The Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) Division of Planning held a D-P* meeting to discuss the proposed rezoning of the property bounded by Kessler Boulevard on the south, 61st Street on the north, the Monon Trail on the west and Carvel Avenue on the east. This includes the McNamara building on 61st Street and the Monon Place apartments on Kessler.

The proposal is to replace the current McNamara building with a smaller, more efficient retail structure and add several apartment buildings to the existing Monon Place apartments.

In addition to DMD planner David Hittle and the zoning petition presenters representing Buckingham Companies, Andre Denman represented Indy Parks, Sharon Butsch Freeland and Elaine Zuckerman represented the Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) and David Dessauer represented the Greater Broad Ripple Community Coalition (GBRCC). David Leazenby presented for Buckingham Companies.

Monon Place apartments currently have 136 units and the McNamara building has 18,000 square feet of retail space. The rezoning would allow up to 150 additional apartment units and would reduce the retail space to 12,450 square feet.

Leazenby explained that the new proposal was carefully planned to address the main concerns with the 2002 proposal for this property that was denied due to resident remonstrations. The 2002 plan was to increase the retail space from 18,000 to 36,000 square feet with enough space for a music venue/bar. Neighbors fought that plan. The new plan reduces the retail portion from 18,000 to 12,450 square feet. This leaves approximately 1,500 to 2,000 square feet of available retail space after the four current McNamara building tenants move in. That available space would be suitable for a small café or shop that Buckingham believes would be welcomed by the neighborhood.

Another concern of residents about the 2002 plan was that the private middle drive in the development (corresponds to Carvel Avenue) would become a heavily traveled shortcut. Leazenby explained that the new design for Carvel within the site has been designed "with multiple traffic calming features so that it operates at a very slow and pedestrian friendly speed, but also offers full connectivity for emergency services."

Leazenby showed the artist rendering of the design of the new buildings. The heights of the buildings are staggered from 61st Street back to the existing apartment buildings to create a transition between the new and the old.

The leasing office/club house is planned to be moved from the southwest section of the property to the center of the complex. A new apartment building would be built on the site of the existing club house. Leazenby said that the new club house and new landscaping of Chatfield Drive would improve the presentation to visitors entering from Compton Street and the Monon Trial.

Buckingham Companies met with the Indianapolis Art Center to discuss an art installation on the northwest corner of the development at the Monon Trail. This art would serve as a marker at the south end of Broad Ripple Village for trail users.

The BRVA asked Buckingham Companies to consider improving the sidewalks around the property. Indy parks asked for a commitment for replacing trees that are removed for new construction and to reduce the number of Monon Trail entrances on the property. The concern is that each entrance is a potential hazard to users of the trail as pedestrians come onto the trail.

Upcoming meetings to discuss this project include the BRVA public zoning and land use meeting at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church at 6 PM on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, and a second D-P meeting at 9:15 AM in room 2001 of the City-County Building.

* D-P is a rezoning classification where a developer creates special, specific zoning requirements to accommodate a project. This is instead of asking for variances from the existing zoning restrictions for a parcel of land. More details can be found at www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DMD/Planning/Zoning/Petition_Process/meetings.htm.