Second Phase of Circa Begins Construction

Bulldozers and dump trucks are hard at work preparing the site of the second and final phase of Circa, located just south of Massachusetts Ave. at the corner of College and Walnut, on the site of the former Mitchel and Scott Machine Company. Milhaus began construction this week on the second phase of this $31 million mixed-use project on the remaining 0.5-acre parcel to the north.

While still part of the larger development that began construction last summer, this final building was designed to be slightly different than the first four. Jake Dietrich, Director of Development at Milhaus, explains, “Between Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Circa, a large lot serves as overflow parking for the residents of the Mill #9 Condominiums across the street. The bifurcated nature of the property forced us to come up with a design that allowed it to stand on its own, apart from Phase 1.”

While maintaining similar scale and proportion to Phase 1, Phase 2 features a brick and metal facade that blends in with its historical context. The Chatham Arch/Mass Ave neighborhood highly supported the historically contexutal design. In fact, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC) approved the design the first time it was presented – a rarity for large projects like this. “We are really proud to have delivered a design that the neighborhood and IHPC is excited about,” says Scott Perkins, Principal of Blackline Studio for Architecture. “It will be a great addition to the neighborhood.”

The four-story building will feature 29 apartments and 1,000 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial space. A majority of the units will have two or three bedrooms responding to an increased demand for multi-bedroom units in downtown Indianapolis. “Across the board, we are seeing a lot of velocity with our larger floor plans,” says Kimberly Hurd, Senior Director of Residential Services for Milhaus. “The downtown supply of two- and three-bedrooms units is struggling to keep up with the tremendous demand from families looking to move into the city, or roommates looking to share the costs of urban living. With Circa, Phase 2, we will be able to meet some of that demand.”

Construction is expected to be complete early summer of 2015. Milhaus Construction, LLC is the general contractor. Milhaus Management, LLC will be the property manager.