Weekly View » Irvington Development Organization (IDO)

The Irvies 2018

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 06:09:13 +0000

The Irvington Development Organization organized The Irvies as the “Oscars” for Irvington individuals, organizations and businesses that make the neighborhood the thriving community that it is today. The awards ceremony was Feb. 24, where dozens of residents dressed up, ate snacks and drank beer and wine and congratulated each other for just being nominated. Comedy Sportz performed improv skits in the overture and intermission, and guest speakers including City-County Councillor Blake Johnson, and U.S. Congressman Andre Carson. The show was presented by Sean Copeland.

Paula Nicewanger/Weekly View
Dawn Briggs took home the coveted “Cup of Sugar” award.

Votes were taken last month and a tally was made in twelve categories. Almost 900 ballots were cast for favorite businesses and people who contribute to the neighborhood in a multitude of ways. The big winner was Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, which won the Service with a Smile, Benefactor, and Last Meal categories against some pretty tough competition. Sue Beecher won for Curb Appeal for her lovely gardens and dedication to the maintenance of the Irving Circle Park. Stan Denski won for his detective work of the b.s. variety on the Facebook neighborhood page, while the Hidden Gem award wen to The Mug. The Irving Legacy award for local artist went to Martine Locke. The Cheers award went to Coal Yard Coffee, and the morning wake-up call went to 10 Johnson. A big cheer went up when Dawn Briggs won for Cup of Sugar award. The Survivor business award went to the Irvington Plaza Dairy Queen, and Summer Aleas won the animal advocate award.
Music by Delta Duo, plus DJ C Drive kept the party going. All in all, it was a great night!

Historic Building Collapses

Ethel Winslow — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 06:11:01 +0000

One of the oldest commercial buildings in Irvington fell victim to autumn storms which raced across Central Indiana on Nov. 17. The Old Irvington Post Office, the 110-year-old building located on the corner of Ritter and East Washington St., was undergoing renovations thanks to the efforts of the Irvington Development Organization (IDO) and the Irvington Historical Society (IHS), and was unoccupied. The walls had been braced by construction teams working on the renovation; the building’s roof had been removed and the interior gutted.
The walls on the east and west sides of the building fell during the storm, leaving just the facade standing. Due to public safety concerns, a decision was made to demolish the remaining walls. No decision has been made as to what to do with the property.
IDO Executive Director Margaret Lawrence Banning noted that the loss of the building wasn’t just the loss of a historic structure, but also a “loss to the neighborhood. It was a key element of our urban environment.”
The building was purchased by a partnership of IHS and IDO late in 2012. The goal was to renovate the building and either sell it or lease it when completed. The building was an attorney’s office, various stores, a drug store, and a post office. It had been vacant for many years before being purchased.
As recently as October of this year, IDO and IHS held fundraisers to bring in money to renovate the building. Banning said that they were carrying debt on the property, but also had the building insured. “We’ll have to see how things work out,” she explained.
As to the future of the corner, Banning remains hopeful. “We hope something will be built there, similar to or better, whether IDO or someone else is building it.”
In the meantime, the community recently celebrated the official opening of the Irvington Lofts apartments, built on the site of the old Indy East Motel.

Streetscape Moving Forward

Ethel Winslow — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:50:13 +0000

Drivers on the east side might gnash their teeth at the sight of more construction cones, and pedestrians may have to maneuver carefully around sidewalk construction, but there is a lot of progress being made on the Washington Corridor Streetscape project in Irvington. Last week, the intersections at Audubon and Ritter were closed to through traffic and to all traffic from the north to work on improvements in the intersections. The sidewalk and curbs on the north side of East Washington have been completed, and the decorative (and functional) lamp poles installed.

Residents are encouraged to take it easy and find detours around the work zone. The detours are Pleasant Run Parkway to Arlington and Emerson. Layman Ave. is still open. Drivers are asked to avoid cutting through residential areas —or, if they must, to slow down and watch out for pedestrians.

While the drought has been bad news for lawns, trees, gardens, and other green and living things, the lack of rain has made for ideal construction conditions (barring the soaring temperatures).

The Washington Street Streetscape is a $2.9 million plan for the revitalization of the historic Irvington central commercial district along East Washington St. Construction will take place in three phases; the first phase covers five blocks between Irvington and Bolton, and will include a landscaped median, improved walkways, decorative lighting and more. The second phase will extend the project west from Irvington Ave. to Emerson.

Businesses on the north side of East Washington St. have reported that it has been more difficult for customers to get to their shops and find convenient parking.

Holly Miller, co-owner of Black Acre Brewing, said that the construction hasn’t significantly hurt business. “We’ve had a pretty good crowd. People have had to find a new way of getting to the parking, but they’ve managed.” Black Acre also added a community-spirited incentive to visit. They are donating $1 for every pint of Street Light Blond beer purchased to the maintenance fund for the streetscape.

Irvington Development Organization (IDO)is planning to invest in 30 additional street lights for the project. However, the new lamps do not come without a price tag. Fortunately, some of the financial burden will be alleviated through a relationship built between IDO and Indianapolis Power & Light (IPL).

“The city and IPL have an agreement that states whenever a neighborhood or business wants extra lights, this requestor is responsible for the electricity bill,” said Margaret Lawrence Banning, executive director of IDO. “Each light costs around $400 a year in electrical expenses. To manage the additional maintenance fees, IDO will be launching a campaign designed to involve any interested local businesses and individuals.”

Construction on the south side of Washington Street will begin just as soon as the bulk of the work is finished on the north side.