Running from Hurricane Alex
Hurricane Alex approaching Brownsville, TX, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Well, I get to find out first hand just how good South Texas' freeway system is tomorrow morning as I will be hightailing it out of Brownsville headed for Houston. Here is a shot of Alex approaching, taken in Brownsville.
Hurricance Alex from Brownsville, TX, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Father’s Day in Indianapolis, a photo tour
Full Bike Rack @ Henry's on East, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
This past Sunday, was my first Father's Day. My wife and son had put together a large plan of things to do for the day. First, we started with breakfast @ Henry's on East who make a pretty good sausage and egg croissant. We did a lap around the block of Mass Ave, Park Ave and East Street before getting in the car to make our way to the next stop. Here are a few photos from our trip around the block.
Classic Car, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Our next stop, was going to be the IMA and it's new 100 Acres Art's Park. The grand opening was planned for Father's Day. However, we made a stop by one notable construction project going on located on the NW Side of downtown. The Fall Creek YMCA is being mowed down to make way for a brand new mixed use development. Here is a shot of the demolition progress thus far. There are still floor lamps and drapes hanging in each room. It looked like something out of post war eastern Europe...
Fall Creek YMCA, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
After that, we headed over to the IMA. We arrived around noon-ish in hopes of beating the would-be crowd for the Grand Opening of the 100 Acres Arts Park. The park is located on the grounds of the IMA, but is considered a bit of a walk (especially if you have a stroller) from the main building. As such, the IMA was offering a shuttle from the main building, down 38th street and dropping off along the White River parking lot area.
IMA Trolley Shuttle, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
We managed to fold down the stroller and pack in and make the short journey over. The trolley was merely a bus painted up to look like a classic streetcar. Too bad there isn't a REAL rail streetcar in Indy. 
Once we got off, and walked into the park, we were greeted by a TON of people and all sorts of festivities. There was a giant grasshopper greeting people right at the entrance.
Giant Grasshopper & my son, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
As we went further into the park, most of the trailway was paved with some sort of clay. It was squishy and moist, but we were able to easily push the stroller along, even deep into the network of trails through the woods. We made it as deep as the visitor's pavilion where we took a rest and had some water.
100 Acres Visitor's Pavilion, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
After running into a few friends, Mark Cline of Fun-City-Finder, and Graeme Sharp of local blog A Place of Sense, we made our way back to the trolley pick up. What followed was a taxing wait in the very hot Indiana heat of the weekend. I could feel my pores going wide open as the swear poured forth! We managed to keep little Oscar cool with fans and when the trolley made it's way back, we got on and into some air conditioning; a welcome feeling indeed! The ride back however, was much longer. The roads in this area are designed in such a way that you cannot simpy turn back and go the roughly 1/4 mile back up 38th street to the IMA building. We had to take a 4 mile route back through some side streets with a stop at the Major Taylor Velodrome to pick up more people. By the time we made it back to the IMA, we were drenched in sweat and ready to get off! The large amount of people made for a stuffy ride back, but I wasn't complaining. Now, if we could just manage to find a way to get this many people on an IndyGO bus, we would be doing great! I leave you with a parting shot of your's truly all drenched in sweat riding the trolley back. Hope you all had a great Father's Day! I sure did! 
Your's Truly on IMA Shuttle Trolley, photo by my wife, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
When preserving 20th century architecture goes wrong
"Sometime's doing the right thing, ain't doing the right thing!" -Sgt Hondo/Samuel L Jackson, SWAT
Northview Shopping Center "Mall", Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
I imagine that is how the owner of the Northview Shopping Center located on Indianapolis' far north side on 86th street is feeling these days. The shopping center is a throwback to what I am guessing is 70's construction architecture. As you can see from the photos, it is a structure that is devoid of any head turning character. It is an uninspiring gray brick structure with green accents, it is setback from the street and the tall trees that border the street it lies on, effectively cut it off leaving the structure saying loudly, "I AM HERE! COME IN! Please?"
Entrance to Northview Shopping Center, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
In an attempt to channel my inner American Dirt, I offer a bit of a precursor to this story. It started last winter (i think, it was before my now 10 week old son was born) when my wife and I were in the Target Shopping Center located on 86th street. The Target shopping center is a moment's drive down the street from the Northview Shopping Center is as you would expect from a suburban big box store, is located waaaaay off the street, and is accompanied by a modern looking strip mall. It is within this strip mall that our story begins to take shape.
Cord Camera, new location @ Target Nora, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Cord Camera is located in this modern strip mall. Cord is a purveyor of camera equipment as well as a store that offers some scrapbooking and other activities. They carry everything you would except to find in a store of this kind. The reason that we entered the store this day, was because Cord had moved here recently from it's prior location at the Northview Shopping Center. My wife and I struck up a conversation with the associate behind the counter and apparently he was a person in a position of decision making power because he relayed a story about how Cord, who had been located for many years in the Northview Shopping Center, wanted to renovate the exterior of the building to try and attract higher foot traffic into it's retail store.
Map displaying distance Cord Camera moved
The owner of the shopping center, did not like this idea. According to the associate, they wanted to pull down some of the signage and awning work that adorns the side of the building, and put up some more colorful and what I'd call "head turning" features onto the building. The shopping center owners said no. The associate at Cord told us that the owners of the shopping center wanted to maintain the older feel of the building, and denied any radical alterations to the exterior of the building. So, Cord moved. In doing so, they also managed to lock in a low rent at their new location due in part to the recession hitting at this time and rents being at an all time low. Also, they are now adjacent to a Hallmark store that gets a lot of traffic as well as Target which attracts a shall we say, not as cheap shopper. In business terms, I bet they did a backflip when they locked this deal up.
Cord Camera old location @ Northview Shopping Center, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
As you can see from the photos in this blog post taken in mid June 2010, the old store front at the Northview Shopping Center still retains the Cord singage; which I will point out is also generic and devoid of the specific branding that Cord was "allowed" to put on the store front of it's new location. Obviously, no one has taken up residence in the old location. I remain skeptic that they will be able to find someone who carried as big a name as Cord without relinquishing some of their desires on the exterior appearance of the building. Also given that the owners haven't even sent anyone out there to take the old signage down to make their building look like it's open for a new tennant displays an air of laziness to me.
So, as I said in the opening of this post. Even though it is admirable what the shopping center's owners wanted to accomplish, Im sure that they are scratching their head trying to figure out how to fill the hole in their yearly budget and questioning the decision to not allow Cord to modify the building.
Indiana Wildflowers in Full Bloom
Indiana Wildflowers, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Even though I have become a staunch advocate of public transportation improvements, I still rely daily on my automobile to get to and from work.
Indiana Wildflowers, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Where I work, all the exits between Indianapolis and Ft Wayne have been seeded with Indiana wildflowers. At least, that is what I have been told. Whether or not it was deliberate, they are there, at every exit that I pass and they are in full bloom. I managed to snap a couple photos tonight before I left work to show how beautiful they look. Enjoy my not so transportation related photo post today.
Indiana Wildflowers, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Spreading the news about the Oakland Streetcar Plan
The Oakland Streetcar Plan
If you are plugged in to the streetsblog network, you have undoubtedly heard about the recently released Oakland Streetcar Plan. If you are not, and are simply a local, I would be remiss to not be advocating for such a great idea. According to the website,
"The study was put together by Daniel Jacobson, an undergraduate student at Stanford University. This plan was created out of a nine month long independent study project at Stanford University and received $1,275 in research funding from the Stanford Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education. This plan consulted numerous public agencies and professional firms, but is an independent grassroots project and is not affiliated with the city of Oakland or any businesses or organizations."
Reading through the plan reminds me of a feasibility study that I would expect to see from HTNB or a similar engineering firm who make a living doing this kind of work on contract with cities. The big kicker is that Daniel was able to put this study together for nearly nothing interms of dollars expended and when compared to what professional firms charge, is a drop in the bucket.
This speaks of a big problem in the industry when a student who is not affiliated with anyone is able to whip out a study like this at NO EXPENSE WHATSOEVER to tax payers. Merely the will to see something happen, and some knowledge picked up along the way and some consultation with a few autorities on the topic. Think of the amount of money that cities could save, if this type of practice were more commonly accepted?
Anyway, take a look at the study. Its 140 pages, is professionaly prepared, and worth every bit of your time in digging the fine details out.
Where old bike frames go to die: Upland Brewery in Indy
Bike Rack, Upland Brewery, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Full disclosure. I haven't done enough research on this topic yet. But I couldn't help but post up a picture of the cool bike rack fronting the Upland Brewery Tasting Room in Midtown Indianapolis. Located at the intersection of 49th and College Ave, the newly opened place has this rack sitting out front.
My wife and I were out in downtown last night and on our way home, we stopped and I was able to snap this photo. I am going to attempt to do some research to shed some more light on this rack. See who made it, and if there are others like it in existence around Indy. You can't dismiss the attention this brings to you store when it is sitting out front. Having a newborn at home, I haven't been able to make it out to a bar lately, but Upland is on my short list of places to visit in the near term.
Hey Indy how about a REAL plan for the Circle
Monument Circle, downtown Indy, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
There has been a lot of hub-bub about closing the Monument Circle to automobile traffic here in Indianapolis. Recently, city officials announced that they were going to close the monument circle, a known and admired shared space, to autos for the month of August. Simply as a trial run, they wanted to see how well the space would perform, devoid of cars. While the circle currently offers no REAL amenities to draw people, officials believed that the merits of the monument as a gathering place today, would spawn further pedestrian oriented development.
Street Market, Venice, IT, Nikon D70 w/ Tamron 19-35 f3.5
Frankly, this seems a little odd being that no permanent plans can be laid with only a single month planned for closure. Further more, how do you simulate the real thing when you close it down for only a month? How do we keep traditionally auto-oriented clients like the Columbia Club and the Theater happy? (they both have valet parking BTW)
Today, the city rescinded the plan in light of putting it back on the table. Apparently, too many people complained about the closure including a group of local architects crying foul on how poor a decision this could turn out to be.
So now that we are back at square one, how about a REAL plan Indianapolis? How can we develop a plan that actually makes this a winning idea? Can we create a transportation system that brings people, not just the poor who are the major demographic riding the laughable public transportation system, to the circle? Can local officials haggle with the owners of the buildings fronting the circle to entice them to open up the ground level, circle facing frontage to retail and/or restaurants? Given a firm plan, with committments from private owners on the circle, a great plan could be hatched to truly make this a public space.
Sidewalk Caffe, Rome IT, Nikon D70 w/ Tamron 19-35 f3.5
Perhaps the final solution involves limited automobile access to places like the Columbia Club and the Theater. Or maybe the winter months when there is not a large amount of people, discounting Christmas and the festival of lights perhaps.
Maybe we can channel a little bit of Europe and create the magic that they enjoy by really creating an environment that brings people in; nice places to eat, and fun things to purchase while enjoying the downtown area.
Placemaking on Mass Ave
IndyGO Route 17 @ Mass, NJ & Michigan, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Recently, the Riley Area Development Corporation launched an effort titled, "Placemaking on Mass Ave" as a way to gather some public input on improving the areas along and adjacent to Mass Ave in downtown Indy. No doubt, for you locals, we already know how great Mass Ave has become compared to what it has been in years past.
Sculpture @ Mass, NJ & Michigan, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
However, there is still much remaining to do to create a place that truly delivers. There are blocks that cut off the lower and upper ends. There are arterial streets that make it difficult to get across. Affordable housing is not to be found unless you are on government assistance. However, those things said, it is still a great place.
Sculpture @ the lower end of Mass Ave, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
I recently asked a friend of mine who runs a shop on Mass Ave, how the public input meetings went, and how the effort was going to proceed. She told me a few things and accordingly, Bill Brooks of the Urban Times penned an article expounding on the fine points.
Im anxious to see how these suggestions come to fruition. They may seem minor, but I have a feeling that they may create a pretty good impact on the community.
Small scale community gardening on Indy’s eastside
Tux Community Garden, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
A couple whom I would consider good friends have started a small community garden on the east side of Indianapolis. They live in a house and own the neighboring lot as well where a house once stood.
Tux Community Garden, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
In it's place, a small community garden is taking shape, as well as a gathering space for other members of the neighborhood. Allen and Kristin Bunch maintain the property along with a number of folks living "on mission" with them. The concept took hold last summer as a group of 11 of us attended Guatemala on a week long trip with Indy Metro Church. What resulted, was a strong will to affect positive change.
Tux Community Garden, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
The "Tux Community Garden" while small, still serves a purpose for the right reasons, helping people out. Allen told me that they will be showing some movies on a projecter screen this year. They have already shown Honey I Shrunk The Kids previously. The aim is to help bring the people of the neighborhood together in a positive fashion.
Allen Bunch, owner & "Master Gardener", Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Out and about in Indy, Napolese and the Circle
The past week presented my new family with many opportunities to get out and about in Indianapolis. We had a great time enjoying some of the things that our hometown has to offer. We started Memorial Day weekend by visiting a new pizza joint in Midtown Indy called Napolese. An offshoot of the popular Cafe Patachou local chain, Napolese offers what they call "Artisanal Pizza".
My Wife enjoying our Pizza @ Napolese, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Im here to tell you that whatever it is, it is pretty good. I enjoy almost any pizza from a store bought frozen pizza baked in the oven to deep dish Chicago style. I have to admit though, this was the first time I had enjoyed pizza of this nature. It was thin, of a not so round shape, but the ingredients were great! Good cheese and the pepperoni was sliced in thick, large pieces. We had the classic. Along with a Sun King Pale Ale, I could not have asked for much more out of the dining experience.
Oscar on the Circle, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Last night, we took my son downtown for his first visit to Monument Circle. We wanted to get some good 2 month photos, and my wife had her D700 out taking some good photos. I managed to snap a few good ones with my D90 though. Enjoy the photos, we sure had a great time out enjoying the different spaces our fine city has to offer.
Chase Tower & Monument Circle, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
Indiana State House & Key Bank Tower, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4