City needs storefronts inviting to passers-by

This is very sad to hear [Dunaway’s buyer plans conversion to offices, IBJ.com, Dec. 8].

This type of decision worsens the state of downtown by using another beautiful building on the Cultural Trail for a purpose uninviting to foot traffic.

Indianapolis litters its street-level, foot-accessible areas with law offices, bail bonds, insurance offices, parking garages, etc., and we tuck our stores away in a hidden city mall at Circle Centre.

The stores in the mall close/leave, and people walk through a ghost town—if they even walk—through downtown.

Office spaces at foot level aren’t inviting to passers-by, so they would make a great tenant in the upper floors of the Chase Tower or above street-level retail.

It would be a great day when the sidewalks are filled with inviting stores, restaurants and galleries with offices and residential in the floors above.
__________

Robyn Bognar
Indianapolis