INDIANAPOLIS — As crime continues to rise in Indianapolis, police officers in the city have a new place to regroup before heading back out to protect Indy’s streets.
On the near-east side of Indianapolis, just outside of I-65 and I-70, sits the Elevator Hill campus, also known to many residents as the former Angie’s List property.
The area is growing with new homes and businesses popping up in the nearby Holy Cross neighborhood. The property is filled with businesses and also some empty storefronts.
“We have quite a bit of different variety of office space and mixed use space and they're looking forward to developing and making this area a little more vibrant than it has been in the past," explains Ben Ledo of Fred Abel Management Group. “It's transitioned quite a bit, first with Angie's List, and we had such rapid growth and it was vibrant, a lot of people walking around. And then unfortunately after they moved, it has seen better days but we hope to revitalize that and bring some more density back here."
One building that has served Indianapolis since 1986 as one of the city’s oldest fire stations, then later a photography business before becoming the former Angie’s List reception center, now has a new use.
“The ownership group obviously is very appreciative for the dedication and the commitment of the men and women of IMPD and so when we heard that they needed a place to be able to rest and relax and be able to decompress when they are in a high stress job, we thought this could be a perfect location and this is a good way for us to show that gratitude,” said Ledo.
The property’s management group donated the three-story, 8,000 square foot building to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at no cost to taxpayers.
“The fact is this property is kind of on the peripheral of three police divisions and so we also thought it would be great for them to have different divisions be able meet in a central location, it would not only be helpful for the near east side but for the city as a whole,” explains Ledo.
Officers can also make their way next door to Taylor Made Wellness, a local gym, whose owner invites IMPD officers to come get a workout in as a physical and mental break.
“It has an impact for this community and this substation also serves as a place of solace for those police officers to go to, several of those officers work out here at the gym and I know some of the struggles that they face and some of the things that they go through as officers, it is not just policing things, it is also the fact that they are helping people with their mental illness and other issues that they may have,” says Kelsey Taylor, owner of Taylor Made Wellness. “It is a safe space to grab coffee, have a drink, sit down, take a load off and then they can go back and focus at work and be good officers.”
Taylor is hopeful the extra police presence will ward off criminal activity in the area and help with bringing more people to the neighborhood as it continues to grow.
“For me as a business owner, I don't have to worry that someone is going to try to break in to my building,” explains Taylor. “Or that you know that we are not going to have a bunch of drug use and things of that nature.”
The building sitting on East Washington Street near downtown Indianapolis is not for the public’s use. It is strictly for the on-duty officers to have a place to rest. If someone needs assistance from police, like filing a report or contacting IMPD, community residents must contact or go to a district office. There are multiple IMPD district office locations across the City of Indianapolis.
To find your local district office closest to your location, enter your address here.
To reach IMPD’s non-emergency line call: 317-327-3811.
