Hotel Broad Ripple developer planning 'green' features

November 29, 2010
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Hotel Broad RippleA local company is finalizing plans for a 22-room hotel between Westfield Boulevard and the Monon Trail in Broad Ripple. The hotel, dubbed Hotel Broad Ripple, would be the neighborhood's first hotel and could be the city's first to achieve LEED certification. Developer Debra Stolen Hasbrook, who for years toyed with the idea of a hotel to serve Butler University and the city's midtown neighborhoods, found the site at 6520 Westfield Boulevard last year while running on the Monon Trail. The new hotel will offer "convenient, affordable" accommodations for Butler students and guests, performing arts and sports visitors, and business and convention travelers, she said. "Our design for the project incorporates the historic Merrill Stage building at the south side of the lot and will serve as the reception area for the new hotel," she said in an e-mail. "Our goal for the project is to create something both unique and authentic to central Indiana, and to that end we plan to incorporate some salvaged and refurbished materials as well as work from the local art community in the design of the rooms and public spaces of the hotel." The designer on the project is locally based Gray Architecture. A Metropolitan Development Commission hearing on the proposal is set for Dec. 1, with City-County Council review scheduled for Dec. 15. Stolen Hasbrook declined to say how much the project will cost.

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  • Great concept
    brguyNovember 30, 2010 8:37 AM
    Finally, a nice place to stay for people visiting families or attending to elder parents in the area. Also for those moving to Indianapolis and wanting to look at real estate in the Broad Ripple, Meridian Kessler, and Butler-Tarkington neighborhoods. This is long overdue. Good to see someone with vision make the investment - hopefully the project will be done with quality.
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  • Excellent
    BRash NaptownNovember 30, 2010 10:13 AM
    Good location, good concept, fills a major unmet demand in the neighborhood while responding to the local subculture. Hopefully parking and the floodplain aren't major roadblocks. Good work from Tim Gray, but what else would you expect from a Ball State guy?
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  • Wise Use of Taxpayer Money?
    Silly ThoughtNovember 30, 2010 11:00 AM
    The building is near completion based upon the picture.

    Why is the city throwing tax abatements and other incentives at this project?
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  • Just a Drawing
    atlNovember 30, 2010 11:12 AM
    @Silly Thought - the picture is just a drawing. It isn't built yet. Check out the joggers...
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  • LOL
    MarkNovember 30, 2010 3:28 PM
    @Silly Thought: Wow...
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  • Kudos
    JP71November 30, 2010 3:28 PM
    Kudos to Debra for this plan and vision. Long overdue. Where can I invest? Now, can she shape up the rest of the strip and make it a true boutique restaurant and shop destination (ala Upper Arlington in Columbus, OH)? [instead of a Thursday-Sunday drink-fest]
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  • Nay Sayers
    Victoria BurchNovember 30, 2010 3:56 PM
    You with no vision....just sit at home and be quiet. You're not useful. Stolen's vision is brilliant.
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  • parking
    jbNovember 30, 2010 4:09 PM
    hmmmm - where to park?
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  • Observations
    Details MatterNovember 30, 2010 5:55 PM
    Great concept, however the location is questionable with steep turn directed at building, limited parking, and poor condition of sidewalks to the strip.

    Hope they can overcome the challenges and be successful.
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  • Very much needed
    MollyNovember 30, 2010 11:01 PM
    Has been needed for a long time. A very art, visionary project.

    wakm
    hrprh
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  • Lazy Hoosiers
    3dhouseofmagicNovember 30, 2010 11:24 PM
    Really, a comment about where to park? How is it people in Indy get so bent out of shape if they have to walk more than 2 blocks to something? Try living in a real city where there actually is NO parking so you have to walk, or forbid....take public transportation!
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    • About time...
      jeffDecember 1, 2010 8:05 AM
      I, too, have often wondered why BR was lacking in overnight lodging. Should be a hit.
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    • parking?
      alldaybreakfastDecember 1, 2010 10:42 AM
      Actually, the site will provide 22 very low-profile, non-obtrusive parking spaces, which is what the ordinance requires. The overall design of the site is wonderfully thoughtful... kudos to Stolen and to Gray Architecture.
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    • Dont Blame the Victim
      joeDecember 1, 2010 11:38 AM
      Lazy Hoosiers:I agree, most Indy people only get out of their cars as a LAST RESORT. However, when sidewalks are sparce, public transit is pathetic, and development in the city is completely oriented to the car rather than the pedestrian, what do you expect? Its about leadership and selling a vision. Urbanists need to come down off the Ivory tower and actually convince the common folk why public transit and a stronger urban infrastructure will improve their lives...
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    • A Win, win, win .. .etc situation
      DrewphoriaDecember 2, 2010 4:27 PM
      Somebody should hop on one of the neighboring properties, and put in a bike rental shop. It'd be perfectly placed on the monon, gives hotel patrons an easy cheap clean way to move around town at least during the warmer 7 or 8 months, and lets people visiting broad ripple explore and cover more area. Then put one in downtown so the really adventurous types ca get downtown or to campus.
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      • Bicycle option
        brguyDecember 3, 2010 2:23 PM
        Less than a couple of blocks away is a great shop called the Bike Line, at 6520 Cornell. Nice folks to work with - been there a long time. Don't know if they rent bikes, but could probably be arranged.
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