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Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v04n03)
Shooting for the Green way - Local residents hope that new building will set example for future village development
posted: Feb. 09, 2007

By Ashley Plummer
When most people retire, they decide to head south-somewhere warm and sunny, where they will live in a home that was laid out in similar fashion to every other home within a block's distance.
Van Kirby and Dan J. Detrick, on the other hand, decided they wanted to return to their Broad Ripple roots when they retired, and they did not wish to do so in common fashion.
"I feel we have a special connection to Broad Ripple," Kirby said. "I grew up over on Broadway, and we both hope that our residential development idea will be an example to what the area really could be."
What Broad Ripple really could be, according to Kirby, Detrick and Conrad Cortellini (their head architect) is an area that expands beyond the current "strip" and flows down College Avenue, right up to 63rd Street, where the group is currently making plans to construct one of the first "Green" buildings in the area-a residential building that will be unlike almost any others in the village.
Present designs display a four-story building containing five separate condominiums at 6310 College Avenue. Although Kirby said that numbers are subject to change as development continues, each condo will be around 2,100 square feet and cost anywhere between $400,000-$500,000. The "Green" idea comes into play as a result of the requirements that will be placed both upon the builders and the soon-to-be residents of the complex-they must recycle, and Kirby and Detrick plan to persuade the owners not to drive.
"The location is prime, and residents will have everything at their fingertips," Kirby said. He added that there will be places for bicycle storage, and possibly a hybrid rental car that residents can use when they need to make long trips.

South-East View: Kirby and Detrick hope the new building will set a size precedent for the village.
South-East View: Kirby and Detrick hope the new building will set a size precedent for the village.
image courtesy of Conrad Cortellini


Both Kirby and Detrick noted that while they may be pricing the condos out of the neighborhood, they are building in an area that they hope will become a development hub not only for Broad Ripple, but for the city of Indianapolis as a whole.
"We realize that it is going to big-especially for the area," Kirby said. "But we feel that Broad Ripple needs this sort of infrastructure, and there is a lot of space for it, most notably on College Avenue."
While Kirby and Detrick's dreams of building a neighborhood on College may be well-intended for the area as a whole, many residents are up in arms about the size, location and possible utility problems that will result from its construction.
Residents of Broad Ripple and the Warfleigh Neighborhood Association voiced their concerns at an informal meeting Jan. 14 at the Broad Ripple Brew Pub. While the main opposition seemed to be the size, many residents were also concerned about the construction procedures that would take place during the building process.
Neighborhood Association Member Deb Toplis moderated the meeting by addressing Kirby, Detrick and Cortellini with these concerns.
Kirby continued to bring forward the idea that many of the residents were looking at the building plans as if they were building a skyscraper in the middle of the Village, and that they were missing the main point of the building.
"You should all really seriously think about what this could mean for Broad Ripple," he said. "We are following all the needed guidelines for building-including making the first floor unlivable due to flood plane restrictions."
Most of the neighbors agreed that they thought it was an incredibly great concept, but not all concerns were compromised. However, Kirby did reach out to neighbors for their backing in the project.
"Seeing that we will all be neighbors, we really wish for your support in this building," he said. "The main reason we continue postponing the construction process is because this is something we want to do together as good neighbors."
In the next month, Kirby, Detrick and Cortellini will head to the city for final zoning plans and procedures.
"We really hope that we can bring something to the area that will last for years, a building that will stand for 100 years rather than 50 years," Detrick said.
Kirby added that beyond their current development plans, they hope that eventually they can give direction to people who come to Broad Ripple by forming a development committee that can bring people back to the village rather than heading north to Fishers and Carmel.
"I think that people sometimes come to Broad Ripple without a sense of direction," he said. "We need to work together as a community to give this area direction."
"I have always been an advocate of knowing your neighbors, and I think it's time that we stepped up and challenged this community by doing something different."

South View: Inside
South View: Inside
image courtesy of Conrad Cortellini


South View: Outside
South View: Outside
image courtesy of Conrad Cortellini


East View: The first floor will be for office and parking uses only, due to flood regulations.
East View: The first floor will be for office and parking uses only, due to flood regulations.
image courtesy of Conrad Cortellini




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