July 19, 2023

Indianapolis finalizes purchase of historic Drake building

The Drake building. (Jill Sheridan/WFYI)

The Drake building. (Jill Sheridan/WFYI)

The City of Indianapolis has acquired a historic apartment building that stood at the center of a four-year disagreement. The Drake was owned by the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, which wanted to raze the building.

A historic preservation designation in 2019 stopped those plans, and the museum launched a lawsuit.

The city’s purchase of the Drake for just over $1 million also ends the suit.

"We're moving forward with a plan to preserve and restore the Drake's historical significance to the community and expand opportunities for Indianapolis residents along a transit corridor,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a statement.

The Metropolitan Development Corporation will put out a request for proposals to redevelop the building into affordable housing.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @JillASheridan.

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