When Joel and Darby Chodakowski first visited St. Clair Place and saw their house, there was a huge hole in the ceiling—not something that most young couples look for in their ideal kitchen.  Fortunately, they were both able to look past that and see a vision of the home that it could one day […]

Caroline atop the Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Monument Caroline Tait first moved to urban Indianapolis from Norman, Oklahoma in 2011 for a year-long internship. “Coming from the suburban Southwest, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she said. “The first thing that struck me was the variety of things to do within walking or biking distance.” In […]

Mapleton Fall Creek – Google Maps When Austin, Hannelies, and their young son made the long trip from New York City to Indianapolis, the choice to live in an urban neighborhood was an easy one.  “For the last 14 years I’ve lived in New York City,” Hannelies explains, “so I really wanted our son to […]

For two Herron High School teachers, living and working downtown has major benefits. Herron High School opened its doors in 2006 with 99 freshman to provide a tuition-free, college preparatory education in urban Indianapolis. Today, it serves 643 students, grades 9-12, and is considered one of the top charter schools in the nation. The advantage […]

This piece is reprinted from the February 23, 2012 edition of the Indianapolis Recorder  Jessica Williams-Gibson As you pass by the Harrison Center for the Arts on 16th and Delaware, initially you may be confused. What was once the historic First Presbyterian Church now houses various art programs, local artists and art galleries. Dig a […]

So you’re looking to move downtown? Sounds like a plan, Stan. You couldn’t pick a better downtown to move to, (a recent list fromLivability seems to agree) and there are several steps that you can take to enrich your experience. If this is your first time living in an urban setting, please consider the following tips toward fully […]

In 1989, Karen May was living in a downtown neighborhood with her husband and 3 year-old son.  Concerned about the educational opportunities at the time, she decided to move her family to Speedway in hopes that her son would benefit from the Speedway school system.  It was an important decision for her at the time. […]

When Julie Tornquist first came to Indianapolis with her husband five years ago, they were not familiar with the area at all. They understood that the city was a diverse and vibrant place, but an early meeting with a realtor opened her eyes to some local perceptions. “He saw that we were white and executive, […]

When he was ten years old, Maurice’s family moved to a neighborhood on the west side of town around 40th and High School Road. For thirty plus (though he tries not to think about how many pluses there might be to that number), he has lived no more than two miles from that original west […]