Chipotle headed downtown to Washington and Meridian

It looks as though a fast-casual Mexican battle may be brewing downtown. Local retail brokers say Chipotle will occupy the first-floor space of a three-story retail and office building slated to fill the vacant lot at 6 E. Washington St. Right around the corner, at 9 N. Meridian St., is a Qdoba, where the Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based eatery has done quite well. How much business will Chipotle take from Qdoba?  Only time will tell. With 20 locations in the Indianapolis metro area, Qdoba has a larger presence than Chipotle, which boasts five local restaurants. Qdoba also is adding a second downtown location at CityWay. The new Chipotle would be the Denver-based chain's first downtown. Meanwhile, plans are progressing on developer Uptown Realty Investors’ project to fill the space on East Washington Street.  Bill Ehret, a real estate broker and partner with John Demaree, also owns the building next door that houses Jos. A. Bank and the seven-story McQuat Building, which the two have transformed into apartments with a first-floor retail space. The city’s Metropolitan Development Commission is set to consider the project on April 3. The architect on the new building is Axis.