Commission in Indiana approves rail warehouse demolition

A report from the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Committee (IHPC) has yielded a recommendation for a project that would involve the demolition of a five-story warehouse building so it can be replaced with a hotel.

The IHPC says based on the difficulties with the interior structure of the building, the lack of design quality to the building and its warehouse design within a district of wholesale buildings, "there was a comfort level with the proposal to demolish the historic structure."

The structure proposed for demolition is on South Pennsylvania Street near Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the NBA's Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever play.

According to the IHPC, the building facing dismantlement has been known as the Indiana Terminal warehouse building and was constructed in 1923. While originally a warehouse, space in the building also has been used as offices, shops and storage spaces, says the commission.

The building has more than 230,000 square feet of space under roof. Boxcar Development, which proposed the demolition and redevelopment plan to the IHPC, is backed by Herb Simon, owner of the Pacers and Fever.

The proposed plan includes the demolition of the historic building and construction of a hotel with commercial space, parking garage, entertainment venue and skybridge that would connect the hotel to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

A report from Hotel Dive indicates the proposed $300 million hotel will be branded as a Shinola property. The first American hotel branded with that luxury watch maker’s name opened in Detroit about five years ago.

The current structure is constructed with a reinforced concrete frame with brick curtain walls.

"The project proposal is to demolish the existing building and construct a 13-story hotel building on the north end of the site with a connecting bridge to the Fieldhouse, a two-story loading and retail connecting structure to the south, and an entertainment venue on the most southern portion of the site," the IHPC says.

In addition to hotel rooms, the new structure would house commercial space on the lower levels, a ballroom and rooftop amenity spaces and an entertainment venue. Proposed materials are brick, terra cotta, granite and metal.

The Hotel Dive report indicates Boxcar Development wants to begin demolition in the fourth quarter of this year and planned to finish the new structure by 2027.