Another rundown building at the northwest corner of Washington and Pennsylvania streets
is getting some attention after years of neglect. Workers are putting a fresh coat of paint on 44 E. Washington St., the former
home of a savings and loan that's been vacant for years. Building owner Jay Kim said he's investing more than $80,000 on his
own and also won a facade grant from Indianapolis Downtown Inc. to help with the project. He plans to revamp the entrance,
add a new roof, paint the building on all sides and gut the interior in a bid to attract new tenants. Property records show
the structure was built in 1919. To see a photo before the work began, click here.
(IBJ Photo/Robin Jerstad)
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The dark gray seems like a safe, unoffensive choice. What color do you think would look better?
1919? Dang, they must have destroyed that beauty a long time ago.
My idea of fixing this area is either giving that structure a new facade or knocking it down.
BTW, I think (though I am not 100% sure) that the next door building to the west is actually from the 1850's.
I think it would be great if it was restored.
I agree that it would be great if it were restored--and hope it will be!
This is not a good sign. We actually looked into several of these buildings for purchase, but it just wasn't the right timing for us with a few other projects going on.
I cannot believe these buildings sit like this in a very high-potential part of town.
Wow, there are very few structures left in the city from the time that was made.
We should really try and save that structure.
Beautiful pic. Although it almost makes me want to cry. It's one thing to see the destruction that they did in the sixties and seventies with their new modern facades. But to be able to see these beautiful buildings in their original form is devastating.
She was very attractive back in the day wasn't she? With her brick facade, individual windows and filled arch roofline.
I know this is the case with one building on E Washington. The others are probably owned by out-of-towners who don't have to look at the blight on a regular basis and are waiting on their big payday.
Awesome photo!
I don't really get the crack about the DD being suburban, either - it doesn't have a parking lot, it doesn't have a drive through...and it was able to maintain some distinctiveness by keeping the pointy roselyn sign.
Yes, this is the Crossroads and other areas of DT received attention first, but with the great rehab/reuse of Allen Plaza, 110 East Washington Street and the Symphony Center condos, there is now a residential base that will support the many restaurants that have opened in the past 6mos (not many areas of the Mile-Sq can say that). Coupled with the hotels and offices and this has truely become one of the ONLY 24-hr portion of DT within the Mile-Square.