The largest neighborhood on the East side — Otterbein — is starting to see the benefits of an intense effort by its residents to create a strong, successful neighborhood. Encompassing hundreds of homes between Sherman and Emerson, 16th Street and I-70, Otterbein faces unique challenges but also shares a common laundry list of to-do items other neighborhoods have overcome.
Otterbein is relatively new: in 1950, the Grinsdale Company began construction of the Sunnybrook addition in what is now Otterbein using post WWII architecture: simple designs that are now part of the “Mid-century Modern” motif. Unusually though, these small homes almost universally share large lots.
The number of homes is practically overwhelming: 110 lots run along Riley Street alone, and Riley is one of 12 North-South streets inside Emerson and Sherman. And don’t forget all the homes running along East-west streets between 16th and the highway. Yet there is still room for two large parks, a large industrial complex, a school, and several churches.
Assets are plenty for this neighborhood: Otterbein owes its existence somewhat to Forest Manor Park, built in the 1930′s. Located in the northwest corner of Otterbein at 2000 Forest Manor Ave., Forest Manor Park’s 18 acres includes a successful inner-city baseball program, playgrounds for the kids, and plenty of nature along Pogue’s Run Creek. Another, even larger park to the North — Pogue’s Run Art and Nature Park — includes a 1.5 mile loop trail, 22-acre pond/drain basin, artwork from Herron School of Art, a parking lot for easy access, and wetland and prairie preserves. (According to indianatrails.com, there is talk of connecting the walkway to Brookside Park’s walkways.) Otterbein has a third, tiny, pocket park called Dequincy (obviously on Dequincy), with the only walk through bridge on the Brookside Creek Waterway. There are two churches in the neighborhood, and a few retail locations, but surprisingly the frontage on busy Emerson is almost entirely residential.
Along the west side and edges of its borders, businesses include Brookside Industrial Complex, with its helpful Bright Beginnings Learning Academy (BBLA); the Metro Sports Complex, (formerly the Metropolitan Softball Stadium), Forest Manor Park’s Play Ball Indiana, sponsored by RBI, Marion Academy Charter School on 21st Street, and a lone get-it-quick grocery.
Challenges? An estimated 15 percent of the homes are abandoned, crime continues around income-based housing, a large percentage of the homes are rentals, and there is a surprising amount of abandoned retail along 21st Street. According to Beth and Tim Barton, two active members of the neighborhood association, Otterbein may qualify as a food desert due to its size and lack of restaurants and grocers (there is a Safeway but nothing else).
Unique challenges for Otterbein: very few homes come up for sale. It may be easier to acquire an abandoned property than an occupied one because many homes are owned by out-of-state real-estate investment trusts (REITs). Even more are owned by long-time residents like Kim Brown, who has been in his house since 1963.
With the help of Otterbein United Methodist Church, Carl Fannin, and Sheila Gilbert the neighborhood organization was founded in 2013. Beth and Tim Barton, currently on the board of directors and driving the monthly meetings, are helping the founders drive the neighborhood association forward and spreading the word. For example, Beth and Tim are currently training through the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center’s Community Leaders program.
Otterbein United Methodist continues to step in and assist: the church parking lot will be the meeting point for the Otterbein neighborhood cleanup on April 2, from 8 a.m.-noon. A dumpster will be in the parking lot of the church: anyone in the neighborhood can come and dump heavy trash all weekend. Volunteers with trucks are needed to help pick up large items and trash bags left by residents along the road. Neighbors can leave yard trash in trash bags along the street and volunteers will pick up the bags. If a resident needs trash bags, write to otterbeinna@gmail.com and request supplies.
A digital presence continues to be built: the neighborhood association has a Facebook page: search for ‘Otterbein Neighborhood Association Indianapolis’. A recent victory — the neighborhood name now appears on Bing Maps. The board is working slowly on a Web site (help is needed here).
Otterbein is part of NESCO, the Near East Side Community Organization, founded in 1970. Otterbein is the biggest of NESCO’s neighborhoods. NESCO provides financial support and connections with other eastside neighborhoods. Otterbein’s neighborhood liaison is Paul Ross, who will now be known (thanks to the new Mayor) as a neighborhood advocate.
