Long-abandoned tower by Shortridge High School set to become affordable housing

INDIANAPOLIS — A graffiti-covered high-rise across Meridian Street from Shortridge High School has been empty since before some current Shortridge students were born. A developer has a plan to bring the tower back to life.

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TWG is finalizing plans to renovate the nine-story building into the Grand Meridian, an apartment building with nearly 100 affordable housing units. The developer could start work as soon as this summer if its funding plan is approved by City-County Council.

Crown Hill Neighborhood Association president Danita Hoskin said the building is an eyesore compared to everything around it.

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"Who wants to live next to this? Who wants to work next to this?" Hoskin said. "Those children, the youth at Shortridge, deserve better than to look out of their windows and see this."

The tower has stood empty for at least 15 years. Many of its windows are broken after Indianapolis Fire Department firefighters used the building for training.

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TWG hopes to use a funding procedure called "payment in lieu of taxes," or PILOT, to finance the Grand Meridian. If approved, TWG would spend a certain amount of money upfront in order to save on the site's property taxes later.

The PILOT application went through the city's Metropolitan Economic Development Committee on Monday and will face a full City-County Council vote on June 9.

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Department of Metropolitan Development communications director Auboni Hart said the developer is required to include certain amenities if the PILOT is approved.

"In doing this, it will include free WiFi throughout the building and an academic excellence program," Hart said.

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Hoskin is optimistic for how the revived tower could improve Crown Hill.

"Some people see this and they see blight," Hoskin said. "I see something like this and I see opportunity."