New Ellipse building in Fishers lures tenants

A prominent new office building on the north side of Fishers’ downtown municipal plaza will house a yoga studio, a coworking space, an engineering firm and an unnamed tech company.

Fishers-based BW Development LLC, a sister company to Indianapolis-based RQAW Corp., introduced plans for a $10 million Ellipse office building at 11 Municipal Drive in May 2018. The 45,000-square-foot building was designed to fill the last vacant city-owned property near the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater. Now, with construction complete, 30,000 square feet is spoken for.

— Honor Yoga opened its 2,500-square-foot studio January 11, in Suite 100, on the building’s first floor.

Local franchisees Stephanie and Travis Ewing brought the New Jersey-based chain to Fishers to make yoga accessible to both beginners and old souls.

“We’re a very open community,” Stephanie Ewing said. “I want Honor Yoga to be a place where people can come in, relax, let the stress go and focus on themselves.”

Honor Yoga features a main practice room with space for 30 students, an aerial yoga and barre studio with room for 12 and a small meditation room. The company’s 10 yoga programs range from beginner to Yoga Hit, a higher intensity workout with a focus on cardiovascular and metabolic exercises.

In addition to the Fishers studio, the Ewings are planning two more locations: one in Westfield within the next 18 months, and another in Noblesville or Carmel 18 months after that.

“That whole Indianapolis region is of interest to us,” Maria Turco, CEO and founder of Honor Yoga, said. “Once we put our push pin in the map, we like to build strength for our partners, strength for the brand in an area.”

Honor Yoga currently has 40 locations in development across nine states. Turco said another local operator, Annie Wolka, will be opening a location in Zionsville by fall of this year.

— Colorado-based Office Evolution is scheduled to open its second Indianapolis-area coworking space in the building’s second floor on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Founded in 2003, the company has 65 franchised locations across 24 states. Indiana’s only other location opened in August 2018, at 550 Congressional Boulevard, Suite 115, in Carmel.

Local operators Tom and Lori Fifer have filled the 11,500-square-foot Fishers location with dedicated workspaces, private offices, conference rooms and shared workspaces featuring wraparound professional services.

— Hamilton Designs, a civil engineering and design firm already based in Fishers, is moving from 11988 Fishers Crossing Drive, Suite 154, to the Ellipse building’s third floor in June.

Owner Michael Thompson said the company has grown to employ 31 people since forming in January 2015, and the move from under 2,000-square-feet to nearly 6,000-square-feet will allow his company to expand its services.

“That building is going to allow us to continue to move forward with the growth of our company, and it’s also an attractive piece of recruiting the talent we’re looking for,” Thompson said.

Thompson said around 75% of Hamilton Designs’ land surveying and civil engineering clients are private firms. He’s hoping the expansion will allow the company to push into public projects with the state, Fishers, universities and other public partners.

Colliers Indianapolis Executive Vice President Rich Forslund, the leasing agent for the Ellipse, said he’s got a tech company who is committed to opening in the top floor—they’re just not ready to announce yet.

Within a mile of the Ellipse, there are a few other tenant moves to report.

— Owner Sarah Negangarb opened Village Playcare, at 11680 Commercial Drive, Suite #700, on Jan. 27. She said the “on demand” childcare service is meant to appeal to parents or grandparents who need help watching the kids for an hour or so.

Negangarb said she has hired 15 employees to adhere to the state’s required ratio of teachers to kids, ranging in age from 3 months to 12 years.

After a child’s guardian registers online, they’ll have to spend about 15 minutes having their information and fingerprint entered into Village Playcare’s system. After that, Negangarb said, it’s similar to call-ahead seating at a restaurant.

“It’s really no different than booking many other things we’re used to doing online, like a workout class,” Negangarb said.

The around 1,800-square-foot space is divided into age-appropriate areas while maintaining an open concept.

“It’s actually not going to feel like a traditional play care,” Negangarb said. “Our goal is to make it feel more like a play café, or like a children’s museum with explorative play.”

For all that’s coming to Fishers’ downtown, a longtime anchor tenant in the Depot Building south of city hall is leaving.

— Brixx Pizza, at 8594 E. 116th St., announced on social media Feb. 1 that its Fishers location would close. The restaurant opened in the space in 2015 before closing abruptly in November 2017. A few months later, the franchise reopened under new operators.

The restaurant’s Facebook post instructs customers with outstanding gift cards to email fishers@brixxpizza.com with their contact information and gift card number to receive a reimbursement.