Located in the heart of Old Town Carmel, Indiana, the Arts & Design District is the Midwest’s premier arts and design destination. It is home to interior designers, art galleries, showrooms, restaurants, antique stores and a variety of specialty retail shops.
Direct link to Carmel Arts & Design District website
Background:
This area has been part of the redevelopment plan of Mayor Jim Brainard to work with the Carmel Redevelopment Commission to transform Old Town Carmel from a run down and very neglected part of town into the vibrant and thriving Carmel Arts & Design District, while maintaining the area's historic charm. Before the real work could begin on the District, Mayor Brainard invested more than $10 million on adding storm sewers, curbs, sidewalks with brick accents, historic-style street lighting, improved streets and water mains to ensure that the Old Town neighborhood was brought up to Carmel standards. After those upgrades were complete, the redevelopment efforts intensified to bring galleries, unique shops, restaurants and the Indiana Design Center to the Arts & Design District.
To show their commitment to identifying the Old Town area as the Arts & Design District, the City installed archways over the main entrances to the district. The newly created district logo was added to street lights further branding the area and reminding visitors they were enjoying the Carmel Arts & Design District. Eventually, flower baskets, flower boxes at windows, benches, out door sculptures and bump out curb dining complemented the experience in the district.
Throughout the redevelopment of this area, the City has used public private partnerships to encourage investment by the private sector in the area. The City identified the best areas for redevelopment, purchased and combined small lots and combined them and made them ready for development, and created a plan for the area so that the private sector could come in and begin work more easily.
Today, the Carmel Arts & Design District is home to more that 11 distinct galleries, unique shops, boutiques, antique dealers, and restaurants for every palate. The vibrant night life in the District includes a wine tasting experience, live music, neighborhood pubs and even comedy nights.
Residential Options:
While the neighborhood in and around the Arts & Design District continues to thrive, additional residential options have added to the constant vibrancy of the area including condos and apartments above some of the commercial space and along the Monon Greenway, which runs through the heart of the District.
A Sound Investment:
The Arts & Design District continues to grow and offer more and more amenities for residents and visitors. We hope you enjoy this area that has truly been transformed into one of Carmel's most successful redevelopment projects.
We would like to introduce the people who operate and support the Carmel Arts & Design District:
Carmel Redevelopment Commission Board
Bill Hammer – President
David Bowers – Vice President
Brad Meyer – Secretary
Carolyn Anker – Commissioner
Jeff Worrell – Commissioner
Greg Phillips – Commissioner and Carmel Clay School Board Member
Carmel Redevelopment Commission Staff
Les Olds – Executive Director
Don Cleveland – Accounting/Finance Manager
Michael Lee – Assistant Finance Manager
Stephanie Marshall – Special Events/Arts District Merchants Liaison
Megan McVicker – Marketing & Promotions Manager
Matt Worthley – Operations Manager/Special Projects