Get the Grand Tour: An insider’s view of living large downtown

Indy’s identifiable downtown neighborhoods are one of this city’s greatest assets. Indy is blessed to have districts with both new and old housing options and cultural opportunities for families, young professionals and empty nesters alike. These are places where Indiana residents can rent or own a home, eat a fancy dinner or at a food truck, send their kids to world-class schools, and walk or bike to work. Unfortunately, many of those that live around this city don’t take the opportunity to experience these neighborhoods - not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t have the opportunity to or are intimidated to. They may go to a Pacer’s game or walk around Monument Circle, but that’s about it. They don’t really experience the neighborhoods outside of the central business district.

With a core mission of building up neighborhoods, Milhaus is doing what it can to improve awareness of urban living opportunities. One way is by teaming up with local organizations to help people see what it is like to live in some of the most awesome nooks and crannies of our city. More than a year ago, Jake Dietrich, Director of Development for Milhaus met with organizations to pitch the idea of a series of downtown neighborhood tours for young professionals to promote the vitality of housing options in some of the city’s lesser known neighborhoods. “Not for personal or Milhaus gain,” says Dietrich, “but for the benefit of the core of our city.”

With the help of two prominent downtown organizations, IndyHub, which connects our city’s young emerging professionals with each other, as well as with events and organizations to get involved with; and the Urban Land Institute, which has a core mission of positive land use and helping cities be successful, that vision became a reality.

On July 30th, young professionals from all over Indianapolis descended upon the Fletcher Place and Fountain Square neighborhoods for an evening of history and cultural immersion. The ULI's Young Leader’s Group and IndyHub teamed up to host the first event in their collaborative neighborhood series focused on immersing Indy’s young professionals into downtown neighborhoods. Dietrich says, “The first event, “Off Virginia,” offered attendees information on how the neighborhoods along the Avenue were formed, what factors changed them over time and what makes them so great today. With informational talks from Virginia Avenue champions, Bill Taft, Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and Linton Calvert, Owner of the Fountain Square Theatre Building, and took tours of recent developments, the Hinge and Mozzo, young professionals experienced the neighborhood in a way that they never would have been able to.”

“Interest in the event and positive feedback solidified the intent of this initiative. Dietrich explains, “We had 60 people who signed up in less than 60 minutes of opening registration. A few hours later, almost 100 had joined a wait list. Beyond that, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback after the event. People said they saw things they never would have even known were there. Others had never been to Virginia Avenue. There is no doubt that people love this city, and want to find ways to learn more about it and how to experience it. The neighborhood tour gave them that chance, and Milhaus is pretty proud to have had a hand in that.”