The unveiling of a plan to determine what's possible for the future of Washington Square Mall on Wednesday quickly devolved into debates about ownership, responsibility and transparency.

Why it matters: The scene that unfolded proves that revitalizing the far east side shopping center in a way that satisfies all stakeholders won't be easy.

Driving the news: Indianapolis City-County Councilor Michael-Paul Hart was joined by members of the Lauth Group, Schmidt Associates, the Local Initiatives Support Corp. and Cumberland town manager Ben Lipps to announce a pre-development site study for Washington Square.

• The involved parties will spend three months working to produce an infrastructure site plan and concept renders with the goal of attracting investors and development partners.
• Hart, who indicated last year that mall owners Durga Property Holdings were open to selling, said Washington Square has become "a topic of conversation that everybody wanted a resolution for" throughout his second term.

Yes, but: Eddie Hager, COO of BRC Commercial Properties, claimed that his company has a pending purchase agreement with Durga with the intention of assuming legal control of the site and redeveloping it themselves.

• He said the mall needs extensive maintenance after years of mismanagement produced countless code violations and at least two civil suits.
• Hager accused the city of failing to enforce Durga's violations and leaving the public out of the loop in an attempt to assume control of the site.

Friction point: Keith Lee Jr., Washington Square's property manager since 2019 and Durga's representative, dismissed Hager's claims of an agreement while confirming that Durga principal Vijay Kumar Vemulapalli would entertain selling for the right price.

• But he took issue with Hart's plans to assess the site's feasibility, saying Durga was not made aware and that he would try to stop it from moving forward.

What they're saying

Love is in the air — and on the calendar.

Why it matters: We're less than two weeks from Valentine's Day, and if you haven't made plans, don't worry. Your pals at Axios Indy have you covered.

Zoom in: Here are five unique ways to celebrate with your someone special.

🥞 For the earlybirds: Sweetheart Jazz Brunch at the Skyline Club.

• Live jazz, brunch favorites and a romantic atmosphere, from 11am-1pm.
• Tickets start at $65.

🏃‍♀️ For the fit couple: Be My Valentine 5K and half marathon.

• Starts at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in White River State Park, 10am.
• Entry fee is $47 for the 5K; $90 for the half.

🤣 For a laugh: Nate Bargatze's "Big Dumb Eyes World Tour" at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 7pm.

• Tickets start at $80.

📚 For the book lover: Valentine's Day Extravaganza at Indy Reads.

• Scavenger hunt, crafts, a poetry open mic and 20% off romance books from 11am-7pm.
• The event is "pay what you can," but a $10 donation is recommended.

💃 For a classic night out: Dinner and dancing at the Rathskeller.

• Four-course tableside dinner service and live music, 6-10pm.
• Reservation required; $150/couple.

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🥶 After nearly two weeks of relentless cold, we finally broke freezing — for a bit, at least. Don't get used to it, though. We'll have a few more days of cold before warmer weather moves in next week. (WTHR)

🧐 Gov. Mike Braun has created the Council on Fraud Detection and Prevention to look for waste, fraud and abuse in federally funded, state-run social services programs, including Medicaid and SNAP. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

💰 The Lilly Endowment has given $500,000 to the Indiana Land Protection Alliance to boost conservation efforts. (Hamilton County Reporter)

🏨 A "luxury lifestyle hotel" is coming to Fishers, neighboring the Fishers Event Center. The project is expected to break ground in May. (IBJ)

🕯️ Lee Hamilton, a Hoosier Democratic member of the U.S. House for more than three decades, died Tuesday at the age of 94. (IndyStar)

Meet the three Black women who are using their artistic talent to explore our connection to the earth, ourselves and to one another.

Driving the news: "Rooted Hues" is a multimedia art exhibition that starts its run Friday at Gallery 924.

The inspo: A visual experience at its core, "Rooted Hues" invites visitors to stop and think about their environment and their role in it.

• The curators say the exhibit is designed to encourage reflection and conversation about cultural identity and our shared relationship with the natural world.

What they're saying: Here are the three multidisciplinary artists behind the exhibit and how they described their artistic styles to the Indy Arts Council.

Ash Robinson: "My artistic style is vibrant, bold and unapologetic. My portraits explore Black identity, visibility and belonging by transforming familiar materials into powerful statements of self-reflection."

Shamira Wilson: "My practice is rooted in geometric abstraction as a form of inquiry, a way of thinking through color, rhythm and structure."

ess mckee: "My artistic style is bold, colorful and directly influenced by graffiti and hip-hop culture. I've always been drawn to graffiti styles and started my journey just sketching and drawing characters and lettering."

If you go

Inflation is the uninvited guest at your Super Bowl party this year.

Why it matters: Let's be real, no one wants to see the Patriots earn another ring. We're here for the snacks.

State of play: Total Super Bowl spending could climb around 9% this year compared to last, hitting a record $20.2 billion, driven largely by food and drinks, the National Retail Federation predicts.

• Grocery prices were up roughly 2.4% in December compared to a year earlier, weighing on household budgets even as overall inflation held steady.

By the numbers: Prices for meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits, veggies, alcohol and soft drinks all rose over the past year, according to federal data.

Between the lines: Certain household and watch-party staples saw double-digit price hikes from the prior year, including beef (+16%) and candy (+10%).

The bottom line: Consider cutting back on wings and soda for Sunday's game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.