INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday marks the first night guests are staying at the new Bottleworks Hotel on Mass Ave.
Since developers began work to transform the area around the old Coca Cola Bottling Factory, WRTV has been following the progress. In the years and months leading up to it, everyone we talked who lives and/or works in the area was hopeful it was going to be a good thing.
Long-time business owner Lisa Cunningham, gave us her perspective. "I've always thought that building needed some love and attention and to be put to better use than it was, so we're very happy about that," Cunningham, the owner of Mass Ave Wine, said.
However, there was a lot to worry over the summer because of the pandemic and the restrictions it brought. Cunningham tells WRTV, she wasn't so sure this massive project was going to be as good as it was supposed to be.
"I was skeptical. I thought, how do you know that? What if they just take business away-- take up parking?' I just couldn't see it. It was just road closures and orange cone land down here," Cunningham said.
However, after she met some of the employees who came to her business leading up to their opening, she feels differently. "They were all gracious, very kind, very excited themselves about our block which I think is the best block on Mass Ave," Cunningham said. "If the last week has been any indication, I'm happy and cautiously optimistic. What's really going to be the game changer, I think, is when all the residences and more offices spaces opens because that's going to bring more foot traffic."
The Garage Food Hall, only steps away from the Bottleworks Hotel, is set to open in January. The first phase of opening will also include High Alpha's new headquarters and Living Room Theatres, an eight-auditorium cinema with a bar and lounge. Precise dates were not made available at the time of this report.
