WTH? Will this hurt? Will this help?
Located: north of 2200 block of Meridian
Remove economic motivations, remove excuses, and ask yourself how far has this strayed from its original design? From an aesthetic point of view: is this compatible or incompatible, good or bad, worthy or unworthy of the fine capital city of Indianapolis? Please bear in mind: the only purpose of this series is to stand for the appropriate renovation and redevelopment of the built environment of Indianapolis. No malice, no hostility, just an observation and inquiry.
For those who need help or guidance in how to sympathetically restore or alter historic buildings, Indianapolis is fortunate enough to have the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC), located in the City-County Building.
Looks like they bricked in windows on the first floor? And maybe there were windows along the top? That’s hard to tell. Opening bricked in windows would be a nice start, along with a simple awning over the door, doors that doors that aren’t whited out, and a cheery large street number painted on the transom above the door. Interesting window treatments on the upper windows. Maybe lose the bushes and put in a simple flower bed.
Exactly where is this? It looks like it had a large window that has been closed over, and possibly an awning over the door similar to the one pictured to the right. It could be fairly attractive if these two items were returned. I know it is plain, but has a retro late 40’s early 50’s look to me, and with a large original style window opening, appropriate front door and retro awning, it could look just fine.
Seems like a great opportunity for some public art, like the 46 Super Bowl murals.
Due to the fact that Meridian Street is overwhelmingly considered one of America’s “Great Streets”, design requirements should have already been established requiring that building fronts should reflect design features that remove “blah” building fronts including parking garages (which are better than parking lots, though). Plus landscaping requirements as well. There needs to be a “Meridian Street Commission” established to review new construction or renovations of any type that changes the building fronts. There are those that will decry “bigger government” and “more government regulation that raises prices”, and so forth, but that’s a “philosophical” hurdle that will just have to be leaped over. Those are timeworn excuses used to stop anything done in the interest of the general public.
Pressure wash the building. Replace the existing windows above the bushes…..and replace the canopy that originally existed over the door. Add new doors to the front ! Doesn’t need much to improve the looks. Give it an old-timey looks…like the original building.
A good cleaning would work wonders. I also agree with Robby Slaughter. Perfect place for artwork. I might also remove a lot of the brick facade and replace with windows to make it more inviting. May even attract new businesses.
I have an affinity for deco buildings like this and agree that opening back up the bricked in window on the ground floor would really enhance it a lot. Looks like it probably started out its life as an insurance building.
This is the former Sandor Development HQ, which looked pretty much the same during their occupancy. Sandor has left Center Township for a new HQ, also close to Meridian Street, but a bit further north near 111th and Pennsylvania in beautiful suburban Carmel (hope they make it through the reconstruction of US 31).
This reminds me of the building where my father’s company’s office was in the fifties and sixties. Sadly, I was a kid, so all I can say for sure is that it was on North Meridian, in a Deco-style building somewhat like this one. I cannot be sure it is the same building. Of course, there was a picture window where the bricking in has been done here.
I hope someone will buy it and restore it. It was a classic fifties-style office inside, too; less stylish than Mad Men, being an insurance company branch, but with glass dividers for mangers’ offices, wooden desks, and enormous manual typewriters. Where, of course, my dad’s secretary was kind enough to allow me to type random sentences when I visited as a seven- and eighty-year-old.