Fever to get new $78M practice, training complex at former downtown jail property

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34 thoughts on “Fever to get new $78M practice, training complex at former downtown jail property

    1. I agree totally murray, waste of a prime piece of real estate. They can practice anywhere they want to let them build a location out in the suburbs.

    2. What looks like a three story building really is a waste.

      What I want to know is what is going to happen to the rest of the site. The article says it will occupy the western half of the site. AND PLEASE don’t let it be another dead plaza!!!

    3. Finally! Something we’ve found common ground on. This property is literally next door to the city’s transit center. It needs more housing, not a building that is going to be dead after 5PM every single day. And for the love of all that is holy, can we PLEASE put a moratorium on any additional plaza space!

    4. I think you forget that this is actually part of the bigger plan of the city to build a sports and entertainment district for a MLS specific stadium. So this site is exactly in position of all the future development planned specifically for a sports and entertainment district. There’s plenty of other places the city can build housing.

    5. Kevin – The City promised us a master developer, housing, and promised a return of these properties to the tax rolls. These are some of the highest-value parcels not only in Indy, but in the State of Indiana. The fact that all of these promises, the Market East Plan, and the South Downtown Plan are all being tossed out the window to give away this land to an entity that will pay no property tax for a building that most of the general public won’t be able to access is ASININE.

    1. As with every IBJ post most of the commenters are people that rarely if ever go downtown. This should clean up that area by the bus station too. This will help attract better players because they are currently practicing on that old Pacers practice court at the Fieldhouse that is just 1 court and a small weight room.

    2. Agree with Corey. All the negative comments on IBJ are from Indianapolis haters who want to believe Indy is a crime-ridden democratic wasteland that nobody wants to live-in or go to. They get their knickers in a twist as further investment and high profile projects like this consistently prove them wrong.

    3. I guess I’m not sure how thinking that prime real estate next to a transit center could be used for dense housing instead of a training facility used by a handful people is being an Indianapolis hater. It’s okay to have expectations! From a resident near-eastsider.

  1. “The complex will be built on the northwest corner of Maryland and Alabama Streets…”

    From the renderings, it appears the location will be the northeast corner of Maryland and Delaware Streets.

    1. Yep, the NW corner of Maryland and Alabama would be the eastern half of the property, which I believe still doesn’t have a goal for development.

    1. Where did you ever get that notion. As stated by Chris C., the property will be owned by the CIB which is wholly supported by restaurant taxes. Which will be forever never-ending.

  2. What an ABSURD WASTE of this land! We desperately need housing in Downtown and this is immediately next to the transit center where we have the most capacity to add people. Now it’s just going to be another tax-free use that gets visited by outsiders a few times a year.

    RIDICULOUS.

    1. All the focus on getting rid of the heliport … a waste of space used by very few people on prime real estate … this is just a smaller version of the heliport.

      No way to renovate/reconstruct the existing Pacers facility to handle both teams?

    2. Lots of people! Myself included! Indy’s highest-value parcels are along the Red Line BRT. Being able to live in a place where I can just go downstairs to access a transit service going pretty much anywhere in the city, including a quick, one-seat ride to the airport, would be pretty great.

    3. Probably a majority of the majority who voted yes on the referendum. Perhaps you’re right. Who would want to live right in the heart of downtown with $1.75 access to most of the City? Yuck.

    4. Patrick is one of those who hate transit because he wouldn’t want to be around “those people” who ride the bus. Never mind that many of the folks who serve him when (or if) he eats or entertains Downtown rely on the bus to get to and from work.

  3. Im always entertained at the professional economic and city planners that voice their opinions in the comments of the IBJ. Look, The Simons are major developers in the city and owners of two professional franchises. Every NBA and WNBA team are building facilities similar to this. So the Simons has no choice but to keep up to attract and retain talent. Plus it’s their money to do as they please. There’s plenty of other locations to build housing as some have complained in the comments. Yes Indy needs more housing but this particular spot is already designated for a sports district. Its clear some of you forgot that the city is pushing for a MLS specific stadium and sports and entertainment district and this parcel of land is ground zero for much of the cities plans to develop the area into a specific use. The night time renderings looks amazing and like it or hate it, Indy is a sports town.

    1. That’s just broad stroke misinformation at worst and hyperbole at best. The City has merely declared an intent to establish a plan for a sports and entertainment district but has not put forth a resolution, let alone adopted one, or even put out an RFQ to have a document prepared.

      As for being their money, the Simon’s have amongst the worst track records of developing solely with their own money. Whether it’s their malls or their pet projects handouts and abatements run are always a factor. All of that aside, the underhanded nature of this award is the real cause for concern.

      There is no argument to be made that this is the best use of the site nor passes the but-for test. Let alone the fact it is an opportunity to increase foundational elements of the city’s quality of life but instead will be squandered for the sake of a largely closed to the public facility, political legacy boosting backroom dealing.

  4. I’m amazed I totally agree with the Kevin P. posted above this, again!
    What is also amazing is most the comments don’t seem to realize that this parcel is part of the bigger MLS stadium development, and the Simon companies control all the parcels that have been purchased over the last year or more. All makes sense, and I would bet now that the Simons are not only horse trading with the city on this parcel, but will be announced as part of the MLS ownership.

    1. We all realize it, we’re just not happy about it. The South Downtown Connectivity Plan and the Market East District Plan didn’t call for this to be a Sports District. That was a unilateral move by the Mayor’s Office. We were promised that there would be a master developer with an open and transparent process, good design, housing, and the return of properties to the tax rolls. This is a switcharoo to give land away for free to an entity that could afford it on its own and people are rightfully pissed.

    2. If you think the Fever will share space with the MLS team, then why don’t the Simons simply share or expand the existing Pacers practice facility with the Fever? Same sport so there should be synergies. My bet is if there’s an MLS team owned by the Simons, then that team will ask for and receive their own practice facility as well owned by the CIB using tax dollars to pay for it.

  5. What a waste. This is just bad planning and land usage. This city couldn’t attract any development that will actually take advantage of the adjacent transit center!?!? Let me guess we are giving away incentives to create this low density, inactive and unnecessary development rather than trying to attract development that actually improves the city for the people who live here. This cities priorities are backwards.

  6. Simon and their lapdogs strike again. The WNBA would have been defunct decades ago if it wasn’t propped up by DEI corporate welfare. Every non democrat commenter has already pointed out the incredible waste of this parcel, but hey, it has cry rooms and safe spaces for a handful of players who are irrelevant.
    IBJ— as always, I would love to hear from your normal cast of clowns. Get Kip and the Delaney’s on record saying what a great use of resources this is.

    1. You and I see eye to eye on this one, Chuck. I’m pretty left-of-center but this is corporate welfare, pure and simple. We shouldn’t be giving away what are *literally our city’s most valuable parcels* for free! The land value of that parcel alone is roughly $2 million! It’s crazy!

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