608&Kategori=ZONES01&Lopenr=506080316&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=475&MaxH=350&Site=BG&Q=96&Border=0&Title=0
At home: Magdalena Hoyos-Segovia is joined by her dog, Frida, in a sunny corner of her kitchen where she now paints. She's planning a gallery and teaching studio in the Carmel Arts and Design District.

[The Urban Politician]

Where exactly is Carmel?

If Carmel got a train link to Chicago, that would rock. It seems like it's too far away, though

[KM1410]

Where exactly is Carmel?

If Carmel got a train link to Chicago, that would rock. It seems like it's too far away, though

Carmel is directly north of Indianapolis. Not really worth visiting at all unless you were interested in new urbanism. But for a suburb, its a nice place to live.

[The Urban Politician]

Carmel is directly north of Indianapolis. Not really worth visiting at all unless you were interested in new urbanism. But for a suburb, its a nice place to live.

Actually, look at my name. I am VERY interested in new urbanism. Especially since, outside of Chicago, new urbanism seems to be lacking in the midwest. Do you have any pics of some new developments going on?

[KM1410]

Actually, look at my name. I am VERY interested in new urbanism. Especially since, outside of Chicago, new urbanism seems to be lacking in the midwest. Do you have any pics of some new developments going on?

I live right next to the Village of West Clay, which is probably one of the more successful new urbanist neighborhoods in the country. Ill try to take some pictures in the next week. Here is their website with some photos:

http://www.brenwick.com/westclay.asp

[KM1410]

City mapping its future
Plan calls for amenities, urban look

By Lesley Rogers Barrett
lesley.rogers.barrett@indystar.com

An environmentally friendly Carmel of the future might provide soybean diesel transit, wireless Internet service, more bicycle lanes and walkable neighborhoods.

The fast-growing Hamilton County suburb is planning for its future as an urban city.

A draft plan unveiled this week suggests how to shape Carmel's city core to make it more comfortable, interesting, mobile and healthy. Carmel residents are asked to review the plan and give city officials feedback for a final document to be released in September.

Eventually, the plan could be used to shape major land-use decisions.

The document is part of the city's Urban Design Initiative, which was rolled out in January. City officials hired urban planner Adam Thies, president of EDEN Land & Design Inc., to lead the efforts in creating a better Carmel.

"Growth and development is going to happen here," Thies said. "We have to look at how to be proactive, to guide that growth. . . . We have to think and plan beyond today."

Thies looked at Carmel's "central core," which is defined by U.S. 31, Keystone Avenue and I-465. The area is 4 miles by 2.5 miles, bisected by the Monon Trail, and includes City Center, the city's new downtown, and the Arts and Design District, the redeveloping Old Town area.

The idea is to make the core part of Carmel more urban, with higher density housing, better-used open spaces and more walkable residential and commercial neighborhoods.

Thies said Carmel needs more public art and bike lanes. And, he said, each residential development should be within a five-minute walk to useable open spaces.

Also, Thies said the city should name areas of Carmel's core center, and post signs to each umbrella neighborhood, such as "Central Park," "Woodland Park," "Old Meridian," and "North Carmel."

The long-range goal is of a progressive city, one that becomes Indiana's first community with clean soybean-fueled transit, giving residents and tourists more options to get around the city.

Thies is quick to note that many of the proposed ideas are "green" and seem more like a description of liberal Berkeley, Calif., than conservative Carmel, an affluent city that's never elected a Democrat.

"There is a stigma that green means hippie," Thies said. "But thinking environmentally is really a conservative idea. It's all about fiscal responsibility."

While City Council member Mark Rattermann said he likes most of the proposal, he doesn't want Carmel to become a wireless city, because he said that would put the city in competition with private Internet service providers.

"I, for one, will oppose it strongly," Rattermann said.

But he called the other ideas "doable" and praised the effort to focus on Carmel's central district.

Michael Hollibaugh, director of Carmel's department of community services, encourages residents to learn more about the plan and make suggestions.

"We want this document to serve as a launching-off point," Hollibaugh said.

Carmel developer Steve Pittman said he used to think amenities such as bike trails, benches, bricks and fountains were "fluff." Now, Pittman said, he understands design and appearance play a large role in shaping the community, and bringing people to live in Carmel.

"These ideas are extremely cutting edge," Pittman said. "I've evolved into believing that design matters. I want to learn what they want us to do."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005507300367

[cwilson758]

Great for Carmel...now if they could only elect some democrats...

[KM1410]

Store is one of a select few
Baker Furniture in Clay Terrace is 9th to open worldwide

By Bruce C. Smith
bruce.smith@indystar.com

New York, Georgetown, London . . . and now Carmel.

The Baker Furniture company, known for its designs of upscale, traditional and fine styles, has opened the newest retail shop in Carmel's Clay Terrace.

Baker's entry to the marketplace in Hamilton County and the Indianapolis Northside also widens the spectrum of choices and price ranges for home furnishing shoppers.

Industry experts use phrases such as "timeless look" and "sophisticated and enduring, yet casual" to describe the Baker look.

Some of the styles are newly elegant and seem to step from the glossy pages of fine living and interior design magazines. Other Baker lines are such faithful reproductions of the 1800s classics that even international auction houses have been fooled into selling nearly new items as antiques.

With more than 1,000 new homes -- from entry level to multimillion-dollar prices -- built each year in Hamilton County, furniture makers have taken a renewed notice of the growing market.

New furniture stores have seemed to open monthly in the north suburban area this summer, including the locally owned and mid-price Godby Home Furnishings store at 146th and Ind. 37, and the discount Ashley furniture store near 146th on the eastside of U.S. 31.

Baker, in Clay Terrace, is just across to the west side of U.S. 31, where the outdoor mall by Simon Property Group and Lauth Property Group is luring restaurants and retailers to open their first locations in Indiana.

Baker was focused on selling to interior designers and others in the trade until beginning to open shops to the public a few years ago in a selection of fashion capitals and upscale cities that would be receptive to traditional styles.

Company officials said Indianapolis had been closely watched for some time as a possible Midwestern location for a Baker store.

"The Indianapolis metro area was a perfect place to launch our ninth retail store for a variety of reasons," said Rachel D. Kohler, group president of the interiors division of Kohler Co.

Wisconsin-based Kohler Co., also known for kitchen and bath fixtures and other home appliances and services, is the parent of Baker Furniture.

Other Baker Furniture stores opened since 1998 are in Pittsburgh; the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C.; Greenwich, Conn.; London; Birmingham, Mich.; Cincinnati; the Tribeca area of New York City; and Coral Gables near Miami.

Clay Terrace, situated in an area of six-figure annual household incomes, was selected because "certainly, the demographics are very favorable. The decision was also heavily influenced by the residents' reputation for uncompromising taste and style and a genuine appreciation of history and craftsmanship," Kohler said in a company statement.

Baker is an old company that comes honestly by its reproductions and historic designs.

Founded in 1890 by Siebe Baker, a Dutch immigrant and craftsman, the company carved a reputation for hand craftsmanship with modern methods to manufacture furniture.

In 1972, Baker merged with Knapp & Tubbs, the wholesale showroom network, and formed Baker Knapp & Tubbs Inc. Then in 1986, Kohler Co. acquired Baker Knapp & Tubbs.

As a member of the Kohler family of businesses, Baker continues to operate as a largely independent company, producing fine furniture in factories at High Point, N.C., and Indonesia.

Lee Russ, manager of store development at Baker, said the Clay Terrace store has about 5,000 square feet of space, which is smaller than other Baker stores. But it is testing a fresh focus for the company.

With more than 20 collections, the Baker brands run a wide range of periods, styles and influences from rattan to wicker to oriental hardwoods and rich mahogany.

Though Baker is sometimes referred to as the "store of the $5,000 sofa," he said the quality is in the details of the construction of the frame and springs in the selection of fine fabrics and impeccable tailoring. Up to 50 percent of the cost of an item is tied to the covering.

The Clay Terrace store emphasizes Baker's Milling Road Collection, which also hits some mid-range price points for finer furniture, with a mix of French, Italian, English and other pieces.

"We had been looking for a place in the Midwest to offer a store with Milling Road. Indianapolis has been on our radar," he said.

The store features lighting and carving designs by Thomas Pheasant and Jacques Garcia and art glass from Jamali.

Then there's a Constellation Mirror, which is a starlike design that became popular after it was shown on an episode of the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" television series.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050803/ZONES01/508030302/1015

http://cmsimg.indystar.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20050803&Kategori=ZONES01&Lopenr=508030302&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=475&MaxH=350&Site=BG&Q=96&Border=0&Title=0
High style: Linda Wilmes, Carmel, gets some help from Lee Russ at Baker Furniture in Clay Terrace. "I like the design, the clean lines. I like the quality," she said. On the wall: the company's popular Constellation Mirror.

[SneakyJungleCow]

I am very surprised at the things that open in Indianapolis and Carmel, its one of those "who would have thought" things. From the looks of it you would think that it just looks like another midsized town, but it lands big things. (Thats not a knock at all I am just curious). Maybe I dont know soemthing about it, maybe Indianapolis has cast a spell on all the developers??

[KM1410]

I am very surprised at the things that open in Indianapolis and Carmel, its one of those "who would have thought" things. From the looks of it you would think that it just looks like another midsized town, but it lands big things. (Thats not a knock at all I am just curious). Maybe I dont know soemthing about it, maybe Indianapolis has cast a spell on all the developers??

Yeah, Indy is begining to get a lot of stores sooner than in the past. The third Williams-Sonoma Home store in the country (following locations in Beverly Hills and Cincy) will be opening this fall at Keystone at the Crossing on the northside of Indy. One of the first H&M's in the midwest will also be opening this fall at Circle Centre Mall in downtown. It has a lot to do with Hamilton County (where Carmel is), being the 6th most affluent county in the nation. Having Simon Property Group in Indy probably helps as well. Hopefully Simon's pull will bring a second Nordstrom or a Neimann-Marcus to Indy for the space vacated by LS Ayers in Castleton Mall.

[KM1410]

City Center garage gets OK
$30 million underground facility will have 2,000 spaces

By Lesley Rogers Barrett
lesley.rogers.barrett@indystar.com

Carmel -- Finding a parking spot at Carmel's developing City Center shouldn't be too difficult after the City Council this week approved funding for a 2,000-space underground garage.

The $30 million garage is key to keeping City Center accessible and pedestrian-friendly, city officials said.

Pedcor Investments, the City Center developer, will assume the $30 million loan, which the City Council approved Monday.

"These bonds are without any risk whatsoever to the taxpayers of Carmel," said Councilman Rick Sharp.

For residents of City Center, Carmel's new downtown off Range Line Road, the garage will be a welcome addition to the area, expected to become a popular destination.

Jeffrey Lord, who lives in the City Center townhomes, said parking isn't a problem now. Once the area has 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 60,000 square feet of office space and 450 housing units, parking will be an issue.

"There's really going to be a need for parking," Lord said. "The underground parking means we won't have cars littering the streets. It will be easier for people to walk around."

More parking already is needed for events such as Carmelfest, the city's Fourth of July celebration, Lord said.

"It got pretty clogged up in front of our homes," Lord said. "The parking garage will help that."

The city might take over ownership of the parking garage eventually, and it's undecided if a fee will be charged for parking.

"Ultimately, our intent is to convey it to the city upon completion of all the phases," said Pedcor chief Bruce Cordingley.

If the city doesn't want to take ownership, Pedcor will manage the garage, Cordingley said at Monday's meeting.

Pedcor will use money generated from its own tax increment financing district at City Center to repay the $30 million in bonds. Pedcor plans to spend roughly $160 million to build office, retail, restaurant and housing space.

On Wednesday, Cordingley said the two-level underground garage will be more expensive to build than a typical parking structure because of ventilation and excavation costs. Also, additional support will be needed because a hotel will be built on top of the parking garage.

The council approved the garage 6-1, with Mark Rattermann voting against it.

"I don't like this kind of financing, but I do support the project."

Work will start this summer on City Center's northeast corner, and the project should be completed in five to six years.


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050721/NEWS01/507210482/1006/NEWS01

[KM1410]

Architect chosen to design art center
Designer says he wants people to have emotional attachment to building.

Carmel -- City Hall might get bumped off the cover of Carmel's telephone book eventually.

The city is poised to hire architect David M. Schwartz to design its $80 million performing arts center, and his main goal is to make sure the community loves the building.

"We build for the people," Schwartz said. "We think the greatest achievement is the front page of the telephone book. It means your community has claimed the building."

The Washington-based Schwartz displays framed telephone book covers more prominently in his office than his architectural awards.

Schwartz told city officials last week that he's excited about working with the community to design what many consider to be the crown jewel of the developing City Center, a downtown area off Range Line Road.

A contract with Schwartz should be finalized this fall, with ultimate approval needed by the Carmel Redevelopment Commission, said Les Olds, the city's redevelopment director.

Architectural design should take about a year. The 1,600-seat concert hall and 500-seat theater should be finished in about four years.

The commission is considering only Schwartz. The city compiled a short list of architects with experience designing concert halls with a traditional look, but Mayor Jim Brainard said he met with Schwartz this summer and decided he's best for the job.

"We're on a fast track," Brainard said. "We want to get this built."

Schwartz will design the exterior and main public spaces, working with local architects who will design the rest of the building.

In addition to a long list of mixed-use development, historical preservation projects and state-of-the art commercial buildings, Schwartz has designed four performing arts centers, including a 1,900-seat concert hall in Nashville, Tenn., which will open next year.

Designing comfortable children's hospitals is the most rewarding work, but Schwartz said designing performing arts space is the most fun. He vowed to work with the community to decide if the building should be the same as the other red brick, Georgian-type buildings or stand out as a unique landmark.

"We want people to have an emotional attachment to our building," Schwartz said.

Ron Carter, City Council member and president of the Redevelopment Commission, said he's impressed with Schwartz.

Brainard said Schwartz is passionate about his work.

"He's one of the most exciting architects we've seen working in the country today," Brainard said. "He has an international reputation and experience."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050823/NEWS01/508230426/1006/NEWS01

[KM1410]

Carmel Goes Hybrid

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard signed an executive order aimed at improving the environment and pocket book of the city.

“We have a higher rate of asthma and other lung-related diseases because of the low quality of our air,” said Mayor Brainard. For that and other reasons, starting Wednesday, all City of Carmel vehicles must be environmentally friendly.

“All of our vehicles in the City of Carmel are on a five-year replacement program. We replace 20 percent of them each year, and from this date on, all vehicles will have to be a hybrid or fuel efficient vehicle,” said the mayor.

On the outside, a Ford Escape hybrid in use by the city looks like a normal Ford Escape, but the difference is in the back, where a battery allows for the vehicle to get 36 miles per gallon in the city, which is where most of the Carmel city vehicles currently drive.

Exempt from this executive order are police and fire vehicles, because no hybrid vehicles currently meet their more stringent performance requirements.

Other city workers, such as Adam Schriner, already notice the hybrid advantages. He says the older vehicles got about 205 miles to an 18-gallon tank of gas. The new cars get 286 miles to a 12-gallon tank.

Brainard says the switch will benefit the city financially, but also believes it is a small, but symbolic step for the state. “It's also important since the Indianapolis area has been designated a non-attainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency, that we take positive steps so we don't lose our federal highway transportation funds and economic development funds,” he said.

Mayor Brainard also hopes this executive order will inspire more Carmel residents to switch to hybrid vehicles.

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3762828&nav=0Ra6diZG

[KM1410]

Carmel's mayor is a man in motion

In the hierarchy of politicians, mayors might not top the list. They don't confirm Supreme Court judges or determine the fate of Death Row prisoners.

But mayors can be the most interesting politicians around. Through zoning and planning and the day-to-day responsibility of running their cities, they perhaps have the most direct impact on people's lives. And they are often eager to show off their little part of the world.

Take Jim Brainard, mayor of the ever-growing suburb of Carmel. I asked about his city and instead of an answer got a fast-paced, three-hour driving tour of Carmel in his Mercury Mountaineer. By tour's end, a few things became clear about the world according to Jim Brainard.

First and most obvious is that Brainard -- a likable, intense man packed with vision for his city -- is obsessed with "roundabouts," those much-criticized traffic-control circles popping up in Carmel.

"Roundabout" jumped out of Brainard's mouth just about every time we approached a busy intersection. As in: "There's one of our new roundabouts," or: "This should be a roundabout."

The 51-year-old Republican drove by roundabouts now under construction. He argued they reduce the severity of accidents. And he recalled how residents greeted the first ones. "I thought I was going to be lynched in the middle of one," he said.

So goes the life of a mayor.

But enough about roundabouts. A day in Carmel uncovered a few other things you should know about Mr. Brainard.

• Europe is on his mind.

He says the features of old European neighborhoods -- walkability, quality architecture -- helped shape his view of what Carmel should look like.

"They're experts at building townhome communities," he said, criticizing cheap uniformity. "You don't want them lined up like Army barracks."

• When pressed, and only after praising Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, Brainard answered this question: What would you do if you were the mayor of Indianapolis?

First, he'd clean up the sign clutter. "It would help if they did a little better job because these companies think they can get away with it, and then Carmel is the bad guy," he said.

Then he'd expand the proposed Market Square Arena condo project. He envisions a "bigger development -- a grand entry on the Eastside."

Finally, Brainard would tackle the city's woeful public transportation system and design an organized development plan for outer Marion County.

• He defends his push for stringent building standards.

Remember his divisive fight against vinyl siding? Brainard prefers not to discuss it. But he couldn't help stopping his SUV in front of a house and pointing to the sad state of its exterior.

"Look at the vinyl siding on that place," he said. "It's only eight or nine years old."

• He won't apologize for Carmel's affluence. The $55 million park? An $80 million concert hall? "You have to be willing to spend money to improve," he said.

Minutes later, Brainard drove under a new archway announcing Carmel's Arts and Design District. The archway cost $200,000. Brainard shrugged.

"That will be a campaign issue," he said.

Matthew Tully's column runs on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. You can reach him at (317) 444-6033 or via e-mail at matthew.tully@indystar.com.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005508120489

[cwilson758]

You know, I am certainly not a republicanand since I don't live in Carmel, I don't know a whole lot about Mayor Brainard's day to day political agenda, but I do have to praise him for his vision of Carmel. He has a real understanding of landuse and the consequences of letting development shape a City verses a City shaping development. Hopefully he is permitted to continue with his vision in the next election (did I just type that?)

[KM1410]

You know, I am certainly not a republicanand since I don't live in Carmel, I don't know a whole lot about Mayor Brainard's day to day political agenda, but I do have to praise him for his vision of Carmel. He has a real understanding of landuse and the consequences of letting development shape a City verses a City shaping development. Hopefully he is permitted to continue with his vision in the next election (did I just type that?)

Yeah, I've never voted for a republican in my life, but I would have no problem voting for Brainard. He is surprisingly progressive for a mayor of an affluent, extremely republican suburb. He, unlike other republicans in the state, doesnt take cheap shots at Indianapolis and its mayor, when asked about the city. He instead suggests ways to improve mass transit and urban development.

[KM1410]

World to see park debut
Coxhall Gardens to host ceremonies for Solheim Cup

CARMEL -- The stage is set for Coxhall Gardens' international debut.

The amphitheater in Hamilton County's newest park will serve as host for the Sept. 8 opening ceremonies of the 2005 Solheim Cup women's golf tournament, which is expected to bring in more than 100,000 spectators for the week.

The event will be the first at the new $3-million facility, the centerpiece of the $28-million park. It will also host the closing ceremonies Sept. 11.

"It's an amazing opportunity for the Parks Department," said Michele Dixon, director of marketing and special events for the Hamilton County Parks & Recreation Department. "We're getting a lot of exposure already because of it."

Karen Radcliff, deputy director of the Hamilton County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the Solheim Cup will have a major economic impact on Carmel and the Indianapolis area as a whole. Hotels are offering blocks of rooms to spectators, she said. Nearby restaurants and shops will benefit from the out-of-town guests.

Kelly Hyne, 2005 Solheim Cup tournament director, said fans will come from 46 states and 11 countries.

She said the 2002 host cities, neighboring Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., realized a $30-million impact from the Solheim Cup.

Jesse Cox and his late wife, Beulah, donated the 125-acre Coxhall Gardens, located at 116th Street and Towne Road in Carmel, to the county.

The park's amphitheater, made of white limestone, features tiers that form rows of seats. A waterfall cascades down the center of the seating area and a gazebo surrounded by more water serves as the centerpiece of the theater. A lifesize bronze statue of the Coxes standing under an archway greets guests at the entrance.

The amphitheater can seat 1,500, Dixon said.

Bleachers have been brought in for the opening ceremonies, expected to draw 5,000, she said.

Coxhall Gardens' future will include a series of specialty gardens, including a children's garden with peek-a-boo hills and a rabbit-hole slide. Other features will include a conservatory, a museum, reflecting pools, fountains, a greenhouse, a bell tower and wetlands. Campbell Crossing, named after the late parks board member Robert Campbell, will serve as the walkway to the amphitheater. The walkway will feature bench seating and a sculpture.

Dixon said the amphitheater next summer could host weddings and receptions.

The whole park won't be finished for another 10 years, she said.

The 2005 Solheim Cup, which will be at Carmel's Crooked Stick Golf Club, will bring with it some of the best female golfers in the United States and Europe. Competitions will begin Sept. 9 and conclude Sept. 11.

http://www.topics.com/images/pics2/image-056439-1283.jpg
The new amphitheater, the centerpiece of Hamilton County's newest park, is made of white limestone and includes several water features.

http://www.topics.com/articles/6/056439-7326-112.html

[cwilson758]

Indy is always hosting a sport event! I love it. This city is such a sports town.

[cfx68]

It's nice to hear about Carmel's growth. I lived and worked in the Westfield & Carmel area in the early 90's, probably when Carmel's population was around 30,000. I remember how nice the low-line skyscrapers were along US 31. I was amazed a little suburb had scrapers outside of Indianapolis. It would be nice to see tall 150-300 ft. scrapers along US 31. Even the newer office buildings I saw off I-465, near College Ave. gives the south end of the Carmel area a nice look from the highway.

[KM1410]

New look for core
Urban Gramercy would replace Mohawk Hills

The tired and aging Mohawk Hills apartments and golf course, a 1960s-era complex in the core of Carmel, could give way over the next few years to one of the biggest makeovers in the city's history.

Real estate developer Buckingham Properties has filed plans for city approval that would mean demolishing the 564-unit apartment complex and nine-hole course in the next few years.

The 2006 season could be the last for Mohawk Hills Golf Club, with its nine fairways and greens that weave among the apartment buildings.

The 116-acre site at 126th Street and Keystone Avenue in the city's core would be transformed into a new urbanist-style development of upscale townhomes, apartments, hotels, offices, senior living units, cafes, parks, plazas and a central business district. A clock tower would be an icon of the development.

Buckingham calls it Gramercy, an expression derived from French, reflecting thanks, gratitude and surprise.

The traditional urban neighborhood design, with its ornate business buildings around a plaza and brownstone apartment buildings, is modeled on 100-year-old architecture in city centers around the world. The name borrows from the upscale and historic Gramercy in Manhattan that dates from the 1830s.

"It's almost like they are planning to build a small city within the city," said Carmel redevelopment director Les Olds, referring to the Buckingham project.

Real estate experts said it could easily cost hundreds of millions of dollars to turn the Gramercy concepts into reality during the next seven to 10 years. It would dramatically change the 126th Street, off of Keystone, gateway into downtown Carmel.

The architectural and land use philosophy of Gramercy would mesh with city officials' plans for reshaping the City Center and Old Town with a Performing Arts Center and an Arts & Design District.

"This should fit well with what the city is already doing nearby. I think people will like the feel of this place," said David Leazenby, vice president of land development for Buckingham.

Gramercy, he said, will be pedestrian-friendly. And it will have a higher density of housing than the four units per acre that city planners enforced 40 years ago when Mohawk Hills was built.

Buckingham's plans will be introduced at a city Plan Commission meeting Feb. 21 and begin a review process that typically takes months. The designs are mostly conceptual and don't have great detail, including the number of housing units.

However, city officials said there could be 1,200 to 2,000 units for sale and rent, or several times more than currently in Mohawk Hills.

It is a project conceived to fight suburban sprawl that absorbs farm land and wildlife habitat.

"This is growing smarter," Leazenby said.

Carmel Plan Director Mike Hollibaugh agreed that today's design trends are much different than the 1960s Tudor style of Mohawk Hills.

"This is changing the face. It is a huge project. It is a key location in the core of Carmel, and it fits exactly with our civic design process. Look at a map of future neighborhoods, and you'll see a project just like this.

"We're trying not to use density of housing to measure some projects these days but rather to make sure the development is first class and very high quality. We want to make sure the details will be consistent with the City Center," Hollibaugh said.

"Of course, we don't take the loss of the green space lightly," he said. "You won't see the wide open vistas of the golf course, but there will be green spaces and parks within two or three minutes' walk."

Traffic engineers have been looking at the possible effect of more people living, working and visiting the area.

While Mohawk Hills has just one driveway, which is off 126th, Gramercy will have two on 126th plus an extension of AAA Way or another road off East Carmel Drive on the south side. At least four new drives are planned on the west side connecting to the Auman subdivision.

Buckingham is a real estate development and apartment ownership company with at least a dozen projects in Indiana and neighboring states, including several in Carmel.

It bought Mohawk Hills in 2004 for a reported $30 million from Chicago-based Executive Capital Corp, which had owned it since 1980. Buckingham has updated the clubhouse and made other improvements.

Leazenby said residents' leases remain in effect and any moves would occur over several years . The complex averages about 86 percent occupancy. Up to 50 percent of residents move annually.

Mohawk Hills was built by the late Robert Bodner, an Indianapolis developer, who flew a plane over then-remote areas around Indianapolis looking for farm fields with potential.

One of his sons, Steve Bodner, said Mohawk Hills was built on such a farm, divided by construction of Keystone Avenue.

The golf course was added in 1973, according to Steve Shanks, who has worked at the course nearly 32 years, including the past 26 years as the pro.

He sent a letter to members saying the course is to remain open through this year, but the future is uncertain. About 22,000 rounds of golf were played there last year, down about 35 percent from 10 years ago.

http://cmsimg.indystar.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Dato=20060112&Kategori=ZONES01&Lopenr=601120329&Ref=AR&Q=80&MaxW=500&MaxH=400&Site=BG&Q=80&Border=0&Title=0
Complex of 116 acres: Planned for land currently occupied by the 40-year-old Mohawk Hills apartment complex, Gramercy would feature an urban design with a clock tower, as in this sketch. In the business areas, there would be small businesses on the ground floors, with apartments on the upper levels.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060112/ZONES01/601120329&SearchID=73232658978136


Mohawk Hills Could Undergo $500M Development
It's being called the largest development project in the history of the City of Carmel. Developers are looking to turn something old into something brand new for the city.

The Mohawk Hills golf course and apartments may be in for a huge change.

"A great idea - it's a ten-year master plan," said Mike Hollibaugh, City of Carmel.

If developers get their way, the 116 acres will get upwards of a $500 million renovation. Replacing it would be upscale townhomes, condos, offices, hotels and even a central business district.

"It's everything we've been trying to get. It's gonna be a real showcase for the city," said Hollibaugh.

Indianapolis-based developer Buckingham Properties is calling the project Gramercy. The company already owns the Mohawk Hills site, which is located between 126th Street, Carmel Drive and Keystone. They say the 1960's complex needs updating to fit in with Carmel's master plan.

"I'm not gonna be here very much longer, but for the residents who do live here that doesn't sound very good at all," said one apartment resident.

"I think it's great," said a woman, who added she would certainly buy in the area.

"I don't know. It's an attractive concept but I don't know if it's gonna be approved," said another.

Even with city approval, Buckingham says they're three years away from breaking ground. Residents have been told about the plan that goes before the Carmel planning board on Feb. 21st.
http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4356641&nav=0Ra7

[KM1410]

Carmel will begin building City Center in spring

Construction on the first phase of Carmel's 50-acre City Center will start this spring, after a last-minute reconfiguration of parking.

The Pedcor Investments project planned for the empty field at City Center Drive and Range Line Road was briefly on hold after the developer discovered that the land is too wet for a two-floor underground parking structure.

Pedcor chief Bruce Cordingley said that in a worst-case scenario, they would have to pump 30,000 gallons of water each minute to keep the parking garage dry, making it too expensive to operate. The structure was to provide much of the parking for City Center, a walkable downtown with roughly 200,000 square feet of retail space, 60,000 square feet of offices and a mix of 250 apartments and condos.

Instead, the underground parking will be only one level. Pedcor also added 1,000 spaces -- for a total of 3,000 on the site -- at a second parking structure, which will span the Monon Trail on the south end of the project. The Carmel Redevelopment Commission approved the changes this week.

Ron Carter, president of the Redevelopment Commission, said the project change is part of the "natural evolution and refinement of the project."

The updated project will include more retail shops along the Monon, and the parking structure will serve as a visual gateway to the City Center district, said Steve Sturtz, president of the Pedcor Design Group.

Although the parking will be elevated over the Monon, Sturtz said trail users won't feel like they're in the midst of a parking lot.

"We want to improve the trail, not take away from it," he said.

Pedcor plans to spend about $160 million on the project, which should be completed in five years. The site also will include a hotel and an outdoor amphitheater. The highlight is expected to be an $80 million performing arts center with a 1,600-seat concert hall and 500-seat multipurpose theater.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060121/NEWS01/601210485/1006

[KM1410]

Buckingham makes big plans for Carmel
Developer awaits OK on 116-acre urbanist development

The makeover of midtown Carmel, driven by the ambitious City Center master plan, could get a boost from a nearby development that could rival the project in scope.

Local real-estate developer Buckingham Properties will present its proposal to the Carmel Plan Commission Feb. 21 to transform the 1960s-era Mohawk Hills apartment complex and its golf course into a modern urbanist neighborhood.

The development, called Gramercy, could take a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars to complete.

The 116-acre tract at 126th Street and Keystone Avenue would play a critical role in advancing Carmel’s vision to create a new downtown along Range Line Road, by providing an eastern corridor into Old Town.

“What Buckingham is pulling off here is brilliant, because that entrance has the potential to be the new grand entrance to Carmel from the east,” said Ross Reller, vice president of Meridian Real Estate. “I am as enthusiastic about the Buckingham project as I am about City Center.”

Its Gramercy name is derived from the French expression reflecting gratitude or surprise and borrows from the upscale Manhattan neighborhood dating to the 1830s.

The traditional urban neighborhood design features town homes, apartments, hotels, offices, civic spaces, parks and retail space for restaurants, cafes or coffee shops.

British architect David Oliver designed the center plaza highlighted by a clock tower.

Buckingham purchased the property containing 564 apartment units and a ninehole golf course in 2004 from a Chicago group for roughly $30 million.

David Leazenby, the company’s vice president of land development, declined to divulge how much Buckingham will invest in the project. But real estate developers said the cost likely will be hundreds of millions of dollars.

Pending approval from the Carmel City Council, work could start in 2007 and would be finished in eight to 12 years. Development on the golf course would begin first, followed by demolition of the apartment buildings in phases, to maintain residential housing, Leazenby said.

Higher density

Plans are unclear how many units the new development would feature. But the high-density urban feel likely means more than what was allowed under the four-unitper-acre rule enforced in the late 1960s when the apartment complex was built.

As city space for home construction shrinks, Carmel officials are exploring alternative housing options similar to what Buckingham envisions.

“We’re extremely excited about what they’re proposing,” Carmel Plan Director Mike Hollibaugh said. “We’re really refocusing our planning efforts to look at our urban core between Keystone and U.S. 31, and trying to make sure we’re prepared for redevelopment.”

The public/private development that is City Center runs along the west side of Range Line between 123rd and 127th streets and encompasses a number of uses. Similar to Gramercy, they range from apartments, condominiums, shops, dining, office and hotel.

The City Council last year approved financing for an $80 million performing arts center to be built on the property.

Buckingham’s previous housing developments in Carmel include the Providence at Old Meridian, Traditions on the Monon at 136th, and Monon & Main.

In addition, Buckingham owns and manages the Governor Square apartment community, and the former Arbor Apartments, which was incorporated into the plan for Providence at Old Meridian.

“What we saw with Mohawk Hills was an opportunity to improve a property that was suffering from some out-of-state ownership,” Leazenby said. “It’s an opportunity to tie into what Carmel is doing and complement City Center and Old Town.”

Buckingham since has invested $500,000 in Mohawk Hills to remodel the clubhouse, tear down the carports, and upgrade landscaping. Current occupancy is about 90 percent, Leazenby said, and many tenants are renewing their leases in anticipation of the makeover.

Changing course

Although the number of rounds played on the public golf course at Mohawk Hills has steadily dropped the past five years, Leazenby said that factored little into the decision to redevelop the property. The course will remain open for the entire 2006 season.

More public courses are succumbing to development as central Indiana becomes saturated with golfing options. In Hendricks County alone, Clermont Golf Course, Brownsburg Golf Course and Hendricks County Golf Course all have closed.

In Fishers, a group of investors called Britton Park Development LLC bought Britton Golf Course last April for $16 million. Bordering State Road 37 and East 131st Street, the 104-acre course is the largest piece of prime property left along a stretch of highway where much of the land has been consumed by commercial construction.

Plans call for the property to someday accommodate 600,000 square feet of shops and other street-level businesses, plus offices or town homes. Office buildings and an assisted-living center are planned as well.

When completed, the project would be the largest commercial, office and retail development in Fishers and would be bigger than Clay Terrace, the 65-acre upscale, old-style shopping mall at U.S. 31 and 146th Street in Carmel.

The loss of certain courses is not necessarily detrimental to the sport, said Mike David, executive director of the Indiana Golf Office.

“From a supply-and-demand side, we’re lopsided right now,” he said. “At Mohawk Hills, when you look at the property value, you have to seriously consider the best use of that property.”

Going public?

Founded in 1984, Buckingham has developed more than $225 million of real estate and owns and manages more than 9,000 apartment units in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio.

The company recently agreed to purchase locally based Century Realty Trust for $60 million. Century’s investors have pushed publicly for nearly two years for a sale, claiming it was too small to exist as a public company.

In turn, Reller at Meridian said a sale could give Buckingham the leverage it needs to go public as a real estate investment trust.

Citing locally based Duke Realty Corp., Simon Property Group and Kite Realty Group Trust as examples, Reller said Wall Street has been kind to Indianapolis public real estate developers.

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[Crankbaiter]

How well-known is Carmel outside of Indiana?[/QUOTE]

With all the annexation in Indy, isn't Carmel the only suburb of Indy. I've never heard of one Indy suburb other than Carmel.

[Wu-Gambino]

]With all the annexation in Indy, isn't Carmel the only suburb of Indy. I've never heard of one Indy suburb other than Carmel.
No, Indy hasn't (and will never) annex since the 1970's. Carmel is Indy's most affluent (probably the largest) suburb, so it gets the most attention. There's also northern suburbs of Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville and Zionsville. The western suburbs are mostly in Hendricks County and include Avon, Plainfield, and Brownsburg. Southern suburbs are Greenwood and Southport. The eastern suburbs (probably the least populated) include New Palestine and Cumberland.

[cwilson758]

Yes, this is a major myth-conception about metro Indy. Yes, in the 1960's, Indy annexed the "inner-ring" burbs, but now, the City is completely surrounded and "landlocked." So, even if we could annex, we wouldn't be able to.

As mentioned, Carme is top-dog. But, Fishers and Greenwood would probably have something to say about that. One thing that I notice is that Indy's burb's don't get the "map recognition" that they should. When an urban area is depicted for our area, it usually only shows Marion County and a bit of Hamilton, but this is very misleading. Here are some populations for Indy's burbs (approx):

Carmel 60,000
Fishers 58,000
Greenwood 40,000
Lawrence 40,000
Noblesville 30,000
Speedway 20,000
Beech Grove 15,000
Plainfield 30,000
Brownsburg 15,000
Avon 8,000
Cumberland 7,000
New Palestine 5,000

These are all places that are continuous to indy.

[cjfjapan]

No, Indy hasn't (and will never) annex since the 1970's. Carmel is Indy's most affluent (probably the largest) suburb, so it gets the most attention. There's also northern suburbs of Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville and Zionsville. The western suburbs are mostly in Hendricks County and include Avon, Plainfield, and Brownsburg. Southern suburbs are Greenwood and Southport. The eastern suburbs (probably the least populated) include New Palestine and Cumberland.

Naptown,
I agree that Indy will probably never annex any more land, but you make it sound like it cannot. Is that true? I've heard that annexing land outside of the county (ie, Indy annexing land in Hamilton, Boone, etc) is currently illegal, but could that not be changed in the future? Indy could also, at some point, annex one of the four towns (Beech Grove, Speedway, Lawrence, Southport) in Marion County, right? just wondering...

[cwilson758]

In order for UniGov to get passed by dem's, State Law prohibits the City of Indianapolis expanding beyond Marion County. Now, that doesn't mean state law can't chage, but right now, "no." As for Beech Grove, Speedway, Lawrence and Southport, when Unigov was created, these communities all had the option of inclusion or not. The obviously chose not. Cumberland also had the option, and since the Town could expand and be autonomous from Indy in the Hancock Co. portion, it chose to be "included."

[KM1410]

Townhomes offer 'live-work' option

The trees have been cleared away, and earthmoving has begun on another key portion of Carmel's Arts and Design District in the heart of the city.

Construction is under way on Monon and Main, a development of three-story townhomes along Main Street just west of the Monon Greenway.

Some of the townhomes will allow the owners to open business offices on the ground floor and live on the upper levels.

With the first work on the site, potential buyers of the new homes are already lining up. A waiting list has at least 50 names for the 77 units.

Erinn Mosher of Gunstra Builders, which is developing the 4-acre site and constructing the new homes, said the first models could be ready to see by fall.

Monon and Main is proving so popular, she said, "because it is an awesome location, right on the trail, where you're able to walk to the shops and restaurants in downtown and even to Carmel High School, that isn't too far away."

Residents in the area could walk to the butcher shop, the florist and gift store, a winery, barber and beauty salons, diners, yoga studio, women's clothing stores and home-décor businesses.

When hungry, there's Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream eatery next door to Monon and Main. Or Muldoon's pub is a block up Main.

"The Monon Greenway is one of the busiest in the nation, with thousands of people on the trail on summer days," Mosher said.

Several blocks to the east, the city's Redevelopment Commission has helped private developers in construction of two three-story buildings at Main and Range Line Road that will house art and design-related businesses.

Old Main is at the center of the city administration's goal of creating an Arts and Design District.

Two large decorative stone and iron gates have been erected at the south and east sides of Range Line Road and Main in the evolving Arts and Design District.

Another of the gateways will be constructed at Main near the new Gunstra townhome development.

Mayor Jim Brainard and other city officials are scheduled for a ceremonial gro