The Downtown is the central business district for Indianapolis, Indiana, there are many amenities, dining, and shopping opportunities readily available, making the city an ideal home for business professionals and young families alike. The original downtown area was called the Mile Square, which is bordered by North, South, East, and West Streets and is still often thought of as the Downtown area today, though the modern boundaries have been extended to include White River State Park and Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

Over the past several decades, Downtown Indianapolis has undergone a transformation that was driven by a period of construction beginning in the 1980s. High-rise towers and modern skyscrapers were built, including the Chase Tower near Monument Circle, which was completed in 1990 and is the tallest tower in Indianapolis today. With the mixture of historic and modern structures that make up the residential and commercial architecture in Downtown Indianapolis, there is no shortage of pleasant aesthetics in the central core of the city.

Downtown Indianapolis Homes

Around areas like historic Lockerbie Square, brick condo buildings with options for those looking to purchase a condo are available. Many of the individual condominiums in Downtown Indianapolis have been modernized with new renovations, while some offer unique characteristics like exposed brick. There are also many new and recent condo buildings in the downtown area that offer modern city living at its finest.

With a total of 36 apartment buildings in the Downtown area of Indianapolis listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there is certainly no shortage of historic and character homes for residents to acquire in Downtown Indianapolis.

There are other single-family dwellings available in and around Downtown Indianapolis, as well. Some of these homes have been restored from their late 1800s original build, but many of these Victorian-style homes have held onto their historic details like antique hardwood flooring. It is also possible to acquire real estate with a front porch and land, like a front or back yard, so that downtown living can be made more accessible to families.

Shopping and Dining

Circle Centre Mall is arguably one of the most desirable shopping centers in all of Indianapolis, drawing in faraway tourists, residents from all over the city, and guests from nearby Indiana towns. Offering over a hundred stores and restaurants across its four indoor levels, the mall also includes an arcade, nightclubs, and a movie theater.

For the more culturally and historically inclined, the Massachusetts Avenue Cultural District offers an array of local shops and specialty boutiques for a different approach to shopping. Often shortened to “Mass Ave,” this was one of the original streets in the 1821 plan of Downtown Indianapolis; the cultural district offers many art galleries and restaurants and is just steps from Monument Circle.

The dining opportunities in Downtown Indianapolis are virtually endless, encompassing all levels of the spectrum from fast food restaurants, to diners and eateries, fine dining establishments, to bars, pubs, and nightclubs. Plenty of these restaurants are considered not merely local favorites but national favorites. Downtown Indianapolis is an area sure to cater to everyone. There are also many options for the sweet-tooth in the family, such as award-winning bakeries and ice cream shops.

Culture and Entertainment

With tourism at the forefront of the economy of Downtown Indianapolis, there is certainly no shortage in activities and entertainment. Some of the highlights of the downtown core for entertainment include Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts), and Bankers Life Fieldhouse (home of the Indiana Pacers), which host many sporting and musical events.

Historic Monuments are also very attractive among visitors and residents alike; the most popular of these landmarks include the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza.

The most sought-after destination near Downtown Indianapolis is likely White River State Park, which covers 250 acres of designated historic land and is connected to varying parts of downtown by the Central Canal. The park includes the Indiana State Museum and IMAX Theatre as well as the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. With other exciting attractions like the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indianapolis Zoo, and White River Gardens situated here, there is certainly no shortage of fun at White River State Park.

Careers and Industry

With tourism acting as a frontrunner of the industries in Downtown Indianapolis, careers within the tourism industry are naturally some of the most widely available and sought-after. Other jobs in the customer service and sales industries benefit from the relatively high number of tourists visiting the city year-round.

Attracting graduates from the surrounding, sought-after colleges, Downtown Indianapolis is home to some of Indiana’s finest talent in the job and employment sectors. Advancing fields in Downtown Indianapolis include life sciences, engineering, and education, which make up a prominent piece of the city’s industries. The sports industry is another thriving field in the downtown core which also stands for one of the largest investment sectors in Downtown Indianapolis. Jobs in management, health care, skilled labor, transportation, and information technology are typically available.

Schools

Indianapolis Public School District, with four high schools and five community and magnet schools, is the largest in both the city of Indianapolis and in the state of Indiana. Though most of the schools are located outside of the Downtown Indianapolis borders, there are still plenty of schools that are located very nearby.

Crispus Attucks High School (a medical magnet school) is situated just outside of the downtown border to the northwest, while Herron High School lies just north of the downtown area. There are several elementary, middle, and high schools located in the near-downtown areas within a five-minute drive of Downtown Indianapolis.

Also situated within the downtown core are Harrison College, Western Governor’s University, and Brown Mackie College. Ivy Tech Community College is located just north of the downtown area, and Herron School of Art and Design is located at the northern portion of White River State Park, which extends west towards the campus of the sought-after Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

For more information regarding Downtown Indianapolis, please visit http://visitindy.com/indianapolis-downtown-indianapolis