Market East is the newest of seven designated cultural districts in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. The district is on the east side of downtown (in the area where

Market Square Arena Market Square Arena was an indoor arena in Indianapolis. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530 for basketball and 15,993 for ice hockey. Seating capacity for concerts and other events was adjusted by the use of large cu ...

once stood) and is bounded to the north by New York Street, to the south by the railroad tracks, to the west by Delaware Street and to the east by East Street.

History

Indianapolis City Market The Indianapolis City Market is a historic Market (place), public market located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was founded in 1821 and officially opened in its current facility in 1886. The market building is a one-story, rectangular brick buildin ...

has been serving local residents and businesses since 1886 and was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1974. From 1886 to 1958 the area was also home to

Tomlinson Hall Tomlinson Hall was a public meeting hall in Indianapolis, Indiana, on the northeast corner of Market and Delaware streets adjacent to the Indianapolis City Market. It hosted a variety of public events from 1886 until January 30, 1958, when it ...

, a civic center which was located at the northeast corner Delaware and Market streets. After a devastating fire all that remains are the so called ‘

Catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...

’, the subterranean foundation of the hall. The

old Indianapolis City Hall Old Indianapolis City Hall, formerly known as the Indiana State Museum, is a historic city hall located at Indianapolis, Indiana. It was built in 1909–1910, and is a four-story, Classical Revival style brick building sheathed in Indiana limes ...

sits at the south corner of Alabama and Ohio. Built in 1910, it served as city hall until 1962 when the new City-County Building was erected near by. From 1962 to 2002 the building housed the

Indiana State Museum The Indiana State Museum is a museum located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum houses exhibits on the science, art, culture, and history of Indiana from prehistoric times to the present day. History The original collec ...

and then served as the city's main library during construction on an addition to the Indianapolis Central Library. The building has been vacant since 2008. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. From 1974 through 2001, Market Square Arena occupied a one-block area spanning Market Street. It was demolished to make way for new development that is now

Cummins Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...

Distribution Headquarters and the 360 Market Square apartments.

Today

The Indianapolis City Market and

Indianapolis Cultural Trail The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, officially the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick, is an urban shared-use path and linear park located in the vicinity of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The trail is often compared to ...

are located in the area. Since its designation in 2014, the area has added several new high-profile government, residential, and commercial entities including: *

Julia M. Carson Transit Center The Julia M. Carson Transit Center is the hub for public transit in Indianapolis, Indiana. Opened in 2016, it is sited in downtown Indianapolis at 201 East Washington Street and is near the Cultural Trail and YMCA Bike Hub. The center received ...

(2016) *

Distribution Headquarters and greenspace (2017) *St. Vincent Center (2017) * 360 Market Square (2018) *Richard G. Lugar Plaza at the City-County Building (2018)

Future

With a new criminal justice center being built on the southeast side of town, by 2021 the current jail, courts, and sheriff's office will move from their current locations in the Indianapolis City-County Building to their new home. Mayor

Joe Hogsett Joseph Hadden Hogsett (born November 2, 1956) is an American attorney, prosecutor, and politician who is the 49th mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to being elected, Hogsett served as the Secretary of State of Indiana from 1989 to 1994 and as ...

’s Indy 3.0 plan is to reevaluate where and how government offices operate. Ideas include selling public buildings such as the City-County Building and moving the government seat back to the old City Hall at 202 N. Alabama Street.

References

{{IndyCulturalTrail Neighborhoods in Indianapolis Culture of Indianapolis