Like 38th Street? You’ll love Meridian

Recommendations being prepared for Near North Development Corp., a community-based revitalization group, vary depending on the stretch of Meridian Street, said Adam Thies, president of Eden Land Design Inc., the Indianapolis company that’s writing the document. That’s because property facing the street varies from corporate headquarters to apartments, Thies said.

The stretch is a disheveled hodge-podge of architectural styles and parking lots. Some of it is blighted—the opposite of the stately historic district farther north.

Generally, though, the plan urges rebuilding the street with extensive landscaping.

On-street parking would be eliminated from the mid and southern sections, and moved behind buildings in keeping with more of an urban model, Thies said. Where parking would be allowed, the corridor would feature several spaces interrupted by landscaped bump-outs. The bump-outs would be similar to those incorporated into 38^th Street.

The North Meridian project covers only 1.5 miles compared to the 3.5-mile reconstruction of 38^th Street between Interstate 65 and Fall Creek Road. That project cost $28.3 million.

Thies said it’s time to upgrade the section of North Meridian to the glory of the street farther north.

“We’re trying to get Meridian Street back to being Indianapolis’ great street,” he said.

A fourth draft of the document will be presented to the public at 8:30 p.m. March 27 at the WFYI Teleplex, 1401 N. Meridian St. A final draft is expected in April.