More Shops, Restaurants and Homes Coming to Downtown Fishers
Fishers’ assistant director of economics met with our team of Realtors at the Fishers FC Tucker office recently, to update us on all the development happening around the city, but mostly, in the Nickel Plate Arts district. As someone who’s lived in Fishers 20 years, there’s been considerable change. For the first time, Fishers has a vibrant downtown area. It used to be, the only influx of people seemed to be the lines snaking around the parking lot at Handels Ice Cream. Now, people are walking and biking to the downtown area for dinner, concerts, the weekly farmers market and more. The key here is, more, because more is coming. Here are some of the highlights:
More local restaurants
The city has heard us say time and again that we want more non-chain restaurants. Enough with all the nail salons and dry cleaners in our retail outlets. Fishers is working to land a “great restaurant,” for The Edge, a mix-use building anchored by Community Health at 116th and Lantern Road. It’s also where the Escape Room will be opening its second location (the first was in downtown Indianapolis).
More apartments
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we’re getting more apartments in the downtown area. Here’s the deal, in order to have sustainable restaurants and shops, we have to have higher density downtown. The only way to do that is to have apartments or condos. As a Realtor, I would rather see condos, but understand we’re also trying to attract young professionals, who may not be ready to commit to a mortgage. The apartments at The Depot (that’s the building with Brixx and Flamme Burger) were the first to come. Next, will be The Flats at the Switch, also along 116th Street in front of City Hall. A few people have already moved in there, even though construction isn’t quite complete. The next apartments will be a live-work space at Lantern and North Streets. It’s targeted to artists and entrepreneurs who want to live above their studios or offices. It’s also a multi-use space, and RQAW, an architecture and engineering firm, is going to anchor the building moving its headquarters to Fishers from Carmel. If you didn’t see it, here’s a link to an article that announced the project in the Indianapolis Star.
More beer
Four Day Ray Brewery is opening in a new building at Lantern and North streets. The brewery’s name plays homage to Fishers’ railroad history. When a railroad employee habitually calls off work one day a week, he was known as Four Day Ray. And, it’s no coincidence that the acronym is FDR, our 32nd president, who ended prohibition and was known as the drinking president. In addition to craft beers, Four Day Ray also will have a “globally inspired menu,” with locally sourced foods. Fittingly, a Carmel-based software firm that focuses on improving beer sales – SteadyServe Technologies – will relocate to the Four Day Ray building.
Remember the big announcement that Sun King made about building a brewery off Interstate 69? Well, the Indianapolis brewery hasn’t given up on the idea, it’s just making some tweaks to the original plan. Sun King is looking at creating more of a city-market type facility that would include a tasting room with some local eateries. Think Patachou and Smoking Goose. It would be on about 12 acres just off Interstate 69 on the southeast corner of Kincaid Drive and Park Central Avenue. It could break ground next spring, around the same time Ikea and Top Golf will be building.
More houses
People are asking for more housing in the central part of Fishers, and a new project is under development now that could bring cottage-style homes and town homes on the south side of 116th Street near Morgan Street. A developer has been purchasing property in the area for future development.
Rumor has it
The city says it’s not been announced officially that Kroger is going to move from its store at 116th and Allisonville to the former Marsh store across the street, but it’s been announced unofficially for months. This will be an expanded Kroger with more parking. The first question people started asking was what would happen with the Kroger building and that new gas station. The gas station will stay, and there are “exciting plans in the works,” according to the City of Fishers. Stay tuned for more details about that development, which hopefully will spur some revitalization in both of those struggling shopping areas.
What are you most excited about with all of this development? Please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!