Loading Glossary… Grayson Cates Dec 12 2025 at 11:12PM on page 176
Indiana
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The installed version of the browser you are using is outdated and no longer supported by Konveio. Please upgrade your browser to the latest release.Regional Center Design Guidelines
A modern vision for Indy's urban core.
The City of Indianapolis is modernizing its Regional Center Design Guidelines to better reflect today’s vision for a vibrant, walkable, and people-centered downtown. We invite feedback on these updates as we aim to strengthen development standards, streamline the review process, and provide area-specific guidance for our iconic downtown destinations.
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Eunice Trotter Dec 4 2025 at 11:04PM on page 43
We should strive to create spaces that reflect Black spatial imaginaries which, by nature, are more liberatory and inclusive. These spaces can serve both the need for African Americans to have a sense of belonging and safety in public spaces, as well as the need for these spaces to serve our diverse society at-large.
Eunice Trotter Dec 4 2025 at 10:31PM on page 43
Any new construction on Indiana Avenue must front face on Indiana Avenue. Side and rear facing design should not be permissible.
Eunice Trotter Dec 4 2025 at 10:29PM on page 43
New construction in the Indiana Avenue district should not obstruct the view to Downtown of existing structures.
Eunice Trotter Dec 4 2025 at 10:20PM on page 43
Suggestion
Special requirements should address use. Requirements should address the inclusion of a cultural site in any new development or reuse of an existing site. Cultural sites should be defined addressing the need for the reintroduction of Black culture to the Indiana Avenue District. An example of a cultural site is a heritage center, museum or venue space. There should also be consideration for the reintroduction of Black-owned retail businesses. There are fewer requirements for this district than any of the others. This should be addressed as a way to insure inclusivity and reparative justice.
in reply to NShellhamer's comment
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:12PM on page 134
Comment
BIG CONCUR. We need to leverage the private sector to expand the bike share network more quickly that Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. can on their own.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:11PM on page 132
Comment
Transit stops are already covered by IndyGo's design guidelines. Transit stops should be uniform in design so they are easily recognizable and aren't confused with other services. Local bus stops should not look like the BRT stops. Overall, this section seems somewhat redundant and could just cross-reference the existing Service Standards provided by IndyGo.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:08PM on page 107
Comment
Why is the lack of visibility from the public realm a guideline?
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:07PM on page 106
Comment
"Lobby or residential uses" shouldn't be included. Developers have increasingly included leasing offices as "active ground floor frontage" and it simply does not contribute to urban pedestrian activity.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:04PM on page 93
Comment
This would make many projects simply not pencil out. There is a lot in here that is idealism but not realism.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:03PM on page 92
Comment
30-feet is HUGE. When we are talking about small lots, this will make many projects simply infeasible. There's a lot in here that would prevent desired development in the Regional Center. This should be 5-feet, at most.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:02PM on page 92
Comment
This would effectively make every development in the Regional Center go through more intense rounds of review, increasing the costs and timeline of the Project. At a minimum, this needs to be 5 stories, but ideally 6.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:01PM on page 90
Comment
Highly arbitrary with no quantitative guidance. If it can't be quantified, it should be removed.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 1:00PM on page 90
Comment
This is highly arbitrary and gives a lot of power to NIMBYism. We need housing. Lots of it. Especially along the transit corridors. Development in cities has always been incrementally more dense and intense. Policy 4.1.1.1 goes against this general rule of urbanism and urban economics.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:55PM on page 86
Comment
It should be noted that new surface parking is strongly discouraged.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:53PM on page 76
Comment
Need a policy that strongly discourages surface parking lots and encourages development on existing surface parking lots (the latter of which I understand is probably a separate policy effort).
in reply to Saben N.'s comment
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:51PM on page 74
Comment
I concur. Too many developers place poorly designed bike racks in locations that are out of the way, inaccessible, and unsigned. There should be standardized signage in Downtown for wayfinding, transit access, and bike parking.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:50PM on page 74
Comment
Unsure what 3.3..5 means
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:48PM on page 62
Suggestion
There should be standard signage to be placed outside of buildings with access to the Skywalk network to indicate to pedestrians on the street where it can be accessed.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:46PM on page 61
Comment
70
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:45PM on page 54
Comment
"Limited" should be "prohibited" within 0-600 feet
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:43PM on page 48
Comment
Image is in direct conflict with many of the policies proposed.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:42PM on page 48
Comment
Or alleys. We need to get rid of the valet space in front of the Conrad.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:41PM on page 48
Comment
This further re-enforces the "no trees" policy, which is a bad one. Remove.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:41PM on page 48
Comment
Awnigs is an odd one. Given the lack of street trees, awnings are important coverage for pedestrians against the sun and rain. The prohibition of awnings is an anti-urban provision and should be removed. It also is a direct mismatch from the image provided below.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:32PM on page 46
Comment
It should be made clear that balconies facing the river and facing in other directions are not mutually exclusive.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:31PM on page 45
Comment
Portions of the Canal are also within the TOD Overlay. How will these two overlays interact? Are there conflicts between policies? How will that be addressed?
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:30PM on page 45
Comment
Needs to be a policy that forces developers to follow through or release their tax breaks. This parcel has been a hole in the ground for the better part of a decade.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:29PM on page 44
Comment
There needs to be a policy to encourage mixed-use development on the Canal. It's almost entirely residential and office with very little canal-level activity. San Antonio is a great model to follow.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:24PM on page 33
Comment
"Limited Emphasis" should be "De-Emphasized." Union Station, with the opportunity for improved intercity rail service, is smack in the middle of these entertainment districts. Are we not considering this a potential long-term asset to bring in more tourists and conventioneers?
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:19PM on page 32
Comment
Small-scale commercial, such as small-footprint corner stores, bodegas, coffee shops, and art galleries should be permitted within these areas.
agibb1991 Dec 4 2025 at 12:12PM on page 20
This is a ridiculously high threshold for major review on surface parking lots. We want as few as possible and this will not cut it.
mwolley Dec 4 2025 at 12:07PM on page 43
Comment
Given the legacy of Indiana Ave I think it important for their to be a mechanism for the community to have more input and even control over what happens in this corridor.
agibb1991 Dec 3 2025 at 9:45PM on page 17
Comment
Encourage small floor plates, minimize parking of all kinds
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 10:03PM on page 90
Suggestion
Include that building that match the context shall be allow even if not permitted by zoning. For example, the current zoning may not allow a 10-20 story building to be built on Meridian between Fall Creek and 40th, but it is definitely within the context and prohibiting it violates the context.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:34PM on page 161
Suggestion
Require paid parking to ensure highest value use and prevent long term car storage.
It is much easier and quicker to issue a parking violation than have the Health Department write a citation. I think the Health Department can't have a car removed unless it is visibly unusable, even if it hasn't moved in months.
It is much easier and quicker to issue a parking violation than have the Health Department write a citation. I think the Health Department can't have a car removed unless it is visibly unusable, even if it hasn't moved in months.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:31PM on page 158
Suggestion
Require paid parking to ensure highest value use and prevent long term car storage.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:30PM on page 155
Suggestion
Require paid parking to ensure highest value use and good turnover.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:30PM on page 151
Suggestion
Require paid parking to ensure highest value use and good turnover.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:29PM on page 147
Suggestion
Require paid parking to ensure highest value use and good turnover.
in reply to kevin.mcnally's comment
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 9:18PM on page 132
Comment
Absolutely!
in reply to Tborn's comment
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 6:04PM on page 93
Comment
Agreed. As an example CityCenterDC on Palmer Ave in Washington DC has a delightful space between buildings ~28 ft apart.
Especially as this would not be part of the directly public space, it should be up to the owner to decide.
Especially as this would not be part of the directly public space, it should be up to the owner to decide.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 5:59PM on page 92
Suggestion
Change to 6 stories to facilitate the common 5 over 1 building type.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 5:56PM on page 92
Suggestion
30 ft is large and could detrimentally affect the economic potential of a parcel. Consider allowing an agreement with the owner of the adjacent property to suffice for this requirement.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 5:51PM on page 87
Suggestion
Encourage the use of dynamic parking services such as Parkade or Park Mobile to fully utilize parking capacity.
nathanaelmartinnelson Dec 2 2025 at 5:49PM on page 86
Suggestion
Eliminate parking minimums for all uses in the Regional Center. Owners and builders are or should be best positioned to know what their parking needs are. Having the city dictate an essentially economic decision is inefficient. Additionally, the results of parking mandates (priority for vehicles) conflicts with the values this Regional Center plan seeks to uphold.
sydneygranlund Dec 1 2025 at 2:27PM on page 137
Suggestion
Shift to minimum standards. Promoting active transportation and making it an easier choice for residents can improve health outcomes.
sydneygranlund Dec 1 2025 at 2:21PM on page 124
Suggestion
Shift to minimum standards to promote public health. Removing barriers to active transportation and physical activity can lead to improved health outcomes for all populations in Marion County.
sydneygranlund Dec 1 2025 at 2:16PM on page 107
Suggestion
Shift to minimum guidelines to promote public health. Extreme heat is one of Indy's biggest threats from climate change in the coming years, and heat deaths and illnesses are preventable.
sydneygranlund Dec 1 2025 at 2:12PM on page 87
Suggestion
Shift to minimum guidelines to promote public health. Extreme heat is one of Indy's biggest threats from climate change in the coming years, and heat deaths and illnesses are preventable.
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