VIDEO: Facelift for Bottleworks District, Preserving History
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Bottleworks District rendering (courtesy: Hendricks Commercial Properties)
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Vintage photo of the Coca-Cola Bottling plant in Indianapolis. (photo courtesy: Bottleworks District)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA team of grizzled masonry workers is helping to transform the aged façade of the former Coca-Cola bottling plant in downtown Indianapolis into a shiny showcase for the $300 million Bottleworks District mixed-use development.
Craftsmen from Indianapolis-based Broady-Campbell Inc. are restoring the terra cotta exterior to its former glory from the early decades of the 20th century.
“We only get one chance to do it right. And it’s gonna cost us more money, but we’re doing it right and it’s gonna last forever,” said Rob Gerbitz, president and chief executive officer Hendricks Commercial Properties, which is handling the renovation project.
The Bottleworks District has released a video of the renovations and historical components of the project.
Parts of the exterior have crumbled over the past eight decades, but developers wanted to maintain the character of the structure, to match the renaissance happening on Mass Ave.
“This is the anchor to Mass Ave,” said Gerbitz. “And that terracotta is kind – that’s the real anchor to it because everyone in town identifies with it.”
At one point in the project, Broady-Campbell had 28 workers patching the exterior walls. Many had never worked with that sort of material.
“It’s like a giant puzzle. And I get to find where they need to go,” said craftsman Johnny Conningham.
Thousands of pieces were removed, repaired and replaced into the same spot on the large structure.
“We had a big room inside during the winter where there be 600-700 pieces all numbered, so we didn’t mix them up,” explained Joe Page, masonry craftsman. “From the first stone, you got to patch it you got away sand it two days later, you got white, paint it and then you got white glaze it and then they got come back on it and wash it. It was a long process.”
For the workers, the project is more than just a paycheck. There seems to be a sense of pride in restoring the historical structure.
“You really can make this look like it did in the original 1930s – 40s. And I think that’s the beauty of it really,” said Andrew Page.
Page says he’ll look at patches he did a few months ago, and he’ll go back to fine-tune his efforts.
“That’s where my pride comes in. And I really take pride. Because I want it to look good.”
The Bottleworks Hotel and The Garage food hall are scheduled to open in December. The complex also includes retail and office space and a movie theater.
“Bottleworks Phase One development continues to make great progress, including construction on the former Coca-Cola building, which will bring an incredible new boutique hotel to the heart of downtown Indy,” said Jeff Whiteman, chief operating officer at Geronimo Hospitality Group, which will own and operate both the hotel and food hall at Bottleworks. “We’re moving forward full-steam ahead on this exciting project and look forward to debuting the hotel along with The Garage Food Hall later this year.”
To look at the restoration project, play the video below. It’s courtesy of the Bottleworks District.
