SEPT. 18-24, 2020
The basement of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is jam-packed with hundreds of vehicles—some in pristine condition—that never go on display. Mickey Shuey reports that as the facility looks to upgrade its collection, dozens of those cars are going on the auction block. Also in this week’s issue, Susan Orr takes stock of the forces expected to batter small businesses this fall, likely leading to a devastating shakeout. And Greg Andrews examines how enigmatic Simon Property Group CEO David Simon is handling the sudden deluge of national interest in his firm’s high-profile purchases of bankrupt retailers, such as Brooks Brothers and J.C. Penney.
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IMS Museum selling dozens of vehicles to help upgrade collection
The basement of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is jam-packed with hundreds of vehicles that never go on display. Some of those cars are going on the auction block.
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Failure risks escalate for small businesses as pandemic drags on
Business advisers and advocacy groups say many small businesses that have managed to survive the pandemic so far are heading into a brutal fall.
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David Simon may not seek spotlight, but he’s in it anyway
The media is fascinated by what he’s up to, as the nation’s largest shopping mall owner teams with partners to buy ailing retail chains while negotiating with Amazon to fill vacant anchor spaces with distribution centers.
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Aunt Bertha software helps connect patients to services
Hospital systems say their aim is to provide a helpful clearinghouse for patients in need of housing, transportation, food and other critical services—factors sometimes called “social determinants of health.”
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Handmade leather-goods shop finds its groove
Five-year-old Howl and Hide is preparing to open a second location, a pop-up shop at Clay Terrace in Carmel.
Read MoreQ&A: Digging for dinosaur fossils
Jenn Anné, lead paleontologist and manager of the Natural Science Collections at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, recently returned from Wyoming where she and her team dug for fossils to bring back to the museum. The trip garnered more than two tons of findings.
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UPDATE: Health officials reduce Indy Eleven capacity to 2,500 following IBJ story
The county health department said it was reducing the soccer team’s capacity at Lucas Oil Stadium to match what will be allowed at this weekend’s Colts game.
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City-County Council approves financing plan for convention center expansion
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night voted unanimously to issue up to $155 million in bonds to pay for an expansion of the Indiana Convention Center at Pan Am Plaza.
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Council imposes penalties on vendors that don’t meet minority-contracting goals
The changes would allow officials to withhold payments from vendors, terminate their contracts or ban them from future city contracts if they don’t comply with the program.
Read MoreStudy hints Lilly antibody drug might cut COVID-19 hospitalizations
Wednesday’s results come from 450 people in a mid-stage study testing an antibody jointly developed by Lilly and the Canadian company AbCellera in people with COVID-19 symptoms not severe enough to warrant hospitalization.
Read MoreHc1 rolling out new tool to help colleges control COVID outbreaks
Indianapolis-based Hc1.com, which makes software that helps health care organizations interpret data to personalize care and control costs, said it thinks it has a solution that will help major U.S. colleges and universities control coronavirus outbreaks on campus.
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Despite pandemic losses, brokers still optimistic about retail’s future
In particular, vacant spaces in higher-population suburbs should have no trouble finding new tenants, brokers say.
Read MoreJohn Robinson: 4 reasons post-pandemic offices may not be that different
Tools like Zoom, WebEx and Google Drive have enabled businesses to stay afloat during the pandemic, but for many, remote work really isn’t sustainable. Unproductive virtual meetings, the desire for interaction and the immense benefits of a traditional office are steadfast.
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Developers ‘optimistic’ about multifamily projects, stress that incentives are needed
Developers remain optimistic about multifamily developments in general across the city, but some believe additional affordable housing—and associated incentive deals—is needed.
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Casino in Terre Haute will feature outdoor ‘smoking patio’ with slots
The Rocksino—a partnership between Hard Rock Casino and Terre Haute development firm Spectacle Jack LLC—will be the first in the state to have a smoke-free interior. Casinos are an exception to the state’s smoking ban.
Read MoreDeveloper plans $12M townhouse project near Garfield Park for affordable housing
The town homes—all of which are expected to have three-bedrooms—would be available for lease to individuals and families with modest incomes, with an option to eventually buy the units.
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Editorial: Bringing workers back (safely) will benefit companies, city
For Indy’s employers—large and small—to remain strong, they need a working environment in which the most innovative ideas and strongest strategies emerge, and we believe for most firms, that’s tough to accomplish in a remote work environment.
Read MoreGREG MORRIS: It’s (finally) almost time to VOTE
The greater the turnout, the better the results will be for all of us.
Read MoreScott Fadness: A generational call to action to bolster central Indiana
Humility and boldness will be simultaneously required to overcome the reality we face. It is now our generation’s time to step forward with bold ideas for our region and the humility to work together to accomplish them. Our ambitions must be exclusively focused on the ideas that will allow our region to reach its potential.
Read MoreFriedman: Consider comparative risks to truly understand COVID-19
Serious misperceptions about COVID-19 have undoubtedly helped drive the anxiety and even panic.
Read MoreCharlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow: How to give feedback that leads to success
Giving constructive feedback that focuses on employees’ goals and helps them do better work—and be better people—is imperative, especially during this pandemic, and allows each employee to thrive.
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PETE THE PLANNER: It’s time to step up and help save local restaurants
Many restaurants are in very serious danger of not making it to December. Every dollar you can spend matters.
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URBAN DESIGN: Pandemic shows the importance of public transportation
The people who’ve been riding it are the ones who keep our economy moving.
Read MoreBOHANON & CUROTT: The only thing that can save us is a balanced budget amendment
By 2023, the national debt is projected to be 107% of gross domestic product, which will be the highest in the nation’s history.
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PRI cancels its December trade show at convention center
The trade show in a typical year brings upwards of 67,000 people to the Indiana Convention Center and generates an economic impact of $65 million. Last year’s event had 1,100 exhibitors and 3,300 booths.
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Lilly anti-inflammatory drug might shorten COVID-19 recovery time
Eli Lilly announced the results Monday from a 1,000-person study sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Read MoreThree proposed neighborhoods could bring nearly 270 new houses to Westfield
Residential builders Drees Homes and Epcon Communities presented plans to the Westfield City Council on Monday for three different developments in the city.
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Simon Property Group to keep all malls closed on Thanksgiving Day
Indianapolis-based shopping mall giant Simon Property Group announced Monday that it plans to join the growing retail trend of not being open on Thanksgiving Day.
Read MoreLowe’s offering small businesses ‘Shark Tank’ treatment
The program will allow a small number of entrepreneurs, particularly minorities, to pitch their products directly to Lowe’s, sidestepping a traditionally arduous process of getting their goods sold in 2,200 stores.
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MIKE LOPRESTI: These rival coaches have been a pain in our posterior
Krzyzewski and Belichick haven’t been the only thorns in our side.
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