INDIANAPOLIS — The 130 year old mule stables known as the POLK Stables, are undergoing a complete rehabilitation and will become the latest shared work space on the near eastside. COhatch will house artist studios, makerspaces, and co-working offices. The building will also feature North High Brewing restaurant and an art gallery. Construction began in early July and will take about a year.
Located at 1553 Lewis St. within the Monon16 area, the building is within a federal Opportunity Zone and a Federal Promise Zone.
POLK Stables is a three story, 21,000 square foot brick industrial building, built circa 1888. Once the mule stables for the Polk Sanitary Milk Company complex, this building is now in serious disrepair. New apartments and other developments surround the property, which has become a highly desirable area after decades of neglect.
In its heyday, Polk’s Sanitary Milk was served to thousands of families in the area, and was delivered locally in wagons. It grew rapidly and began to produce butter, buttermilk, and other items through the beginning of the 20th century. However, they could not compete with larger chains and closed their doors in the 1950s. The building sits next to the Monon Trail and 16th St.
