INDIANAPOLIS — New luxury developments and sports centers will soon reshape the city’s skyline as the Downtown Indy Alliance looks ahead to a period of what’s described as rapid growth.
The nonprofit on Thursday highlighted upcoming city projects, including the Ritz-Carlton hotel and adjacent Live Nation music venue, and the Indiana Fever Sports Performance Center as evidence of rising confidence in the city’s core.
The Downtown Indy Alliance‘s annual State of Downtown was Thursday night at the historic Scottish Rite Cathedral Thursday afternoon.
Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett said at the event that the Fever’s new facility will help elevate women’s sports nationally, something the team has done in the past two years with key players Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, who were in Las Vegas preparing for a game in the WNBA playoffs.
The alliance’s president, Taylor Schaffer, said of the State of Downtown’s findings, “More than 50% of people said that downtown is in a better position today than it was five years ago,” when the city was emerging from the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
The organization’s data showed a workforce of 148,000 people with an average hourly wage of $31.34. Economic activity generated $40 million in income tax and $140 million in property tax.
Safety and cleanliness also showed improvement in the findings.
A recent survey found 65% of residents and workers feel safe downtown, an 8% increase from 2025. Schaffer attributed that rise to a partnership with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, noting that violent crime has fallen about 30% in 2026 compared to this time a year earlier. She noted that perceptions sometimes can lag behind that decrease in violent crime.
The survey also noted that 58% of respondents believe downtown is cleaner, up 8% from 2023.
Beyond infrastructure, cultural initiatives are gaining momentum, the State of Downtown reported. Epicurean Indy, a community project uniting global chefs living in the city, recently won one of the Indy Arts Council’s ARTI awards. The project’s co-founder, Ariel Hendrickson, recalled her co-founder, Youssef Boudarine, suggesting they gather immigrant and minority chefs to highlight those who drive the city’s culinary identity but often go unrecognized.
The Downtown Indy Alliance also announced Thursday that it plans to update its website soon to include more resources and a schedule of upcoming events.
