About Indianapolis' Old Northside

The Old Northside of Indianapolis

Indianapolis is fast becoming a city that can compete with the likes of other cities like Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, etc....While we've made great strides to attract the latest and greatest life sciences initiatives, attract better paying jobs, place a greater emphasis on the arts, and all around become a better city, we had to start somewhere, right?

The Old Northside was once home to the very affluent residents of Indianapolis.  The Old Northside was home to the likes of many people of importance such as Benjamin Harrison, Lyman S. Ayers (started L. S. Ayer's department store), Ovid Butler (Founder of Butler University), Booth Tarkington (author and playwright),  among other affluent government officials, entrepreneurs, architects, and religious figures.  It was established in the mid 1800's and was home to Indianapolis' elite until its gradual decline after World War I.

The Old Northside is bound by 16th Street on the north, Interstate 65 on the south, Bellefontaine Street on the east, and Pennsylvania Street on the west.  It's was home to various architectural styles including Victorian, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Stick Style, Eastlake Style, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, among others.  The vast array of architectural styles are a big part of what made this area so desirable at the time.

Unfortunately through the years, residents began to express a desire for smaller homes and a more modern/art deco style, as a result, many of the residents began to move out of the neighborhood either abandoning the homes or neglecting to take care of them.  The rapid decline of The Old Northside began in the 1950's.  Many homes were demolished as a result of commercial development and the lack of interest in the style of homes erected in the area.  Many of the homes were also turned into multi-unit dwellings to accomodate the blue collar workers beginning to take up residence in the area.  Some of the once single family homes were divided into as many as 20 units!  As a result, much of Indianapolis' magnificent architectural history was been erased.

In 1978, The Old Northside was placed on the National Register of Historic Places which then sparked an interest to preserve what was left of these beautiful homes.  The revitalization of the area was slow, but in recent years many of Indianapolis' young professionals began to take interest in these homes which triggered a rapid movement of restoring these homes to their former glory.  It's wonderful to drive through the area and see the love and meticulous care taken to restore these homes! 

Property values in the area have increased significantly since the 90's making this area a great investment.  If you are interested in purchasing a home in The Old Northside or have any general questions about Indianapolis Real Estate, please feel free to contact me and I'll get your questions answered and can also provide you with information regarding the inventory that's currently available.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Call me at 317-889-1111 or email me at chandasellsindy@sbcglobal.net