Thoughts on skyscraper's new look?

June 27, 2007
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One IndianaThe new facade for One Indiana Square was unveiled shortly before this blog began, so we haven't discussed it yet. Here's your chance. The project to replace the storm-damaged facade has begun and is expected to last about two years, gradually transforming the 36-story tower built in 1970. An expert in curtain-wall construction guessed the renovation will cost between $25 million and $30 million. One question I've heard repeatedly is whether the limestone-faced base of the tower will get a new look as well. Todd Maurer, president of Halakar Real Estate, says there are no plans to redo the base, at least for now. He said Halakar plans to revisit the issue once the tower portion is finished. What do you think of the design? Should the bottom change too?
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  • ablerockJune 27, 2007 12:42 PM
    The bottom should be updated, without a doubt. If it isn't, One Indiana Square will easily claim the title of Most Schizophrenic Building in Indianapolis. And that's not a good thing.
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  • kcfloodJune 27, 2007 1:49 PM
    They need to change the bottom as well. It does not seem to match
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  • ryanJune 27, 2007 2:22 PM
    a slight improvement....boring. boring.booooorrrrrinnnnggg....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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  • MikeJune 27, 2007 2:35 PM
    New bottom Please. It makes it look like we built something modern on the Parthenon.
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  • Indiana JonesJune 27, 2007 2:54 PM
    I think it should be updated.

    Quick fix: paint it light blue.
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  • Indiana JonesJune 27, 2007 2:55 PM
    ;)
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  • bobJune 27, 2007 3:04 PM
    Parthenon?, ha ha ha ha. not even close. It’s a bad white marble 60's table with alot of legs. It looks more like someone put a glass brick/tower on top of the Kennedy center.

    At least it doesn’t look like they PICKED it up at Ikea, like the Simon HQ
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  • Matt B.June 28, 2007 9:03 AM
    I think the new building looks rather unremarkable, but sometimes renderings aren't to be trusted. Seeing it in person once it is complete might be a different story.
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  • LeslieJune 28, 2007 9:50 AM
    I think it will look better, but I've thought since I first saw the rendering, why does the base look the same? I've long that that building was one of the uglier towers we've got, so the curtain wall will be an improvement, but yeah, the base needs work and updating as well or it will look like they half-a**ed it.
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  • mobyyeadJune 28, 2007 10:22 AM
    I work in this building. The fist 4 floors need to be redone as well as the attached garage. I think the new design is pretty. Perhaps because I have been looking at the same bland tower every day for 13 years.
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  • CoryWJune 28, 2007 11:18 AM
    My main question is: What will this thing look like at night? I would love to see some night renderings because I have heard rumors of some sort of LED lighting similar to a builing in DT Minneapolis. That could really make it stand out.

    I think it is an improvement, definitely, but they should have also designed some sort of new elemental crown or spire to really change its boxiness!
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  • ryanJune 28, 2007 12:58 PM
    i agree with the need for a new crown or spire! i also hope they do put LED lights to help with the anemic glow of our city at night!
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  • ArchiTrashSureJune 28, 2007 1:00 PM
    I agree with CoryW - some sort of crown or spire would really improve things. Of course, they're doing this because they have to, not so much for the purpose of making it pretty. To add a topper that would run another mil or two would not be a good business move.
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  • Jim BJune 28, 2007 1:54 PM
    Yes, change the bottom too. Otherwise, it's two different architectural styles plopped one on top of the other. It will bring some cohesion to the building. I don't mind the new glass curtain wall. It kind of reminds me of the John Hancock Building in Boston (except for the bottom, of course).
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  • thundermuttJune 29, 2007 6:39 AM
    From most vantage points, you don't really see the top and the bottom (except looking straight down Mass. Ave.).

    Even so it won't be any different than standing on Market Street and looking north at the Gold Building behind City Market, or standing on the American Legion Mall and looking south at the Chase Tower behind the War Memorial. Most of the tall buildings in Indy are surrounded by shorter ones that screen their base from view.

    It adds texture to the city.

    And what is it with crowns? Not many people liked the crown that's on that building when it was put on. Should a modernist structure even have one?
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  • CoryWJune 29, 2007 9:05 AM
    There is no crown on One Indiana Sq. They have those elemental lights, but that's all.

    While we are discussing it, is there anyway we could convince the folks at Chase Tower to (at a minimum) change the color of the lights for Chase Tower's crown? They could have put blue in during the Colt's SuperBowl run, or red and green for Christmas, etc. I mean, I would prefere the ridiculous thing be changed and made to look like it actually belonged on the building, instead of an after-though plopped down to add height. I understand that it has some significance as it was supposedly design after the War Memorial, but it looks weird. Maybe change it to one big spire/antenna instead of the two that we have now.
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  • thundermuttJune 29, 2007 9:24 AM
    That white band around the top edge sure looks like a crown. See http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=qmvmdf7tm5hq&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=6758547&sp=Point.qmvprs7tm8sk_Indiana%20Sq%2C%20Indianapolis%2C%20IN%2046204%2C%20United%20States___&encType=1
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  • IBJ Property Lines » Tower’s new look taking shapeAugust 23, 2007 4:21 PM
    [...] Check out a rendering here. [...]
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  • numbMarch 28, 2008 8:02 PM
    I don’t think this has been reported by the media. At 9:07 this morning an ambulance was called to Indiana Square. A worker fell off a scaffold from about the 7th floor down to the 5th floor terrace. Roughly 25 feet. He was conscious when he was loaded onto the ambulance. Work pretty much ended for the day after that. Building management and Todd Mauer were there when they all drove off. Now I’m no safety expert but I’m sure an agency like OSHA will be on site soon to investigate. What’s really good is that these guys are at the very top of the building right now. So falling from floor 7 isn’t that bad if you can describe it that way. It could have been worse. People have died from falling off their house roof.
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