INDIANAPOLIS — Some east Indianapolis neighbors are frustrated and fed up with an eyesore they say has become a breeding ground for vandalism, graffiti and illegal dumping.
The 15-acre property and buildings have been sitting empty for nearly seven years, and it's currently owned by the state government.
“It’s right smack in the middle of the neighborhood,” said Joey Newsom, who lives near East New York and Randolph streets.
“We love our neighborhood, and we love what can happen here,” Newsom said, but added the biggest roadblock is the old state women’s prison across the street.
“There’s vandalism, graffiti, it’s just a site of hopelessness,” said Jesse Brown, an Indianapolis City-County Councilor who represents that part of the city’s east side. “There’s just a huge amount of frustration... this has become a focal point of urban decay.”
They’ve been waiting for something to happen since 2017 when the Indiana Women’s Prison closed its doors after more than 100 years. In the years since the facility closed, the Indiana Department of Administration has repeatedly said it is evaluating its needs and asking neighbors for input to help determine what’s next for the property.
In 2022, some buildings were demolished, but neighbors say they’ve seen no activity in the years since.
Newsom, Brown and others say it’s past time for the state to decide. Meanwhile, they say the property has become unsecure.
"They’ve basically said, ‘We’re going to sit on this property, and we’re going to secure it,’ which hasn’t really been done that well,” Newsom said. “They said, ‘We’re going to maintain it,’ which also hasn’t really been done that well.”
13News found a main gate unlocked, windows open and gaping holes in the fence.
A spokesperson for the Dept. of Administration told 13News in an email, "once a week, a contractor visits the site and makes any necessary repairs,” and anyone who feels unsafe or sees criminal activity can call police.
13News also obtained a letter from neighbors written nearly a year ago by six neighborhood groups, expressing frustration that the site "remains replete with vacant, deteriorating buildings and vandalized by trespassers."
The group asked the state to consider transferring the property to the City of Indianapolis.
A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office referred 13News to the Indiana Dept. of Administration.
“We have ideas for community gardens, public art, affordable housing, little incubators for neighborhood-grown businesses. There are a million positive things the city or the state could do with this land,” Brown said.
“Things need to be developed in such a way that it benefits this community because it’s in our community,” Newsom said. “It’s time. It’s past time.”