The city waived several zoning requirements in allowing Simon Property
Group to install a giant electronic sign at the entrance to Castleton Square Mall. The electronic portion of the 40-foot-tall
sign is 380 square feet (the city's sign code allows a maximum of 188 square feet) and makes up 80 percent of the sign (code
says 40 percent is the max allowed). The sign also sits within 15 feet of a signalized intersection (the code calls for 125
feet). The sign was allowed, though, so Simon could promote its mall. But the agreement does not allow Simon to become a de
facto billboard operator, said senior planner Ryan Hunt. The city's sign code bans electronic light displays on billboards.
You be the judge: Is Simon in violation? On a recent visit, the sign's rotation included a pitch advising customers to "Seize
the day" at Caesars Indiana Casino (adding in small print that a casino shuttle from the mall is coming soon). The sign also
included ads for Simon gift cards and St. Vincent Hospital (an ad that mentions that mammograms are available at Macy's).
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Welcome to Property Lines, Indy's source for neighborhood real estate news. Your host is Scott Olson, IBJ's real estate beat
reporter. Edited by Cory Schouten.
The city waived several zoning requirements in allowing Simon Property
Group to install a giant electronic sign at the entrance to Castleton Square Mall. The electronic portion of the 40-foot-tall
sign is 380 square feet (the city's sign code allows a maximum of 188 square feet) and makes up 80 percent of the sign (code
says 40 percent is the max allowed). The sign also sits within 15 feet of a signalized intersection (the code calls for 125
feet). The sign was allowed, though, so Simon could promote its mall. But the agreement does not allow Simon to become a de
facto billboard operator, said senior planner Ryan Hunt. The city's sign code bans electronic light displays on billboards.
You be the judge: Is Simon in violation? On a recent visit, the sign's rotation included a pitch advising customers to "Seize
the day" at Caesars Indiana Casino (adding in small print that a casino shuttle from the mall is coming soon). The sign also
included ads for Simon gift cards and St. Vincent Hospital (an ad that mentions that mammograms are available at Macy's).
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Can IBJ please stop referring to this property as "Kessler Mansion"? What a ridiculous title for the biggest, bloated, blight in our city. It's not a mansion. At best, it's an ideal site to shoot low-budget porn. Ahhh! Another business use!
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Its stories like these that prove that a Ball State diploma is worth less than the paper that its printed on. A real institution of higher learning would have taken care of this long ago. No way should this crap be taught in a SCIENCE class.
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It is such a shame that King Ballard has made Indianapolis into Chicago south with all of the rampant corruption.
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How many of these 1,259 bills were actually heard and voted on on the floor vs how many were shot down in committee?
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When a an arrogant young guy with essentially no experience and no qualifications for the job, was dropped into an Administrator position out of nowhere by his "mentor" in the Mayor's office things seemed fishy. Sometimes things are what they seem.
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I have to say, it does fit in with the general character of 82nd Street, at least from I-69 to Allisonville. Further west it gets a bit better, but sadly not much.
Hmmm, like run Eastgate, Washington & Lafayette into the ground? Like ruin a city park to build their ugly headquarters?
As for the malls, they weren't meant to be saved. The neighborhoods are on a downturn(I grew up in Warren Township and lived near 38th and High School for a long time, so I know). I used to work at Washington Square when I was in High School and I always decried the loss of the food joints. I asked around and they said that nobody except Luca Pizza can make jack-diddly in the place. Eastgate was pathetic, ugly, and old. And I don't think I even need to explain Lafayette Square, that area might take 10 or more years to improve.
I wholeheartedly agree with Eastsider. Tell the local council cronies to Get out of the way! and let people build what the area actually wants and needs. Not what will make politicians popular with the politically active minority. I think the Simon's can manage their business just fine. They wouldn't have tens of billions of dollars of property to their credit if they couldn't.
Oh geez, let me think about that one for a minute...
OK, I've got it: YES! Honestly, how naive can you be? Simon isn't any different from any other corporation. Their interests are the one and only concern. That's business.
Why have signage codes if every body going to get a waver. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT ANY CITY PLANNER IS GOING TO BEND OVER AND PULL IT OPEN FOR THE SIMONS. The wider they pull it open the better change they have of getting job there.
If the sign is ONLY for the mall then why are there advertisements for other places and things? That’s selling space and that’s a bill board not a MALL sign. Plus anyway it’s only Castleton.
I whole-heartedly DISAGREE with your assessments. RARELY will you see one of the City's planners allow a billboard of any sort if a variance is requested. Citizens must remember that the planner's job is to provide RECOMMENDATIONS to the various boards and commissions, not give approvals. As a former member of the planning staff, I do agree that the desicisions can be predictable, but those are the boards and commission decisions, not the planners. I implore you to take a look at what the staff recommends versus what the board decides before making statements on how the process works. Finally, I am confident that the planners couldn't care less who the petitioner is. I know I never do. Again, point fingers at the BZA amd MDC members if you have a gripe with allowances for certain players.
Signs-
You are joking, right? There is no justification for Simon being able to ADVERTISE for Caesar's Casino. Are there slot machines in Casleton now that are operated by Caesars? That would be the only justification for Caesar's Indiana to be on that sign. Since there are not slots, the sign is a billboard...fact!
Like ruin a city park to build their ugly headquarters?
First of all, this was never a city park and there is still a park there even after Simon built their headquarters. The Simon building footprint is there is still a great deal of green space south of the building.
Hmmm, like run Eastgate, Washington & Lafayette into the ground?
Let me ask you this, would you want to open a store in any of those malls? No one does due to the poor areas they are currently in. Simon poured a lot of money into those malls and nothing seemed to work.
There is always complaining on here about companies moving their headquarters out of state, well the Simon's stayed here and employ 1,100+ people in that building.
The Simon building footprint that is there still provides a great deal of green space south of the building.
Say Anything, could you please clarify that statement. I'd like to know exactly how much money the Simons poured into Eastgate. Was the huge parking lot reconfigured or re-paved, landscaped or updated? Were the buildings moderized? They bailed on it, plain and simple. I know it is their right within our capitalist society to do so But the fact that they and so many posters on this site won't admit it is what scares me. It's fine to be a corporate supporter, but I hate corporate apologists.
Simon's not evil, but they are definitely violating the spirit, if not the absolute wording, of their agreement to advertise off-premise products and services. The ad for Caesar's is off-premise advertising, regardless of the small print message at the bottom indicating something about a shuttle from the mall to the casino coming soon. At a minimum, the shuttle service should at least be running, and the reference to the shuttle should be as prominent as the rest of the message. Looks like they're really pushing their luck on this one. It's always possible that the pols acquiescence will not be endless.
Many of people here need to take themselves a lot less seriously.
You obviously miss the jist of this blurb as well as what I actually wrote...the planners supported an electronic sign for the mall...not an OFF-PREMISE ADVERTSING SIGN (aka Billboard). Therefore, my comment rarely will you see a 'planner' recommend approval of a BILLBOARD, are still VALID! Please go back and reread and then jump back in this discusion.
Thanks and you are welcome! I know what I am talking about!
When everyone wispers everyone is notices, when a few shout not one gets noticed. Now just watch the street around Castleton Square start shouting to get noticed and you can bet the sign companies are already sell their blight and Indianapolis will show no control again. Here comes another West 38th blighted retail street.