4E: Reimagine the Convention District
Stretching from the Indiana Convention Center to Interstate 70 and from Meridian Street to the White River, this key downtown area has great opportunity for growth and reimagination. A district plan, reinforced by the city’s Comprehensive Plan, means that as neighborhoods and commerce develop, we should encourage a mix of uses, walking paths, trails, transit, and experiences that resonate with residents and visitors who desire local flavor and culture. Key placemaking enhancements that drive a vibrant, 24-hour district can include redevelopment of the Diamond Chain historic industrial facility, daylighting of Pogues Run, riverfront activation, and physical connections to the former GM Stamping Plant redevelopment. Efforts should be made to embed more local personality into the area while also differentiating it from other nearby cultural areas like the Wholesale District, Mass Ave, and Fountain Square.
Value to the Community
A reimagined convention district can transform a part of many cities that residents avoid into a place that offers residents new amenities to enjoy, new economic opportunities to start a local business, and new ways to celebrate the diversity of the Indy experience, especially to visitors utilizing the Indiana Convention Center.Value to the Hospitality Industry
Indy's convention district serves as the heart of central Indiana's tourism industry. Its changing industrial nature provides an opportunity to strengthen our core while accommodating evolving consumer preferences for vibrancy and a mix of uses and experiences. In planning for enhancements of an entire convention district, especially in a relatively under-developed part of downtown, it ensures that key anchors can be accomodated nearby and maintains Indy’s compact competitive advantage.Updates
- May 2023. Indiana Convention Center Sixth Expansion. The convention center has expanded five times since 1972 and has broken ground on expansion number six. The center will expand to the east, connected by a skybridge, including the largest ballroom in the state and more meeting rooms and event spaces. This will allow the center to host two citywide conventions simultaneously with support from a new attached 800-room hotel.
Key Partners
Confirmed Partners
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Visit Indy (Lead)
- Partnerships Under Development
