Shreve, Hogsett have differing downtown strategies
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Should this stay or go? Our mayoral candidates disagree on the answer. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
The two candidates vying to be Indianapolis' next mayor have competing visions for the future of its downtown.
Driving the news: On the same day that Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve rolled out his "downtown vision plan," Democratic incumbent Joe Hogsett issued a proclamation in honor of Downtown Indy Inc., celebrating the nonprofit's 30th anniversary and highlighting the vision he wants four more years to execute.
- Hogsett also announced that the city had purchased land just east of Mile Square for its first publicly constructed, low-barrier homeless shelter — part of an effort to help the city's unhoused while cleaning up downtown.
Why it matters: We're just weeks away from the Nov. 7 election, when voters will decide which candidate should lead the state's largest city for the next four years.
State of play: Shreve's announcement on Tuesday was one of his largest policy proposals of the campaign outside of public safety, which he's hammered Hogsett on for months.
- During the press conference on Monument Circle, Shreve was flanked by posters with photos of downtown damage from protests following the murder of George Floyd in summer 2020 — a reminder, he said, of "what happens when leadership fails."
- Shreve accused Hogsett of neglecting downtown's struggles post-pandemic.
- "Other cities have and are figuring out how to rebound from the pandemic," he said.
Details: Shreve's plan for downtown calls for the city to get more involved in the IUPUI split, specifically encouraging more growth on the west side of downtown as Purdue and IU establish their own presence.
- He wants to repurpose underutilized office space for housing and create a beatification grant for property owners to improve building facades.
- Shreve also wants to keep the downtown heliport, which has been targeted for redevelopment.
The other side: Hogsett says his leadership has ushered in $9 billion of investment and development to downtown, and his campaign accused Shreve's plan of lacking details.
- "In the last 24 hours, Mayor Joe has displayed real leadership by announcing the construction of our city's first low-barrier homeless shelter and his decision to bring hundreds of City-County employees back downtown to boost the local economy," said campaign manager Blake Hesch.
Reality check: There's a lot of overlap between the candidates' plans for downtown.
- Shreve said he supports the consolidation of city workers at the CCB and the creation of a new downtown shelter.
- He also applauded the plan to redevelop the old City Hall into a boutique hotel, apartments and condos but credited Hogsett's predecessor, Republican Greg Ballard, who was at the press conference.
The intrigue: The biggest difference between the two visions for downtown may be the temporary closure of a portion of Monument Circle for use as a park.
- SPARK on the Circle, with its artificial turf, potted trees and picnic tables, is slated to run until November.
- Shreve called for it to end, saying it's time to "roll up the artificial turf and allow cars and more people to circulate around the Circle again."
What they're saying: Erika Yates, assistant manager in training at the South Bend Chocolate Company, which sits on the quadrant of the Circle closed for SPARK, said it's been good for business.
- "It's been great," she said. "It's been families, on families, on families," she said of her impression since she started at the store last week.
What we're watching: The candidates will appear together at a Q&A Thursday night.