When Bush Stadium closed in 2001, many fans of the Indianapolis Indians and the ivy-covered walls on West 16th St. mourned the loss of a beloved, if outdated, space. On February 21-23, fans had an opportunity to buy salvaged seats from the stadium at about $45 or less per seat “as-is.” Indianapolis Fabricators salvaged the seats and provided selling space, and the sale was organized by People for Urban Progress, a non-profit that works to repurpose and reuse
Hundreds of seats were sold the first day and as word spread, hundreds more turned out at the facility at 1125 Brookside Ave. in the Circle City Complex. Trailers, campers, and even subcompacts pulled up, and eager fans swamped the building, rummaging through faded and grungy looking orange seats. Sold as singles, doubles or triples, the seats have to either be anchored to a wall or a four-legged base figured out to make the seats usable. About 9,000 seats went up for sale — some as-is and some refurbished.
Many people in the sales line said they had no idea what they were going to do with their purchases. Some said they would put them in the garage, or figure out how to use them outdoors in the back yard. Some suggested that the odd configuration of the seats would test their creativity and building skills, but they’d figure it as they went along. All said they had happy memories of going to the ball park as children, and wanted a reminder of happy times.
Some seats are still available for sale, and a seat base is being designed by People for Urban Progress. If you missed the sale and want more information on how to get one of these treasures, visit www.peopleup.org.
