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41-536: Indiana Avenue is a historic area in downtown and is one of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana . Indiana Avenue was, during its glory days, an African American cultural center of the area. The Indiana Avenue Historic District within the area was designated a United States national historic district in 1987. In 1870, 974 African Americans (one third of the city's African American population) called Indiana Avenue home. This represented

82-519: A commercial artery that mainly served the surrounding residential area. Mass Ave gained popularity as service-oriented businesses sprung up with the development of streetcar lines, with continued growth between 1870 and 1930. Bernard Vonnegut, grandfather of author Kurt Vonnegut , and Arthur Bohn designed Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus) in 1893 as a home for German societies in Indianapolis to gather. Both were American-born sons of German immigrants,

123-436: A concentration of mutual interests. There may also be some artists' studios located in nearby back-streets. But, as Richard Florida has found from his research, cultural production facilities are often better sited some miles away from cultural consumption facilities - except in some very tolerant cities and in countries where a boisterous alcohol-based nightlife scene does not lead to aggressive and anti-social behaviour. In

164-415: A cultural district has emerged 'naturally,' then it grows from, builds on and validates existing community assets rather than importing assets from outside a community." Indeed, different conceptions of cultural districts include self-organization and emergence in different degrees (e.g. Lazzeretti, 2003; Le Blanc, 2010; Sacco et al., 2013; Stern & Seifert, 2007). Many authors argue that districtualization

205-552: A culture that had a strong influence in the area around this time. Following these many years of good fortune and commercial growth, this area and all of Downtown fell into economic decline following World War II once Indianapolis lost its importance as a railroad hub. Gentrification in the 1990s propelled the area from squalor to one of the city's more fashionable addresses. Currently, redevelopment of Mass Ave focuses on fostering locally owned shops, theaters, and restaurants. The once destined-for-demolition Athenaeum building now houses

246-433: A greater multitude of actors. A useful approach towards a deeper understanding can be to conceive cultural districts as complex adaptive systems . Indeed, complexity is definitely not a management fad and fashion, a mere metaphor or methodology, but a deeper perception of reality. Organizations are classically seen as purpose-driven entities with a structural form, exhibiting a certain degree of order and determinism. Such

287-544: A linear top-down approach to analysis and design, however, exhibits many limitations when used for organizational settings characterized by a complex web of interdependencies. The view of a cultural district as a complex adaptive system suggests new ideas and approaches for policy-makers, designers and managers. It also opens up debate on issues of organizational design and change. All cultural districts are unique, reflecting their cities’ unique environment, including history of land use, urban growth and cultural development. There

328-515: A pedestrian crossing that links park attractions. Points of interest in the district include: In 1870, more African Americans were calling Indiana Avenue home as the original Irish and German populations began to move outward. The population had risen to 974 residents, more than one-third of the city's total African American population. The first African American businesses appeared on the 500 block of Indiana Avenue as early as 1865: Samuel G. Smother's grocery store; William Franklin's peddler shop; and

369-678: A perceived low quality of housing or location. A classic example of this is the famous Kreuzberg area in Berlin which from the 1960s became home to artists and squatters and people seeking an alternative lifestyle. Another example is the Shoreditch area in London, which had a large number of old commercial spaces which artists could use. Rather than town planners deciding that a particular area should have theatres and galleries, these spontaneous artists centres are driven by affordability of space and

410-514: A shift in racial demographics away from the mostly working class poor population of Irish and German immigrants that lived around Indiana Avenue during the early years of Indianapolis. As the African American population increased, black entrepreneurs opened businesses on practically every corner. Bethel A.M.E. Church , the oldest African American congregation in Indianapolis, was organized in 1836. African American owned businesses opened on

451-475: A way to revitalize the “brownfields” of the urban core: areas of abandoned buildings that encourage businesses and residents to leave the cities . The developing theory of cultural districts increasingly conceives them as development models for local systems, where the term ‘district’ refers to supra-urban area. At supra-urban or regional level the complexity of a cultural district is even more marked than at urban level, due to potential interdependencies among

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492-607: Is bounded by Delaware Street on the west, New York Street on the north, East Street on the east, and the Indianapolis Union Railway on the south. Points of interest in the district include: Cultural district An arts district or cultural district is a demarcated urban area, usually on the periphery of a city centre , intended to create a 'critical mass' of places of cultural consumption - such as art galleries , theatres , art cinemas , music venues, and public squares for performances. Such an area

533-417: Is essentially spontaneous and that the conditions for formation can be recognized and sustained, not created from the top. If the conception of a cultural district as a complex adaptive system were accepted, the design process would be conceived as something more flexible, dynamic and in evolution. Complexity theory and complex adaptive systems should move understanding of supra-urban cultural districts towards

574-399: Is no standard model. Most cultural districts are built to take advantage of other city attractions such as historic features, convention spaces and parks and other natural amenities . Structural considerations within or near the district, community leadership and social forces all influence the development of a cultural district and the type of district that results. Factors influencing

615-407: Is undergoing a period of rebirth and restoration, and is an emerging arts center for Indianapolis. In the nineteenth century, the area was a huge working apple orchard. As the city population swelled, the apple trees were cut down and houses were built. The neighborhood was economically strong for many decades, but had suffered from a high unemployment rate and increasing crime and drug problems. In

656-482: Is usually encouraged by public policy-making and planning, but sometimes occurs spontaneously. It is associated with allied service-industry jobs like cafes, printers, fashion outlets, restaurants, and a variety of 'discreet services' (see the back-page small-ads of almost any cultural events-listings magazine). Such artistic districts can sometimes spontaneously occur in deprived areas where housing and artistic spaces are at enhanced economic level of affordability, due to

697-545: The Chitlin' Circuit because of the large concentration of black-oriented clubs, businesses and entertainment venues. Many prominent historical figures have their roots on Indiana Avenue: Madam C.J. Walker , jazz greats including Freddie Hubbard , Jimmy Coe , Noble Sissle , Erroll "Groundhog" Grandy and Wes Montgomery . Mary Ellen Cable was one of the most important African American educators in Indianapolis. Coupled with her work as an educator, she organized and served as

738-552: The Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. Today, while no longer a blighted area, Indiana Avenue's legacy consists of few historic buildings and a plaque. Points of interest in the district include: Market East is the most-recently designated cultural district in Indianapolis, having received that designation in April 2014. The district is on the east side of downtown and

779-515: The Monon Trail , Broad Ripple is also popular with recreational trail users, including bicyclists and runners. Points of interest in the district include: Massachusetts Avenue, or more commonly referred to as Mass Ave, offers some of the city's most visible theaters and art galleries. Located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle , Massachusetts Avenue was designed in 1821 as one of Downtown's four original diagonal streets and began as

820-568: The UK the term sometimes used is "Cultural quarter" or "Arts quarter". Americans for the Arts defines the following types of cultural districts: Steiner and Butler outline five types of arts districts commonly found in the United States. The creation of a cultural district implies collaboration between the arts and the local community. Cultural districts may be seen by local authorities as

861-469: The 1970s, Interstate 65 was constructed through Indianapolis, severing Fountain Square from Downtown's neighborhoods, resulting in a period of decline. Currently, there are a number of neighborhood development corporations and community groups working to revitalize the area with increasing success. Points of interest in the district include: Around the turn of the century Downtown Indianapolis had one of

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902-492: The American Cabaret Theatre, Rathskeller Restaurant and downtown YMCA location. Points of interest in the district include: Fountain Square is a neighborhood located approximately 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) southeast of Downtown Indianapolis , centered at the intersection of Virginia Avenue, Prospect, and Shelby streets. A center of commerce for more than 100 years, the historic community

943-489: The Avenue by at least by 1865, including a grocery store owned by Samuel G. Smothers and a "peddler shop" owned by William Franklin. The Indianapolis Leader , the first black owned newspaper in Indianapolis, catered to the interests of the growing African American population and featured advertisements for Indiana Avenue businesses. The Leader began publishing in the 1870s. The avenue continued to culturally develop, in much

984-754: The Canal is now home to a burgeoning life science campus connected with the Indiana University School of Medicine . An extension of the Canal into the heart of the White River State Park was completed in 1996. The extension was part of a $ 20 million infrastructure improvement project that included renovation of the Old Washington Street Bridge, built in 1916 as part of the National Road , into

1025-504: The Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission, formed by Mayor Bart Peterson in 2002, community stakeholders are planning the regeneration of the area. On March 28, 2007, the name of Indiana Avenue north of 10th Street and south of 16th Street was restored, after having been called Stadium Drive since 1932. Indianapolis Cultural Districts Indianapolis's cultural district program

1066-477: The area and few businesses remained. Points of interest in the district include: The long defunct Indiana Central Canal in Downtown Indianapolis was refurbished and reopened as a city recreational area in the early 1990s. This new incarnation was inspired by Venetian canals. Cultural attractions, residential, and commercial developments were built along both sides of the Canal. The north end of

1107-413: The area, containing eleven historic buildings, was declared a United States national historic district . The district was developed between about 1869 and 1935, and includes representative examples of Italianate style architecture. The Madam Walker Building, one of the historic buildings, was restored and reopened to the public in 1988 with a focus on the performing arts. Through the financial support of

1148-416: The arts community, providing marketing /promotion, box office services and property management; the other targets the district's business and property owners, offering urban design and development services or administrative support. The excitement and attraction of a cultural district is a high mixture of interesting things to do, places to see, and places to visit (both cultural and noncultural), across

1189-564: The city's first African American-owned newspaper, the Indianapolis Leader in 1879. The Great Migration resulted in the settlement of a sizable African American community along the Avenue. In 1927, the Madam C. J. Walker Building opened. The building and the theater within is named for Madam C. J. Walker , an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist who began her beauty empire in Indianapolis. Indiana Avenue

1230-425: The day and evening. Some artist-activists are promoting the concept of a "Naturally Occurring Cultural District," or NOCD, patterned after the demographic concept of a naturally occurring retirement community . A NOCD "supports existing neighborhood cultural assets rather than imposing arts institutions somewhere new," according to Tamara Greenfield, co-director of NOCD-New York. Co-director Caron Atlas explained: "If

1271-481: The direction of the cultural district varies according to its size, budget, mandated functions and degree of authority, resulting in widespread variation in the coordinated cultural programming and administration services offered by cultural districts. The coordinated agency appointed for the district must work carefully to ensure inclusiveness of concerns and to balance potentially conflicting interests. Cultural districts offer two major types of services : one targets

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1312-596: The first president of Indiana's NAACP chapter. Madam Walker's daughter helped build the Madam Walker Theatre, which opened on the Avenue in 1927 and quickly became known as the "Crown Jewel of the Avenue". As segregation laws began to change in the late 1950s, the African American middle class began leaving the once-bustling Indiana Avenue corridor for greater opportunities in northwestern Marion County , settling in Pike and Washington Townships. By 1965,

1353-461: The goods for a commission fee. The Wholesale District was of primary importance in the transformation of Indianapolis from small town to big city. No longer did shoppers have to rely on retailers who sold finished goods shipped from Louisville or Cincinnati. They could now go to a central location and buy the same items at wholesale prices. With Union Station nearby, wholesalers could ship goods more cheaply and more easily. The Great Depression devastated

1394-632: The largest networks of railroads in the nation and hundreds of trains passed through Union Station daily. Streets adjacent to the station were lined with businesses, hotels, warehouses, retail shops and more. Wholesale grocers sold fresh goods daily before the advent of the modern grocery store. The district had many such grocers, but also wholesalers who sold dry and finished goods. The House of Crane, whose facade remains part of Circle Centre, sold cigars; Hanson, VanCamp & Co. sold hardware. In addition, South Delaware Street became known as Commission Row, where farmers brought their produce to merchants who sold

1435-545: The late-1950s, the African-American middle class had begun to leave Indiana Avenue. The Walker Manufacturing Company remained in operation in the Walker Building in 1965, but the majority of the building was shut down, removing a vital economic anchor for the area. By the early-1970s, Indiana Avenue was suffering from severe urban blight , with much of the area's building stock cleared for the development of

1476-519: The plight of the community left the Madam Walker Building closed to abandonment, removing a vital economic anchor for the area. The Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company remained in the ailing building. By the early 1970s, Indiana Avenue was suffering from severe urban blight . By the 1980s, instead of the city attempting renewal or regeneration, much of the area was demolished and replaced by office buildings or townhouses. In 1987,

1517-589: The same way as the Harlem Renaissance . Due to the nature of segregation and Jim Crow laws , several streets developed similarly in other cities, including Beale Street in Memphis and 12th and Vine in Kansas City according to the book, Indiana Avenue: Black Entertainment Boulevard by C. Nickerson Bolden. Like Indiana Avenue, these streets were called Black Entertainment Boulevards, or stops along

1558-430: The siting of cultural districts include: perceived need for urban revitalization, existing investment, property value and preexisting cultural facilities. Unlike a cultural center or a shopping mall , a cultural district comprises a large number of property owners, both public and private, who control the various properties involved, hence a structural complexity . The effectiveness of the coordinating agency in guiding

1599-478: Was annexed by the City of Indianapolis in 1922. Present-day Broad Ripple retains much of its pre-annexation character. It currently hosts an active social scene, fueled by the student population of nearby Butler University . A large number of private art galleries, bars, and independently owned restaurants line the district's streets. There are various venues for eating, drinking, entertainment, and shopping. Located on

1640-529: Was established as an economic development initiative of the Bart Peterson administration to promote public art and market the city as a cultural destination. Peterson formed the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission whose steering committee selected the initial five cultural districts in 2003. Originally established as independent municipality on a meander of the White River , Broad Ripple

1681-470: Was home to a notable jazz scene from the 1920s through the 1960s, producing greats such as David Baker , Slide Hampton , Freddie Hubbard , J. J. Johnson , James Spaulding , and the Montgomery Brothers ( Buddy , Monk , and Wes ). Wes Montgomery is considered one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all time, and is credited with popularizing the "Naptown Sound." However, by

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