Built between1910 to 1940, Emerson Heights is a snapshot in time revealing much about early 20th Century Indianapolis’s architecture and development.

One hundred years later, Emerson Heights has retained its character of a stable middle and working class neighborhood, thanks in part to the many residents who have provided leadership over the years and the numerous activities that take place annually. However, we have our challenges as well…as does any urban neighborhood. These challenges also present us with opportunities.





In September of 2011, Emerson Heights Community Organization engaged students and faculty from Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning in an intensive design exercise for our neighborhood and surrounding areas.


The process took place over three days and featured input from the community and key stakeholders for initial ideas as well as refining those initial concepts. The project was funded through the generosity of Community Health Network and Indy-East Asset Development.



The analysis and results can be viewed in the document below. The ideas in the document are just initial concepts- they are not anything like final designs. We encourage residents, property owners, and other community stakeholders to review the document and give us feedback.

Our intent is to develop an implementation plan – prioritizing projects that are readily achievable while creating momentum for more ambitious projects. The working group for the Implementation Plan will be the Revitalization Committee, which meets the first Thursday of the month.

Please contact us if you are interested in participating in the working group developing the implementation plan. You may contact Rebecca Seifert or Kurt Wiegand at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or attend a monthly meeting to comment or participate.

Emerson Heights Charrette Document
Note: The document is quite large – approximately 30megs.

Neighborhood history displayed on prominent plaque at 10th and Dequincy Streets.

A new marker that tells the brief history of our neighborhood was unveiled at our Fall cleanup. The historic marker will help to inform future residents and visitors of our neighborhood's past as a streetcar suburb, and its significance as a microcosm of development at the beginning of the 20th century. It also notes that we are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Thanks to everyone who donated for the sign project and to Don Bailey for spearheading the effort.

Design Charrette with Ball State University
Sept 15 - 17, 2011

Through the generosity of Community Health Network and Indy-east Asset Development, Emerson Heights Community Organization will be engaging the Ball State College of Architecture and Planning to conduct a planning and visioning charrette to be kicked off at the September 15th neighborhood meeting, and will continue Friday, September 16th and Saturday, September 17th.

The Friday and Saturday sessions will be held at Community Hospital East. Brad Beaubien will lead the sessions and will have with him students from both the Ball State and Kent State Colleges of Architecture to help facilitate the charrette.

A charrette is a very quick way of coming up with ideas…and you are invited to attend to share your ideas and vision about Emerson Heights. Built between1910 to 1940, Emerson Heights is a snapshot in time revealing much about early 20th Century Indianapolis’s architecture and development.

One hundred years later, Emerson Heights has retained its character of a stable middle and working class neighborhood, thanks in part to the many residents who have provided leadership over the years and the numerous activities that take place annually such as tree plantings, neighborhood clean-ups, plantings in the esplanades, a monthly newsletter, a monthly neighborhood meeting, etc. However, we have our challenges as well…as does any urban neighborhood- challenges also present opportunities.

Thursday, Sept 15 6:30 – 8pm Town Hall Meeting-Issues & Opportunities – for the Emerson Heights Neighborhood – held at Wallace Street Evangelical Church.

Friday, Sept 16 9am to 8pm: Work Session-Analysis & Alternatives – for Emerson Heights residents and key stakeholders. – This will be a day where ideas can be shared – so be creative and share your vision. 6pm: Pin-Up Review: Join the team for an informal presentation of ideas developed during the day. – Held at Community Hospital East.

Saturday, Sept 17 9am to 5pm: Work Session-Proposal & Strategy Development for Emerson Heights residents and key stakeholders. 4pm: Presentation: Join the team for a presentation of the workshop results. A formal, final presentation will be made at the October neighborhood association meeting. Held at Community Hospital East.


Update: See the results of the Charrette here:

Paramount School of Excellence
Accepting applications

There is a new charter school on the Near East Side. The Paramount School of Excellence is located at 3020 Nowland Avenue. The school is accepting applications now.

The school is K-8th grade.

Testing and academic performance information for Paramount School of Excellence. Note: This is a new school and early test results will tend to reflect the success of the schools that the students came from rather than this school.

This school is a community asset and one of many schools with a track record of academic performance that serve Emerson Heights. Click here for a list of other schools.


About Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools in that they receive public funding, but are subject to fewer regulations. They were recently introduced as an alternative to public schools and as a way to introduce some level of choice and competition into public education. These schools are encouraged to utilize different teaching methods and therefore a given school may not be a good fit for every family.

Charter schools must be open to all students and may not have competitive admission policies. When there are more applicants than positions, the school must implement a lottery for the positions. Usually they give priority to continuing students and siblings of those students so that all of the children from a family can attend the same school. Since these are public schools, there is no tuition.

Students from Emerson Heights may attend any charter school; however, since transportation is typically not provided, nearby schools have been highlighted. Carpooling with a neighbor is a potential way of reducing the transportation burden.

This school is a community asset. We look forward to it joining the many schools with a track record of academic performance that serve Emerson Heights. Click here for a list of other schools.

The Emerson Heights neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places 3/31/2010.

Emerson Heights Community Organization is proud to announce that the neighborhood was formally listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The neighborhood has taken this step because being on the National Register of Historic Places is a rigorous process that clearly demonstrates that the neighborhood is historically significant. It’s our hope that it encourages both current residents and future residents to preserve the historic fabric of the neighborhood.

National Register status makes tax credits available to owners of contributing properties and makes it easier to market the neighborhood to people who want to invest in a historic community. In addition, the research and documentation that went into the nomination will help to preserve and interpret our neighborhood for the future.

Connie Ziegler of C Resources, Indianapolis, was hired to research, document and write the application. Funding for the nomination was provided by the Indianapolis Foundation, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana and neighborhood residents. A big "Thank You" to each of them.

The complete nomination application is very thorough, provides an excellent reference document and shows which structures are contributing and non-contributing.

The listing is as follows:

INDIANA, MARION COUNTY,
Emerson Heights Historic District,
Roughly bounded by Emerson Ave., Linwood Ave., E. 10th and E. Michigan Sts., Indianapolis, 10000125, LISTED, 3/31/10 (Historic Residential Suburbs in the United States, 1830-1960 MPS)

Steer-In voted best Breakfast Place!





Two neighborhood businesses maked the "Best of Indy" list. The Steer In (Best breakfast place) and Si Greene's Pub (Best Irish Bar).

See historic photos of the Steer In

Also, several other Eastside establishments are on the list including Jockamo's (Best Pizza), El Sol (best Mexican Restaurant ) the Golden Ace (Best Irish Bar), Papa Roux (Best Cheap Eats), Snips (Best Hair Salon) and Indy Cycle Specialist "Best Bike Shop"


We are proud to make the list - Be sure to visit these establishments and congratulate them!

Opening Spring 2010. The store will be located at 2828 East 10th Street.



With a goal of providing affordable, healthy food options to the community, Indy Food Cooperative, Inc. announces its first non-profit, community-owned grocery store will open at 2828 East 10th Street in Spring 2010 as Pogue's Run Grocer.

"Pogue's Run Grocer seeks to improve the quality of life in Indianapolis by providing the community with access to good food, while supporting the local economy instead of national grocery chains," said Kyle Hendrix, president of Indy Food Cooperative.

"Nearly 200 households representing residents all across Indianapolis have joined as members of the cooperative, but putting Indy's only non-profit, storefront grocery store in an underserved area of the city meets an important mission of our group," continued Hendrix,

This week, Indy Food Cooperative announces the signing of a lease for a building that has sat empty along a blighted section of East 10th Street for five years, the former Lane TV building. Volunteers of the cooperative will begin demolishing the interior walls on August 8 in preparation for the transformation of the space into a grocery store.

"Finding an adaptive reuse for this property will preserve and improve another building as well as provide jobs and a living wage -- a touchdown for the community and a great start to the 2012 Super Bowl Legacy project goal to revitalize the 10th Street Corridor during the next three years," said Patrick Dooley, co-chair of the 2012 Super Bowl Legacy's committee for economic development along the corridor.

Over the next three months, the 70 year old building near the intersection of 10th and Rural Streets will be renovated into a 3,000 square foot full-line grocery store. Shelves will be lined with fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, poultry, personal care items and more. Members receive discounts on their purchases and other benefits, but the store will be open to the general public.

"Building a strong neighborhood relies upon people working together and the Indy Food Co-op's investment in this community demonstrates the positive impact neighbors can make. The Food Co-op will bring fresh food back into our neighborhood -- making it available to residents that do not have access to a grocery store," continued Dooley.

"The location offers a central location and is conveniently accessible by car, bike, bus or foot," added Hendrix. "Pogue's Run Grocer will be a true community marketplace to benefit those who care about health, and who believe that good food should be affordable and accessible to all."

Indy Food Co-op is currently looking for additional members before the store opens. Please take this opportunity to join.

Indy Food Co-op

We can't do it without your support.

This is Your Organization
Emerson Heights Community Organization is made up of neighborhood residents volunteering to preserve the historic, cultural and economic value of our community. In addition to volunteers, EHCO needs the financial support of its residents to operate.

What We Do Costs Money
Although we try to keep our expenses low, there are day-to-day operating expenses for the newsletter, the website, post office box, answering service, insurance, etc.

In addition, special projects require some investment as well. For example: We are very grateful for the pro-bono legal help in closing Dream Weaver’s, but we did have some expenses. The National Register nomination was largely funded by generous grants; however, EHCO is still required to match those grants. EHCO also buys the food after the neighborhood cleanups and makes up the shortfall in donations for the Christmas party. In the past, most of these expenses have been paid for by individual members and/or members of the Executive Committee.



We are Asking Each Household for an Annual Donation
Rather than a few people shouldering the financial burden for the entire neighborhood, we are asking each household to show its support for EHCO by donating $12 per year. We realize not every household will be able to participate – but we would like as many households as possible to contribute. Some people are willing and able to do more and we appreciate that.


Annual Support Options
Neighborhood Friends $12 per year
Neighborhood Supporters $25 per year
Neighborhood Builders $60 per year
Neighborhood Leaders $120 per year




Please make the check payable to:

Emerson Heights Community Organization
PO Box 11686, Indianapolis, IN 46201

Donors will be listed in our neighborhood newsletter.

Emerson Heights Community Organization is an all volunteer, non-profit organization but is not registered as a 501c3 and donations are not tax deductible.

We often drive past the brick entrance columns to our neighborhood and don’t give them a second thought; however, these columns are important. The columns mark the edges of the community in addition to identifying it. They set our neighborhood apart and are a visible link to our past.

The entrance columns set the tone for the neighborhood – The brick construction with a “limestone” cap is similar to the design of our front porch columns, often even using the same color and style of brick. Being of a more recent era, they are an intentionally less ornate design than the Victorian era entrance markers in Woodruff Place, for example.

These columns were built at the same time the neighborhood was being developed, making them 100 years old. You can imagine how they helped identify the neighborhood for passengers on the streetcar line that ran along Michigan and Emerson. They are also one of the features of our neighborhood that reflect the City Beautiful design movement. You can see early photos of the columns in the photo gallery on our website under “Development Book”. We aren’t aware of any columns ever being on 10th Street.

Unfortunately many of these columns are in poor condition. Some have been altered, poorly repaired or are missing altogether. EHCO has been exploring ways that we can restore the existing columns and replace the ones that are missing entirely. Of course we want to be sensitive to the original columns by using the same type of brick, mortar and methods. We also want to avoid changing the basic design.

The goal is to have the columns completed well in advance of the centennial celebration for our neighborhood in 2012.With a restoration that focuses on staying true to the original intent of these columns, as well as structural integrity, we can highlight the link to the past, mark the neighborhood boundaries and again set the tone of the neighborhood for another 100 years in the future.

The entrance column restoration is a project of the EHCO Revitalization Committee. We need volunteers who will help manage projects like this. To volunteer, contact Rebecca Seifert or Kurt Wiegand.