Let’s Share!

Although efforts have been made toward improvement, it’s no secret Indianapolis’ public transit report card has never been stellar. In fact, the city’s lack of rail system and a failing bus system have received staunch criticism from many residents. Well, the city is about to be schooled in the European way of getting around.

The Bollore Group, innovator of Paris’ all-electric car-sharing service, turns its focus on Indianapolis to create the largest car-share program in the United States and downtown developers are cheering. David Leazenby, vice-president at Milhaus, says, “Having electric cars accessible to our residents adds to our long-term commitment to reduce the number of automobiles needed downtown.” In previous decades, developers here believed Hoosier residents needed plenty of parking, but Milhaus has learned that only about 70% of spaces are used in a typical project, leaving a 30% excess. Leazenby explains, “We’ve done our homework when it comes to parking and have found that people are choosing to live downtown without a car. So, for quite some time, we have been designing our projects with car sharing in mind and we couldn’t be more pleased that Bollore picked Indianapolis for their car-share program.” By 2015, Milhaus will have over 1000 units located downtown with approximately one parking space per unit.

David Rosenberg, director of enterprise development for the city of Indianapolis, claims, “The ever-increasing number of residents moving into the downtown sector was an important incentive for partnering with Bollore to find a solution to Indy’s transportation needs. The city wants to attract progressive young talented residents and they require a specific quality of life with ample amenities. This system can really provide that.”

Milhaus believes the program will drive even more interest in urban living. Leazenby points out, “when we overlay a car-share program on top of the reduction in parking spaces, the result is a huge boost to the city’s economy. With fewer parking spaces needed, we can build more living spaces; and let’s face it—parking spaces and the cars they hold don’t create value.” More units = more residents = more money flowing into the downtown economy. A car-share program reduces the investment in automobiles and allows residents more freedom and the ability to spend more on eating out and shopping local stores—a win-win situation worthy of high marks.