Children’s Museum, City Look for Drake Developer
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. (photo provided)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis are not quite ready to knock down the dilapidated building known as the Drake Apartments.
The museum and the city’s Department of Metropolitan Development have jointly released a Request for Information, seeking ideas to rehabilitate and reuse the 91-year-old building.
The abandoned building is just north of the Children’s Museum, which owns the property.
“The Children’s Museum is excited for this unique opportunity to team up with the city,” said Brian Statz, vice president of operations and general counsel for the Children’s Museum. “This partnership can facilitate and promote quality of place for many individuals living, working, and playing in Indianapolis.”
The Drake apartment building has been vacant since December 2016. It was operated as an apartment building until that time.
Due to the rundown condition, the building was closed.
The museum says it’s worked with Indiana Landmarks to find a property developer, but the organizations did not receive any viable proposals. In July, the museum said it was prepared to move forward with the demolition of the building, but it was still seeking other options.
Now, the city has partnered with the museum to make another attempt to find a developer.
“The city and the Museum have had productive conversations about the future of the Drake,” said Emily Mack, director of the Department of Metropolitan Development. “We are thrilled to collaborate in order to find solutions for the adaptive reuse of this historic building.”
Mack says the city may offer some economic incentives to a developer, based on proposals. Proposals must be submitted by February 21, 2020.
Click here to view the RFI.