There’s a new lodging development that’s come to Indianapolis and it’s brought an amazing collection of Marriott properties together in one location. In the location of the old Marriott Courtyard property across from the Eiteljorg Museum, there are now three new Marriott properties open and ready to host visitors to Indianapolis. Soon the upscale and luxurious JW Marriott hotel will join its siblings at The Marriott Place.

Situated between the best minor league ballpark in the world, Victory Field to the south, the Eiteljorg Museum to the north, White River State Park to the west and the expanding, new convention center to the east; The Marriott Place location is the place to be in Indy for your next business meeting or vacation.

With a fresh new look to hotel design and interiors, the Courtyard Marriot, Fairfield Inn & Suites and Spring Hill Suites are ready and bursting with modern comforts and functionality for visitors to our city.

In the current economy, White Lodging, REI Real Estate Services and Marriott have teamed up with the city to pour significant investment into what will be a hub for meetings and convention space in years to come!

To choose Indianapolis for this type of investment says quite a bit about what the future holds for our great city.

After 3 years in their location, feuds with Horizon Property Group finally put an end to their business. These guys never played fair… they didn’t fix broken stucco on the outside of the mall for 3 years, there are plants growing in the gutters in the back of the building, and worse of all… they continued to up the maintenance fees to cover other issues with their building and the lack of tenants.

A salon that had been here over 25 years was the last tenant to leave, and it was ugly, too. Just check with the owners. There’s a chiropractor shop that appears open, but closed many months ago… giving a wrong impression to those who might drive by thinking that there are businesses in the mall.

This isn’t how to treat a business that has brought tons of traffic from all over Indiana. Right now there are people in here from Fishers, Carmel, Indianapolis, Southport, Franklin and Greenwood. It’s the last day and we’re saying Thanks! the only way we know how. We’re buying coffee and saying thanks to The Bean Cup for the special time that they brought us.

How did Horizon show its thanks? At the exact moment that Horizon Property Group executives were in trying to keep The Bean Cup, they had their property manager soliciting another coffee shop in town to see if it wanted to expand… knowing that the owners were related to Chris. After that didn’t work, they took out an advertisement in the Sunday Star advertising that The Bean Cup was for lease. They mentioned it by name.

They came in and took photos inside the store, walls filled with art that The Bean Cup brought in, so they could advertise how to do it right for their next tenant. They also solicited the employees to see if they’d like to work at the next coffee shop… while The Bean Cup was still in business.

Now, on the farewell day, Horizon Property Group posted posters in the empty store next door to promote that a new Coffee Shop is opening in a couple weeks. I don’t wish ill will on the new owners, but I won’t have any part in the new shop because I won’t support any business in a Horizon Property Group property. I’m boycotting them. This isn’t how you treat people in Indiana. This isn’t the Smoosier spirit.

This isn’t how commercial real estate properties should do business in this economy.

The Bean Cup was a success despite its location. It was a success because of the love and dedication of its owners. The Bean Cup wasn’t the walls or the floor or the strip mall. Horizon Property Group really threw away a gem with The Bean Cup. It was bad business, it was mean, and it was unnecessary. The Bean Cup will rise again at a location where they own the property or the property owners appreciate their tenants.

Just a note: I was never going to ever post about Horizon. But on this special day, a farewell day to The Bean Cup, putting up posters next door was a slap in the face that I couldn’t stand by and watch. I’m posting this at Smaller Indiana as well.

The Mission:

Hoosier hospitality is inherent in all of us. It’s caring on a personal level. It’s performing random acts of kindness. It’s giving a ride to a friend, helping a sick neighbor or simply buying a stranger a cup of coffee. In these challenging times, the Indianapolis Colts are launching the “Help a Hoosier…and then some” campaign to help strengthen our community and empower Hoosiers to create change by engaging in random acts of kindness across the State of Indiana.

Go to The Colts’ Help a Hoosier Site to participate.

One of the posts that continues to get ongoing traffic on the I Choose Indy site is the one about Extreme Home Makeover coming to Indy.

There’s now confirmation of a little bit more of the details and they sound good. The IBJ.com has announced that Estridge has been chosen as the builder behind the project. The deserving family will be notified on March 27th.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will be filming the Indianapolis build as their special 2-hour season finale episode.

Estridge has already setup a special section on their website for more information. They’re taking further advantage of the social media scene by allowing you to follow their build on twitter and Facebook as well.

Image Source: CelebChitChat

The Indiana Live Casino opened this past weekend out in Shelbyville. Celebrity A-List couple Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake were scheduled to be in attendance but no-showed. Rumors are flying now on if the promoters and organizers actually ever planned for them to be in attendance.

I remember hearing a radio advertisement proclaiming their attendance and thought to myself, "Hey, that’s kind of cool". I’m not the casino/gambling type so I wouldn’t have attended regardless, but thought it was a nice touch they actually got some celebrities to show up.

The rumors being speculated are that there were no real preparations that had taken place that you would normally expect to see at an event or venue when celebrities would be in attendance.

Indiana Live Casino has also been forced to take down their use of imagery and audio that makes you think of President of the United States Barack Obama in their advertising and promotion.

Were their names used merely as a marketing ploy? What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

An early morning fire at a downtown construction project has done considerable damage. The new condo luxury apartment project, Cosmopolitan on the Canal, is a large, luxury development. The fire also damaged the building were the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana resides.

The project is very close to one of my clients and I’ve driven by the location regularly and have been impressed with the development and design of the project. It’s sad to see so much work ruined so quickly on the $28 million dollar project.

Damage to the building is significant but they hope to save as much as they can in order to keep moving forward.

Here’s another interesting video footage from the recent RCA Dome implosion. Very cool angle for the video.

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San Diego Chargers v Indianapolis Colts

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San Diego Chargers v Indianapolis Colts

INDIANAPOLIS – JANUARY 13: A general view of the interior of the RCA DOme from field level during the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers at the RCA Dome on January 13, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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The new Lucas Oil Stadium is a beautiful facility, but it’s going to be somewhat of a sad day to see the RCA Dome take it’s final bow as the facility that held the Colts for their entire Indianapolis career up to this point as the picture above gracefully captures.

Perhaps it being a sad day is a good thing though. If you’re going to be so sad you should just stay at home and record the demolition on your own time when you’re good and ready for it. Whatever you do, the experts are highly suggesting you stay away from downtown and trying to catch it happen in person.

Officials said that the best place to see the implosion in progress is from home.

"I really believe that the best spot will be on TV, because the media cameras will be such that you can see the high angles," Scheele said.

There you have it, it’s kind of like actually going to a Colts game. The view from your living room and your own TV will be more than you could wish for, but there’s just something about being there in person to capture the whole experience. But, given the request of the experts, this time you really should stay home.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition is looking for a heroic hoosier family for next season. I received the following information from a member of their staff just yesterday:

ABC’s EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION

SEARCHING FOR HEROIC FAMILIES

Do you know someone whose home deserves an Extreme Makeover? If so, the producers of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition want to hear from you! Ty Pennington and his crew have been all across the map and they are ready to drive that infamous bus to Indiana!

What does it take to be picked for an Extreme Makeover?

We are in search of real heroes – people that have amazing strength and who have put their own needs aside to help someone else. In addition to heroics, the producers are looking for families whose homes are in dire need of help. We don’t want to tear down a nice looking house. We want to see houses that look like they might fall down on their own!

To be eligible: A family must own their own single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives.

Interested families should: e-mail a short description of their family story to -

castindiana@gmail.com

Nominations must include:

1. The names and ages of each member of the household

2. A description of the major challenges within the home.

3. Explanation of why this family is deserving, heroic, or a positive role model in their community.

4. Photos of the family and a photo of the home

5. Don’t forget to include a contact phone number.

The deadline: for nominations is May 9th, 2008.Don’t Delay! Please send story submissions as soon as possible!

For more information on how to apply please visit our website at:

http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply

Who do you know in our great city that deserves such an amazing gift?

Hurry! The deadline for nominations is less than two weeks away. Let’s show the world that Indianapolis can scream, “Bus driver, MOVE THAT BUS!” louder than anyone!

 Back Home Again!

In the summer of the late 60’s, my family decided to leave Louisville KY. to start a new life in Indianapolis. You could say Indianapolis chose me! With six children in tow, my parents settled in the area now known as South Broad Ripple. Back then, the name and area of Broad Ripple did not hold the allure it does today. The Monon Trail was actually still a railroad track.

We used to play for hours at Arsenal Park, running under the water of the spray pool, swinging and singing to the tunes of Rod Stewart’s, “Maggie Mae”. The whole family took swimming lessons at Broad Ripple Park. My brothers played little league close by and every year we attended the State Fair. It was the life.

In the early seventies we moved to the near west side and I remember it was the first home my parents owned. They were so excited and I had little understanding as to why. To me, it was another home. I spent the rest of my home years there. The westside of Indianapolis became home to me.

I eventually married, had three of my children at Methodist Hospital and started my own journey. My family’s journey took us to New Jersey, St. Louis, Missouri, Phoenix, AZ, Sothern California, back to Phoenix and now here. We have come full circle and this time, “We chose Indianapolis!

My husband could probably live anywhere……..me, I love to be with family and friends.  My children have grown, I have a daughter, son-in-law and two grandaughters here in Indy. A daughter, son-in-law and a grandson in Ohio, plus a grandbaby on the way. And one daughter who is still at home. She actually wanted to move back here and she is the only one not born in Indiana.

Most of my family still lives here as well as a few high school friends. What makes a person leave the beauty of the Southwest for the plains of Indiana. It is a home coming and one which is overdue. I love the seasons, the trees in bloom, the warm loving people. I am a hoosier at heart and I have come home.

Today, I am a Realtor who understands what it means to buy your first home, sorry Mom and Dad! I also know and understand the need for more space when the children are growing and now, I know what it means to downsize. I am happy to be home and look forward to assisting many in their search for the home which matches their life phase, and help them make Indianapolis, Home!