Real estate developers today are trying to sort out the implications of a major upset in the mayor's race.
The mayor-elect, Republican Greg Ballard (pictured), didn't reveal much about his philosophy on development during the campaign.
And most developers supported Bart Peterson, the incumbent mayor. They wonder whether Ballard will oppose the tax-abatements
that have propelled some of the city's major developments, since angst over property taxes propelled the former Marine to
victory. MSA's future: What will happen with redevelopment of the Market Square Arena site? Developers expect Peterson will leave the decision for the next mayor, or at least consult with Ballard. "This isn't a political decision," said Gerry Kosene, who is on one of two development teams that offered proposals. "Either the project makes sense or it doesn't. A good project is a good project."
Progress continues: Mayoral changes over the years haven't stopped some of downtown's major projects. One example is the transition from William Hudnut to Steve Goldsmith. Goldsmith grumbled about Circle Centre mall before he eventually embraced and completed the project.
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I just have to wonder, even though it has no relevance now, what would have happened with the Intercontinental Hotel proposal.....different game when the strong relationships with White Lodging are severed. Just some food for thought. Not here to pick a fight, just looking forward to the future and what it will hold. Heck, maybe MSA will get off the ground!
- The MSA site will see a successful project. Why? Because some of the political connections that were hamstringing prospective projects are now severed. The site can now be opened up to a public design competition, which will build momentum and public interest, and I would not be surprised to see Architecture with a capital A rise up on the site. Where is Santiago Calatrava when we need him?
- The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC) staff size will be increased. Why? Ballard is a business man and understands profit centers. The IHPC creates a relatively large bang for the buck in terms of economic development and crime deterrence. Additionally, Ballard seems opposed to public spending on mass transit/ light rail. The IHPC makes downtown living more attractive to suburbanites, which works to reduce traffic congestion. This might reduce pressure on Ballard to keep mass transit on the front burner.
- The City-County Building will consolidate many of the departments and divisions that had been moved off-site. Why? Ballard knows that a new “justice center†has been needed for years, and once completed – perhaps in a 2nd term if he is lucky – many of the courts and justice-related offices will move out, making way for the return of divisions that currently reside around the city. It will be expensive at first, but will save money for future generations.
Just a few thoughts to ponder. I’m cautiously optimistic that Ballard might be a friend of development and Smart Growth in Marion County, you know, once he’s done stopping crime, eliminating property tax and all that other stuff.
I hope downtown development under his administration remembers that there are young professionals out there in the middle class who would love to live downtown.
All kidding aside, he better make his mark swiftly, because one of these days, people are going to wake up and realize that they simply voted against Bart Peterson not FOR Greg Ballard, and if he hasn't proven himself capable of handling the job, then he will be an absolute lame duck until 2011.
I am not being sour grapes here, but anyone who thinks the vote yesterday was a coronation of Ballard instead of the repudiation of Peterson is smoking something heavy
As far as I know, apart from the Hoosier Dome site and the Courtyard Marriott site, there have been extremely few if any redevelopments of modern era structures in downtown Indy. Think about the horrific Renaissance Place condos in the NW quad as examples of what could go wrong.
There are serious problems with both proposals. The worst idea is to plop a big box down on one of those blocks, particularly a low rise, suburban style big box as in one of the proposals. The other one (Kosene I believe) is better, but still is too low density and has problems such as setbacks on Market.
I'd sleep well at night if neither of those plans were selected. This is one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the city and one of the few places to really build high density housing and a real, super-great urban mixed use project. I'd like to see a mix of 2-4 30+ story towers that fully utilize the block, along with a mix of condos, apartments, significant amounts of retail (even Target, if done right like their Nicolette store in Minneapolis), and potentially even some minor office use.
The importance of this site cannot be overstated simply because this project is what allows us to build the bridge through the dead zone that currently sits between the Warehouse District and Mass Ave.
I've been touting this for years. Here, for example, is a letter I wrote to Tamara Zhan on the subject ten years ago. Fortunately, a low rise office park like the terrible Anthem complex appears to be off the table. Though big box isn't much better.
http://www.urbanophile.com/arenn/letters/idi01.html
Note: My thoughts on urban development have changed a lot in the last decade, so don't take this note as my current thinking, but the general thrust is still there.
First of all, he seems like a VERY moderate conservative. If you really think about it he really hasn't expressed any terribly conservative views. It could easily have been some neo-con man or some backwards something instead of him... That would've REALLY sucked!
Secondly, he is a businessman & worked at a business college. Which is refreshing. Ballard also seems like he could be somewhat easily influenced for better or for worse.
Overall, i'm pretty apathetic towards this. As much as i would have liked to have seen Bart serve his 3rd term's a charm it still wasn't realistic. I firmly belived that Peterson was getting pretty stale in there. Which was not good.
So here's a cheers to being carefully optimistic. Sound good?
I hope that he does okay with our downtown. I hope he takes the efforts to revitilize central Indianapolis and restore our old neighborhoods back into normal class neighborhoods.
I wonder what will happen to projects funded by the city.
We are screwed people. It will be like stepping back into a 1970's Lawerence IN Elk's Club lodge meeting.
You people wanted him - well, good luck.
Bart lost touch and let those around him - including the CCCouncil - ruin his good name. He's a good man and truly wanted to do what's right. Evidently he lost his way with that and now we are stuck with Greg & Winnie.
Oh joy.
I did not know that reducing traffic congestion was an objective of the IHPC. I think it may be time for all IHPC members to refer back to the core mission of the organization so as not to get side-tracked on issues that do not fall under the authority of the IHPC.
With crude oil at almost $100.00 dollars a barrel gas prices at record levels how can the mayor and now Ballard say it's not an important issue. To be a great city you need a great transportataion system.
Also since Peterson screwed up MSA so badly these are some of reason he's now longer mayor. To many rules on ther project. Number of units sold. If they had started the project with the 31 story building it would have been completed and sold out by now.
A couple of things to consider:
1) The days of directing tax dollars to politically-connected local developers, while eliminating outside competition for major city projects should be over. In my opinion, this is a reason why Indianapolis continues to see lackluster projects proposed in comparison to other cities.
2) If Ballard is indifferent in regards to urban development, then he may be positively influenced by some of his Republican counterparts (i.e. Mayor Brainard).
When the major things are fixed - crime, property taxes, etc - THEN we should focus on revitalizing neighborhoods to increase density, and then focus on mass transit.
Revitalizing neighborhoods cannot be separated from fixing crime, property taxes, etc. Look at Fountain Square: revitalization and safety have gone hand in hand. Revitalization, because it's visible, changes people's perceptions. Revitalization rebuilds the tax base, and provides jobs in construction and in commercial establishments. It's grass-roots economic development.
What's nuts is the perception that crime is spiraling out of control in the Downtown and near-downtown areas. The numbers say serious crime has been both up and down in the past few years, not consistently and unrelentingly up.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071107/LOCAL/711080485
When introducing Ballard on election night, Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said Ballard's election would mean no more time spent on greenway projects, lights and cameras while the people of this community suffer from crime.
Prior to the election, Ballard called funding the arts nonessential.
Indianapolis has a vibrant culture and wonderful arts community. But in a fiscal crisis, we must focus on providing essential government services, he wrote in a candidate questionnaire.
It may give him some perspective.
The positives of the Peterson far outstrip the negatives, and while I will not be so delusional to say he didn't make mistakes, he did. However, I would much rather have Bart with a Republican CCC.
I hope for all our sakes that Ballard is not as bad as I think he will be, and by bad, I do not mean he is a bad person. He just puts off an aura of ineffectualness. Prove me wrong, Greg!
Mayor Ballard has much to fix. Granted, his predecessor was a very personable, likeable individual and gained trust as a good deal maker. But in the end, it was the quest for power that did him in.
Da Hooey criticizes the new Mayor for his selection of a transition team, but that fits the name - a bunch of hooey. He has to get people involved inititally that know the system and the people. He needs time to get over the hump. What would you do, have him put total trust in the outgoing administration, or worse yet, bring in a team of people that have no knowledge or connections? Ridiculous....
Then Dustin goes off again by saying he's still not moving back. GREAT NEWS, we don't need him. Stay away and put a lid on it Dustin.
Ballard doesn't oppose the police merger; he simply believes that control should be vested in the mayor rather than the sheriff.
I'm ready to take my chances with our new mayor, especially since his focus and mine are the same. The rest is going to have to wait.
Well, you better take a better look then. This is the same group of people that ran the city into the ground under Goldsmith. Rex Early is 100% in there and will be calling ALOT of the shots. Loftus is a complete puppet for Goldsmith, and Wilson and turner are empty suits - JUST LIKE THE NEW MAYOR! I mean, I thought he was beholden to no-one! He was going to bring in new blood? That's completre BS! LOOK AT THE TRNASITION TEAM!
God, this is so frustrating.
Buyers remorse? You betcha - I have heard from countless people who thought they would vote for Ballard to send a signal. Well, be careful what you wish for, cause now you made your bed and you get to sleep in it.
And then KEVIN writes this?!?!?!:
[QUOTE]1) The days of directing tax dollars to politically-connected local developers, while eliminating outside competition for major city projects should be over. In my opinion, this is a reason why Indianapolis continues to see lackluster projects proposed in comparison to other cities[/QUOTE]
LMFAO buddy. Do YOU REALLY think this will be the case? Every white business owner in town will be camped out on Rex's front porch looking for contract handouts.
And last comment (for now) - Ballard's group will obviously be a complete step backwards when it comes to Civil Rights in this town. I feel sad for the minorities in Indy who will step back 30 years.
Mitch will likely pay the price this time next year. Vote Schellinger!
Political blindness with regard to government at the municipal level is ridiculously childish and short-sighted. Starting in the 70s, I don't think you can find an argument against the fact that significant progress was made downtown each decade. The 80s were better than the 70s, the 90s better than the 80s, and so on. I remember going downtown in the EARLY 80s........so much has changed, and it didn't start on Peterson's watch. He took the ball and ran with it, but let's give credit where it is due.
BTW...read '21st Century City'.....good book! :)
BUT - what I am really upset about is this: Ballard's statements that he will be beholden to no one, when it is 100% obvious that the usual suspects are running to the doorstep looking for political favorites and handouts.
Do you agree?
Couldn't fool anyone.
It is so sad to learn of how uninformed the voters of Marion County are. I keep hearing about out of control spending. Um...on what? The City's budget was SLASHED this year. There is a hiring freeze at the City, employees won't be getting raises AGAIN, and the cost of benefits will rise...AGAIN. Otherwise, the big purchase by the City was for PENSIONS for the PD and FD. This was the morally correct thing to do.
What upsets me the most is the mass transit issue. Ballard DID SAY that Hoosiers love their cars. As the mayor of a mjor US city, Ballard needs to recognize that our quality of life will continue to go down if we continue to rely on the car. This will lead to an even worse environmental score, causing most looking to relocate to bypass Indy and so on and so on.
Next election, I BEG the voters of Marion County to at least become familiar with the issues instead of trying to send a message.
But, if you're bored....here's a starting point...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Goldsmith
by borrowing money to fund his building better
neighborhoods program. He was obsessed with not
raising taxes. He also was the encouraged the refinancing
of the Hoosier Dome multiple times during his administration
(which is why it is still not paid off). He did the same
thing with respect to many other of the city's obligations
and extending them for longer periods of time and tying
up future tax revenue for debt service. He also fought
the EPA so the city would not have to spend money or
raise rates to deal with the sanitary sewer overflows.
He was dragged kicking and screaming into finishing
the mall. And of course, you can thank Goldsmith every
time you pay your cable bill and contribute to Conseco
Fieldhouse and the Simons.
And let's not forget the no-bid contracts and all of his
privatization nonsense which was just a way to reward
his cronies. He cut positions so he could use that money
to award contracts to supporters.
And the governor's race was a referendum on his
mayoralty; remember he didn't even win Marion County.
By the way, I would trust Rex Early well before I
would trust anyone associated with Goldsmith.
And mass transit is a boondoggle waiting to happen.
This town will not support it and this town can not afford
it. The number of people light rail will take off the street
would be minimal at best. It seems that most people
want mass transit for the cool factor - regardless of
whether anyone would ride it - and the occassional ride
to a Colts and Pacers game does not count. You all need
to realize that this is a city is just a collection of small
towns and is long way from being a city. Building
structures and unnecessary infrastructure won't transform
it and won't transform the residents into urbanites.
How about we start with fixing the bus system and
making it more comprehensive and usable - which partly
entails building sidewalks and bike paths to provide
connectivity.
There is plenty of space in Indianapolis proper for all
of those commuters to live if they are concerned with
traffic congestion. If we make it harder for the suburban
areas to cope with their chosen lifestyle instead of bailing
them out with expensive toys, maybe they will chose
to move back to Indy when suburban life becomes
unbearable. Meanwhile, we can be building and
improving our existing infrastructure that has been
neglected for decades instead of spending limited
resources on mass transit that we do not need.
And it was during a time of declining interest rates that all those bond refinancings occurred...same thing we all did with our home mortgages because it made financial sense.
I'm not sure how you claim neglected infrastructure at the same time as you criticize the Building Better Neighborhoods program...those bonds paid for the first replacement curbs and sidewalks in a long time in many parts of the city, as well as first segments of the Monon and Canal trails.
Goldsmith also twisted some arms to get private money into the mall deal.
Remember Peterson's big bond deal? Anyone remember what Bart paid for the water company? At least he had the good sense not to make it a city bureaucracy.
Each of the last two mayors did some good in his terms, and neither man is a crook deserving vilification. Both sought out opinions from real people outside the CCB...a good quality in a mayor.
Let's hope Mayor Ballard is similarly sensible.