Articles

White-collar crime has a new watchdog: Indiana securities commissioner aims to educate investors, enforce law

Madison native Chris Naylor on Oct. 5 became Indiana’s securities commissioner. He was appointed by Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita to succeed O. Wayne Davis, who now is a semi-retired legal consultant. Naylor, former county prosecutor in two southern Indiana counties, sat down with IBJ to talk about his goals as the state’s top securities cop. The following is an edited version of that interview. IBJ: What’s your office’s focus? NAYLOR: There are two large areas: investor protection and…

Read More

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Everybody’s busy playing the real estate blame game

There’s a game that takes place in most families with young children. You may be familiar with it. It’s easy. Mom’s cherished (insert any household item here) develops a large chip. Mom sees the chip. Mom begins the interrogation: Who did this? “Not me,” says Johnny. and Wall Street. After all, they’re the ones that loaned the money. It was too easy to get a loan, the critics say. People were buying homes and building developments with high-priced coffee shops…

Read More

‘Aggressive moves’ feed Flaherty & Collins’ growth: Local apartment developer gaining national foothold

David Flaherty and Jerry Collins left comfortable vice president gigs at a local real estate firm to strike out on their own in 1993. Roughly two years passed before the two former Revel Cos. executives received another paycheck. But the gamble eventually paid off handsomely. Indianapolis-based Flaherty & Collins Properties has become a nationwide player in apartment housing, with a staff of 412, a development pipeline of $500 million, and more than 13,500 apartment units under management. Flaherty and Collins…

Read More

Ex-Duke exec, wife tackle senior housing: Horns have nationwide plans for The Stratford Cos.

Richard and Wendy Horn have had their share of separate real estate successes. Now, they’ve combined their corporate talents as a husband-and-wife team to lead an upstart senior housing developer. Richard joined The Stratford Cos. in May 2006 as chairman and CEO, and has since moved its headquarters from St. Louis to Indianapolis’ north side in Parkwood Crossing. He is known within commercial real estate circles as a former veteran of Duke Realty Corp., where he enjoyed a two-year stint…

Read More

Parkwood West sets pace for north-side office space: Duke project boasts upscale amenities, top-level rent

Duke Realty Corp.’s $125 million Parkwood West development well may be the new trendsetter for future office complexes along the burgeoning north-side Meridian Street corridor. One West, a five-story, 186,000-squarefoot Class A office building, is the first of three structures rising from the Parkwood West project at the northwest corner of Meridian and 96th streets. The upscale design as well as the added amenities that include a parking garage-rare in the suburban market-could become the rule instead of the exception….

Read More

Indiana Court of Appeals reverses annexation decision:

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s decision in a northern Indiana annexation case, citing a recent ruling on the subject from the Indiana Supreme Court. In the case, In the Matter of the Annexation Proposed by Ordinance No. 2004-11-38, et al. v. Chris Fetcko, et al., 45A03-0611-CV-549, the city of Crown Point appealed the trial court’s order granting the motion for involuntary dismissal filed by Fetcko and other remonstrators to a city ordinance annexing certain land. Crown…

Read More

Dunkin’ Donuts’ expansion plans may create coffee clash: Chain could put damper on Starbucks’ local growth

The return of Dunkin’ Donuts to the metropolitan area last month gave java lovers here their first whiff of a brewing coffee war. The Boston-area-based chain’s Carmel location is one of 80 franchised stores slated to open within the next eight years. Its re-entry into the market is part of a national campaign to more than double the number of its 6,000 locations by reinventing itself to challenge Seattle’s Starbucks. Dunkin’ Donuts is rolling out concept stores with hipper furniture…

Read More

Penn Centre at street level

Here are two street-level renderings of Penn Centre, courtesy of Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf. The first shows the Omega Building along Maryland Street, and the second is a view from Pennsylvania Street. These still are early concepts and the developers…

Read More

These colors don’t run

Work on the renovation of Jefferson Plaza (soon to be Allen Plaza) began this week as construction workers raised an Allen Commercial Group flag over the plaza. It replaces a worn-out state…

Read More

It’s time for a retail roundup

Southport shakeup. Big changes are underway at Southport and Gray roads on the south side. An LA Fitness, the city’s third, is under construction on 4.5 acres west of Gray Road. The…

Read More

No alcohol at Champps

Champps near The Fashion Mall at Keystone can’t serve alcohol for 15 days because of an excise violation in 2005. The suspension is part of an agreement the restaurant reached with the state…

Read More

Condos in Ripple & Cottage Home

A developer is taking another shot at a condo project along Winthrop Avenue in Broad Ripple. The project was denied at a rezoning hearing June 20. The Metropolitan Development Commission is scheduled to consider a new plan Wednesday that calls…

Read More

Highway project could swallow hotel

A $600-million plan to revamp interstates 465 and 69 on the northeast side could have a major impact on buildings near the highways. Several properties, including a couple of office buildings, some…

Read More

Drumroll, please: Buggs to open

Three dining options at Buggs Temple are scheduled to open Oct. 19. They include Tavern at the Temple, Buggs Grille and Cornerstone Coffee House. Staff training is scheduled to begin tomorrow and…

Read More

Developer drops pursuit of condos

A local developer has dropped its effort to buy out 77 condo owners southeast of 86th Street and Keystone Avenue, at least for now. Residents of the condo development, Lakes…

Read More

Join IBJ at awards dinner

The not-for-profit group Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is planning its 30th annual A Monumental Affair, a gala event honoring the city’s top architecture, construction, engineering and design. Interested in attending? IBJ is saving space…

Read More

Ralston Square project would honor city’s first planner

A local development team is working on a 10-story, mixed-use tribute to a man who helped design the original plan for Indianapolis,
Alexander Ralston. The $60 million project, dubbed Ralston Square, would feature a 150-room hotel, 55 condos, a 617-space
parking garage and 41,000 square feet of retail space.

Read More

Loss of institute may polarize Statehouse debate: Board considers shuttering respected government research organization

If the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute remains shuttered due to a lack of funds, the public won’t notice immediately. After all, the Indianapolis-based organization focused on long-term analysis of complicated communal questions, such as how to equalize property taxes, diversify state pensions or finance public schools. But taxpayers eventually will feel the impact. For 20 years, the institute has played a key role in Statehouse debate, helping frame major issues with hard facts and figures that conservatives and liberals alike…

Read More

Thoughts on Ralston Square?

Here are two renderings of the proposed Ralston Square project. The $60 million South Street project, named in honor of the original planner for Indianapolis, would feature a 150-room hotel, 55 condos, a 617-space parking garage and 41,000 square feet…

Read More