The Apartments and Flats of Downtown Indianapolis Thematic Resources is a multiple property submission of apartments on the National Register of Historic Places in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The area is roughly bounded by Interstate 65 and Fall Creek on the north, Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 on the east, Interstate 70 on the south, and Harding Street on the west.
History The 36 properties included in the nomination are generally in the period 1890 to 1930, when Indianapolis was experiencing its greatest economic growth. The oldest property, the Sid-Mar, was built in 1887, while the youngest property, the Wyndham, was built in 1930.
The need for apartments in downtown Indianapolis came about as a result of the city's industrial development during the late 19th century, led by the railroad and automobile industries, as well as Eli Lilly and Company. Banking, retail, and educational institutions grew during this time as well. The growth in population in Indianapolis after 1880 was fueled mostly by rural people moving to the city, as opposed to foreign immigration. The city was attractive to people who wanted educational, financial, and social advancement. The apartments and flats built in the city were an affordable alternative for people who wanted to move to the city before marrying or having children. Single women were needed in the workforce during World War I, so they found apartment dwelling acceptable. Young men moving from the countryside were moving away from living in boarding houses and choosing apartments.
Architecture In 1904, the Indianapolis City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting wood-frame construction in the downtown area. All of these apartment buildings were built of brick, with some use of Indiana limestone for ornamentation, lintels, and sills. Most of the buildings are three stories high, except for a few that were considered "high-rises". There is not a lot of differentiation between architectural styles. Most of the buildings use Classical Revival design features with symmetric facades, pilasters, keystones, and dentil and modillion cornices. Other architectural styles popular at the time, such as Gothic Revival and Second Empire are absent. The Blacherne has a few elements of Richardsonian Romanesque design, while a few bay windows show influence of Queen Anne style architecture in the United States. Tudor Revival architecture began its influence in the 1920s, with the Dartmouth and the Wyndham as examples. The McKay, built in 1924, has Art Deco detailing.
Initially, an apartment was defined as a suite of two or three rooms without a kitchen. These were popular with young men. A flat was defined as five to seven rooms, including a kitchen and a dining room, and were attractive to young married couples as well as retired couples. The distinction began to fade by the 1920s, and "apartment" became the label for any multi-unit rental properties.
Properties included in the nomination There were 37 properties in the nomination. An additional eligible property, the Delmar, was demolished while the nomination was in progress. One of the 37 listed buildings, the St. Clair, was removed from the National Register in 1991. The Chardwick and the Harriett were removed in 2011 due to destruction. Landmark name ImageDate listedLocationCity or Town Summary 1 The Alameda 37 W. St. Clair St. Indianapolis 2 The Alexandra 402-416 N. New Jersey St. and 332-336 E. Vermont St. Indianapolis An enlarged "Eastern" flat. 3 The Ambassador 39 E. 9th St. Indianapolis 4 The Baker 310 N. Alabama St. and 341 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis The Baker, also known as Massala, is a historic apartment building in Indianapolis, Indiana, built in 1905. This three-story, brick structure features a blend of Classical Revival and Queen Anne styles, with limestone detailing and paired two-story bay windows. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, it is located in the Massachusetts Avenue Commercial District. 5 The Blacherne 402 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis Built in 1895 and owned by Lew Wallace, the Blacherne was a fashionable residential address for leaders in Indianapolis business and society. Wallace lived in the building during the city's winter social season. The success of this apartment building spurred the construction of many others during the ensuing decade. 6 The Burton 821-823 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis 7 The Cathcart 103 E. 9th St. Indianapolis 8 The Chadwick 1005 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis The Chadwick was destroyed by fire in January 2011 and delisted later that year. 9 The Colonial 126 E. Vermont St. and 402-408 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis 10 The Dartmouth 221 E. Michigan St. Indianapolis 11 Delaware Court 1001-1015 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis Built in 1916–17 by developer George William Brown. 12 Delaware Flats 120-128 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis Built in 1887. 13 The Devonshire 412 N. Alabama St. Indianapolis 14 The Emelie 326-330 N. Senate Ave.and 301-303 W. Vermont St. Indianapolis 15 The Glencoe 627 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis 16 The Grover 615 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis 17 The Harriett 124-128 N. East St. Indianapolis The Harriett was demolished and subsequently delisted in 2011 18 The Lodge 829 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis Built in 1905 by developer E.G. Spink for Caleb N. Lodge, this is an example of the "Eastern" flat type. 19 The Martens 348-356 Indiana Ave. Indianapolis 20 The Massachusetts 421-427 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis 21 The Mayleeno 416-418 E. Vermont St. Indianapolis 22 The McKay 611 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis 23 The Myrtle Fern 221 E. 9th St. Indianapolis 24 The Oxford 316 E. Vermont St. Indianapolis 25 The Pennsylvania 919 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis Built in 1906 by developer George William Brown, the Pennsylvania is an example of the "Eastern" flat type. 26 The Plaza 902 N. Pennsylvania St. and 36 E. 9th St. Indianapolis 27 The Rink 401 N. Illinois St. Indianapolis 28 The Savoy 36 W. Vermont St. Indianapolis 29 The Shelton 825 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis 30 The Sid-Mar 401-403 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis Built in 1887. 31 The Spink 230 E. 9th St. Indianapolis 32 The Sylvania 801 N. Pennsylvania St. and 108 E. St. Clair St. Indianapolis 33 The Vienna 306 E. New York St. Indianapolis Built in 1908 by developer George William Brown. 34 The Wil-Fra-Mar 318-320 E. Vermont St. Indianapolis Built after 1887, the Wil-Fra-Mar is an early example of the "Eastern" flat type. 35 Wilson 643 Ft. Wayne Ave. Indianapolis 36 The Wyndham 1040 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis
See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Center Township, Marion County, Indiana
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