The station is located close to Lucas Oil Stadium + a number of bars. | Photo by INDYtoday team
The original Union Station was the country’s first “union” passenger rail station — constructed in 1853. Though it was demolished + rebuilt30 years later, it remains an impressive structure in the heart of downtown.
So what’s happening with Union Station now + what did it look like in its heyday?
Then
Downtown’s current Union Station at 39 Jackson Place was frequented by many prominent figures, including presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman + Dwight D. Eisenhower.
By the numbers, it:
Cost $1 million to build
Serviced nearly 500,000 passengers monthly at its peak
Had 12 tracks to board
Brought almost 200 trains through daily
Much like Indy’s streetcar system, the passenger trains that once flowed through the station became unpopular with the rise of automobiles after World War II. The place was close to empty by 1980, but six years later it was overhauled by local developer Bob Borns, costing $65 million. It was privatized + restored into the Festival Marketplace, full of restaurants and boutiques. However, crowds began to dwindle when the Circle Centre Mall opened in 1995.
A wedding here sounds like a good idea to us.
Photo via @dpbobbyholbrook
Now
Now, the station houses a hotel, entertainment venue, event center + office spaces. You can find Amtrak and Greyhound trains and buses running from a modern hub just south of Union Station (335 S. Illinois St.), but no part of the old building serves its original purpose.
A new addition to the station this year, Nevermore is an Edgar Allen Poe-themed venue with duckpin bowling, live music, a rooftop bar, and upscale food. The 25,000 sqft space opened just a couple of months ago in the spots formerly occupied by Cadillac Ranch + Bartini’s.
Though you can’t travel to Chicago from Union Station anymore, you can still travel through time at The Grand Hall, which is an event venue that pays homage to the building’s rich history. The terrazzo floors, arches, columns + glass wagon wheel windows are on full display in the space, which can accommodate up to 600 guests.
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Zionsville Fall Festival | Fri., Sept. 9-Sun., Sept. 11 | 6 p.m. | Zionsville Lions Club, 115 S. Elm St. | Free | Check out the carnival, pet pavilion, live music + arts and crafts fair at this weekend-long event. 🎡
Snakehips | Fri., Sept. 9 | 7 p.m. | HI-FI, 1044 Prospect St. | $27+ | Oliver Lee + James Carter have been performing for 10 years with billions of streams and record sales. 🎶
Saturday
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind | Sat., Sept. 10 | 8-9:30 p.m. | Esch Hall Studio Theatre, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. | $10+ | See 24 micro plays exploring emotional + intellectual ideas in 48 minutes.
Indy Ultimate | Sat., Sept. 10-Sun., Sept. 11 | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Monument Circle | Free | Watch the race + participate in activities like running the bases at Victory Field and kicking a field goal at Lucas Oil along the route. 👟
Sunday
Black Minds Over Matter: Mental Health Fair | Sun., Sept. 11 | 1-4 p.m. | 10 East Arts Hub, 3137 E. 10th St. | Free | An afternoon of free plant-based meals, outdoor activities, meditation + a private discussion area with medical professionals. 🧠
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
reAlpha uses AI-driven technology to select + manage properties. | Photo provided by reAlpha
Short-term rental investments offer the best of both worlds: the stability of real estate + big returns from vacation rentals. The global short-term rental market is $1.2 trillion, after all. And thanks to reAlpha, it’s easier than ever to make that investment.
reAlpha is inviting Hoosiers to become shareholders in their entire short-term rental portfolio. Read: potentialprofit from short-term rental properties without the stress of managing, owning or maintaining. No changing the sheets or dealing with bookings? Sounds good.*
The Old Southside neighborhood is getting a $6.8 million makeover. As part of the Lift Indy program, improvements like multi-use paths, upgraded traffic signals, and better stormwater infrastructure should be completed in 2023. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in the neighborhood on Wednesday. 🏗️ (IBJ)
Traffic
IndyGo’s Purple Line construction is expected to closeSherman Drive north + south of 38th Street for 14 days, beginning on or before Monday. Motorists can detour using 46th Street, Emerson Avenue, 34th Street, and Keystone Avenue. 🚧 (WRTV)
Jobs
UPS is planning to hire 3,000+ additional workers in Indy for the holiday season. The seasonal jobs are promoted as ones that could lead to year-round employment + driver positions begin at $21 per hour. The hiring process is said to take 25 minutes for most applicants. Learn more. 📦 (IBJ)
Older Adults
If you’re 65+, there’s a new club for you to join. Phoenix Theatre has created a Drama Club for older adults, teaching new skills like tap dancing while seated. The classes are free every Wednesday starting on Wed., Oct. 5 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Ranked
“Ope, excuse us — just need to squeeze by ya.” Is it any surprise that Indy ranked No. 5 in a list of the most polite cities in America? Hoosiers’ average rudeness score is 4.47 on a scale of one to 10 (one being the least rude). Indy was surpassed by Nashville, TN, Fort Worth, TX, San Diego, CA + Austin, TX.
Shows
The fifth annual “Opera in the Park'' is tomorrow night at 7 p.m. During this free outdoor event, the Indianapolis Opera will perform in Garfield Park with an all-Indiana lineup of musical celebrities like Angela Brown + Alfred Savia. There will be a special opening fanfare to commemorate 9/11. 🎼
Hoosier
A Rockville resident set a Guinness World Record for wakesurfing — participating in the water sport for nearly 15 hours straight. Lori Keeton has been surfing for 17 years + beat her previous year’s attempt of eight hours last year. While doing this, she raised money for Wake For Warriors, a nonprofit that teachesveterans how to do water sports. 🏄 (WTHR)
DYK
Did you know there’s sword fighting in Avon’s Washington Township Park? A local chapter of the international Society for Creative Anachronism practices there weekly, recreating pre-17th century skills like combat, arts + culture. The chapter also participates in activities across the country. Explore their story. ⚔️ (IndyStar)
Learn
Guten morgen, Indianapolis. If you’re ready to brush up on that high school German, do it the effective (and fun) way with Babbel. Its speech recognition technology will even help you nail your pronunciation + accent from the get-go.Bonus: Get 55% off your subscription — for a limited time only.*
Development
Notice anything new lately? Our newsletter is currently “under construction” (you can read more on that here), so please bear with us as we fix some of these pesky formatting issues. If you see anything amiss over the next few weeks, please don’t be shy and pass it along.
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TRANSIT
Government
Full steam ahead 🚂
Are nonstop train rides to Columbus, Chicago + Pittsburgh in Indy’s future? | Photo via @design_insomniac_
We just told you about the past + present states of Union Station, but what about its future?
When we were researching the historic hub, we stumbled upon these renderings of what it could be — and we might be drooling a little.
Ball State alumnus + architectural designerAdrian N. Lopez shared potential renderings they designed for their thesis project in college, which include a “hyperloop portal” — a 700-mph, currently theoretical tunnel that Elon Musk could attempt in the future.
The adaptive reuse of this structure would be a blend of old + new to transform this piece of Indy history at risk of being forgotten. Let’s just say we’re here for it.
Editor’s pick: On Instagram, we asked you what you wanted to know about Union Station. One reader asked why we can’t have a casino in Union Station. Although there are 14 total casinos in the Hoosier State, we don’t have any traditional gambling sites in the Circle City. I did a little digging but came up empty. Do any of you know the reason Indy doesn’t have any black jack tables or slot machines?Let me know.
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