“Heartland Slam,” a mural by Indianapolis-based artist Jingo M. de la Rosa, was displayed on the exterior of the Indianapolis Artsgarden during 2024’s NBA All-Star Weekend. The Indy Arts Council operates the Artsgarden. (IBJ photo/Lesley Weidenbener)
The developer behind plans to overhaul Circle Centre Mall as an open-air, mixed-use campus is evaluating what might come next for the Indianapolis Artsgarden, the glass-domed landmark connected to the mall’s northwest corner.
Wisconsin-based Hendricks Commercial Properties has had early conversations about options with the Indy Arts Council, which owns the event and exhibition space looming over the intersection of Washington and Illinois streets and likely would have the final say in what becomes of it.
Hendricks also is in discussions with city officials and downtown business leaders about what should become of the 30-year-old structure.
Among the options on the table are renovating the Artsgarden, rebuilding it or even relocating it to another intersection in downtown Indianapolis, according to stakeholders.
“What’s important is, where do we want to take the Artsgarden in the future?” said Rob Gerbitz, CEO of Hendricks. “We want it to be a space that people can come in and gather and go there.”
Hendricks has not come to any conclusions on the best solution for the space, which hosts hundreds of events every year including weddings, banquets and community activities. But the structure has begun to show its age in certain areas, including infrastructure elements like the HVAC system.
Hendricks, which assists on maintenance for the Artsgarden just as the former mall ownership group did, expects major renovations will be needed to update the space. In recent years, the audio and video systems were upgraded, but Gerbitz said some of the glass needs to be replaced and the mechanical systems need serious work.
The developer is working closely with the Arts Council on finding the right path for the structure, which connects to each of the four buildings on the corners of the intersection via skywalks as part of downtown’s extensive sheltered-walkway system.
Two of those connectors—for Circle Centre and the Embassy Suites hotel—are original to the Artsgarden’s construction. When the Conrad Indianapolis hotel was built in 2006, it was also connected into the dome. The PNC Center connector was added in 2011.
Early plans for Hendricks’ planned $600 million overhaul of Circle Centre first were announced in December 2023.
While the company is evaluating how the Artsgarden could continue to tie in former mall space, another option on the table is relocating the structure altogether, which could involve a physical move of the existing Artsgarden or building a new iteration at another location.
“It doesn’t have to be there—we certainly don’t really feel it has to be there,” Gerbitz said. “But it’s about working with [the Arts Council] and saying, ‘OK, what is the best long-term future?’ We think it’s an important piece, certainly as a structure, right now. But is that the best location, or is there’s a better location? Let’s figure out what that is. We’re just trying to think of different ideas.”
When it opened Sept. 8, 1995, the Artsgarden was considered a crown jewel for downtown’s growing event industry, offering a flexible performing arts and gathering space in a unique location, suspended 17 feet above a major intersection.
The $12 million facility was paid for through a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The Artsgarden is a major source of revenue for the Indy Arts Council. The venue hosted 218 events in 2024 and 263 events in 2023.
“We are in conversation with Hendricks as the developer, but also with other civic partners and the city and other stakeholders on continuing to ideate on what this could be and what it means for the future,” said Melissa Rowe, director of marketing and communications for Indy Arts Council.
Rowe acknowledged that there are some challenges with operating the space, including heating and cooling in extreme temperatures. But she added that having the structure directly connected to the surrounding buildings has been a major selling point over the years.
“We value the connectivity of it, for sure,” she said, noting the proximity to hotels and access to multiple parking garages. “But if other solutions are being proposed, we’re open to hearing what those may be. … We’ve heard [moving the Artsgarden] proposed as one of the many options, but we don’t have any specifics on what that could look like.”
Rowe said she expects the Arts Council to be able to take a closer look at the future of the space once an ongoing venue assessment is completed this autumn. The assessment is meant to inventory all of the performance spaces in Indianapolis to identify areas of opportunity for the organization.
Taylor Schaffer, president of Downtown Indy Inc., said that regardless of what ultimately happens with the Artsgarden, she’s pleased that Hendricks is taking a hard look at not only Circle Centre but the area surrounding it.
“It’s been exciting to hear Hendricks continue to acknowledge the importance of that venue and supporting those goals of the Arts Council,” she said. “It’s indicative of how the developer has approached this project from the outset–really thinking holistically about the impact on the users of downtown.
A representative of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hendricks, which is several years into the Bottleworks District revamp on downtown’s northeast side, plans to spend up to $300 million in a multiyear first phase of the Circle Centre redevelopment.
Those initial plans are largely expected to focus on the southern block of the property, which has been closed for the past several months for pre-construction activity.
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