INDIANAPOLIS — A brief walk down Broad Ripple Avenue shows a promising start to 2022.
“The past year I think we accomplished a lot in Broad Ripple,” said Assistant Executive Director for the Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA), Kent Springer. “We’ve got a lot of great things on the horizon considering we are still in a pandemic.”
Springer said one of the first projects to come this year is the redesign of Broad Ripple Avenue. Back in September, the Department of Public Works (DPW) unveiled the first draft of plans to redesign the street and surrounding area.
The main goal of the project is to improve the sewer system, but the redesign will also allow for wider sidewalks, new street lights, and string lights overhead. Springer said new medians will also bring in more landscaping and trees.
“It’s going to be a much more welcoming environment for residents and visitors to Broad Ripple,” said Springer.
Springer said it will be a four-month project, weather permitting, that is scheduled to begin in March or April.
“In addition to that, we’re also doing the Riverwalk Project at the same time,” said Springer. “That’s the new 12-foot wide trail that connects the Monon Trail to Broad Ripple Park. So that’s being constructed in the same timeframe.”
“We saw 71 relocations and expansions of projects and we secured $572 million in capital investment for Indianapolis and that included Broad Ripple,” said Portia Bailey-Bernard, Vice President of Indianapolis Economic Development for Indy Chamber.
Bailey-Bernard said new developments in the city are on track to match pre-pandemic levels.
“Some really cool projects we saw that broke ground last year in Broad Ripple included the Eight Eleven headquarters project at 62nd and College [Avenue],” said Bailey-Bernard. “That’s a mixed-use development which really aligns with the city’s goals.”
Springer agreed that mixed-use developments are some of the more common projects to come to Broad Ripple – including the redevelopment of the former Korger site on Guilford Avenue.
“The property’s been purchased by Gershman Partners and Citimark,” said Springer. “They’re the ones that brought Shake Shack to downtown Indianapolis. So we think they’ll probably do a very good job of bringing some interesting retail development to Broad Ripple.”
Springer said developers plan to bring forth a design with both retail and residential space. He said those plans will be presented to BRVA’s Land Use and Development Committee during the first quarter and construction will likely begin in the fourth quarter.
Overall, Springer said 2022 is off to a great start. He said every new development helps put Broad Ripple on the map as a place to bring in new business.
“Restaurants and small businesses then look to Broad Ripple and say ‘Look at all the people that are now living in Broad Ripple. This is where I want to put my new restaurant. This is where I want to put my new retail store,’ and this is what drives the growth in Broad Ripple,” Springer said.
Springer said several new businesses will also be opening in now-vacant buildings including:
- Dave’s Hot Chicken: officially signing a lease at the former Noodles and Company at 927 Broad Ripple Avenue with plans to open in the third quarter.
- French Quarter: a New Orleans-style restaurant and bar taking over the former Monkey’s Tale Karaoke Bar at 925 E Westfield Boulevard with plans to open this summer.
- Eating Fresh: a Vietnamese restaurant set to open by the spring at the corner of 62nd and College Avenue.
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