Walking down the core of the self-proclaimed “22-hour village” and home to over 10,000 residents, Broad Ripple Village can arguably be considered one of Indianapolis’ most prized possessions. Known for its entertainment and walkability, places such as The Vogue and the Indianapolis Art Center hold rich tradition in the community and has placed a strong foundation on music and art. Among those village jewels are empty storefronts, which call for opportunity and redevelopment.
“Vacancies are natural,” said Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) Executive Director, Brooke Klejnot. “The same way a neighborhood has its cycle, small business owners have the same cycle. Many times when small business owners begin, they’re truly passionate, but that doesn’t make them a fantastic businessperson.”
Currently the BRVA’s office, located at 6323 Guilford Ave., is used as an example of what Klejnot believes vacancies can become. The office space is becoming a new art exhibit.
The one-mile radius from Kessler Boulevard up to the White River, to Meridian Street through Evanston Avenue houses over 700 businesses and services. Over the past year and a half, the area has welcomed additional businesses.
This year construction projects have sprung up such as Canal Pointe: Apartments/Retail at the old Shell gas station, and Crossfit Broad Ripple will expand to add office and retail space.
“Some of the new businesses we have are small scale, which is good because we’ve been known for our small mom-and-pop shops,” said Klejnot, who also mentioned the area is in need of office space.
“Tech firms start here and when they grow, they move downtown because of limited space. We really want them to stay and they want to stay. It’s hard saying goodbye to businesses annually,” she said.
The executive director mentioned redevelopment is going to require the acquisition of more land and actively reaching out to developers. She said developers have plans in the works but haven’t made official announcements. One of the village’s goals is to build business diversity.
When speaking with a few members of the Black community, they had varying views on Broad Ripple, its development and marketing.
“About four years ago, Broad Ripple was a place everyone felt comfortable going because the night life was great, but over the years shootings have happened nearby so the area had to become restrictive of who they let into their businesses by way of dress code and other rules. But today I think the area is slowly becoming the ‘place to be,’” mentioned Ronald Flemmings, 27.
Other residents said they have had issues getting into certain restaurants such as Kilroy’s Bar N’ Grill on a Friday or Saturday night.
“Broad Ripple is a cool place to visit on the weekend instead of going downtown, but once I was in line at Kilroy’s with a few friends and when we got to the door, the bouncer said I wasn’t allowed in because my jeans were ripped. The person in front of me who wasn’t Black had on a similar style jean and was allowed in,” said Destiny Walton, 30. “It’s not the people living here or the visitors, it’s the owners that make it difficult.”
Not all perceptions of the area are negative. Several individuals choose to live in Broad Ripple for its amenities and sense of community.
“I’ve lived in Broad Ripple for over four years,” said Janace Price, 32. “The people are really nice and I enjoy going to events such as the art fair and the farmer’s market. I’ve never had a race-related issue.”
Klejnot said Broad Ripple is open to everyone.
“Being welcoming and finding an understanding with people I share this community with is something I do as a decent human being,” she said. “If there were tangible things we could do to change the way people feel whether its race, gender, or sexual orientation, we would adopt it.”
In the meantime the area will continue to beautify its spaces and market itself as a safe community welcoming a variety of businesses and people.
“We’re the oldest and largest organization working on quality of life issues in this area,” said Klejnot. “Amplifying public spaces, enriching the community and attracting investments are our goals.”
