Published by The Indianapolis Star
April 2, 2006
By: Ryan Werbeck

For some Indianapolis residents, the morning commute is about to get a whole lot shorter.  Building on the success of near-Downtown neighborhood Fall Creek Place, a partnership of Indianapolis developers is taking the next step by merging the workplace with home.

Already more than 300 people have moved into Fall Creek Place, which was revitalized through home rehabilitation and new construction.  Retail stores, restaurants, and offices have sprung up around the new community.  Sales on an additional section, scheduled to begin this spring, will bring an additional 52 new single family homes and 24 townhouses to Fall Creek Place.

Merging living and work spaces

Live/work housing is new to the Indianapolis area, but not the country.  On the East Coast, developments melding work and home have been around since the 1990s, and many other cities are looking for these innovative residences to being economic development to urban areas. 

A live/work development is just what it sounds like.  The ground level of a building is earmarked for commercial uses, such as office space for an attorney or artist, while the residence is above.

Chris Palladino, director of neighborhood development and finance with Mansur Real Estate Services, said the condominiums are designed for young entrepreneurs, especially those looking for a greater street presence or more than just a home-based office.

Downtown renaissance

Douglass Pointe Lofts, a nine-unit live/work project at Delaware Street and East 25^th Street, should be ready for tenants this Fall.  "We thought it fit into the master plan of Fall Creek Place," Palladino said.  "It's a case of deciding what complements the neighborhood.  We're seeing a lot of people move downtown who have their own business."

Existing zoning regulations didnt fit this new development, so Mansur Real Estate Services worked with the city of Indianapolis to clear these hurdles.

Each condominium is priced between $260,000 and $360,000, according to Sherry Minkis, president of Minkis Homes.  Construction began in February, and already two units have been sold with discussions under way with other parties, she said.

Floor plans vary, with square footage ranging from 1,900 to 3,000 square feet.  Units are three or four stories, and each has a street-level storefront, two-car garage and unfinished basement.  The site plan for Douglass Pointe Lofts includes street parking for the businesses along with landscaping.

"It's exciting to be a part of something like this," Minkis said.  "Urban renewal is on the rise.  People are moving from the suburbs to the urban areas, and they want all the creature comforts."

For more information about Douglass Pointe Lofts, contact Sherry Minkis at (317) 926-1223 or go on-line to www.minkisbuilders.com