By Rebecca Wilson

Agrinews Publications

INDIANAPOLIS – Due to the rapidly materializing dream of a local development group, Indiana soon will have a year-round farmers market located in a “ destination development” at the far southwestern corner of Marion County.

                In the largest rezoning project in the county, Holladay Properties’ AmeriPlex development, which currently features anchor tenants such as Gatorade, GM/Allison Transmission and FedEx Freight, soon will open AmeriPlex Town Center as additional phase of the development.

                Plans for the town center include space for a major outdoor Retailer, a themed hotel with a 100,000 square-foot indoor water park and three other full-service hotels, an outdoor exploration component of the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, a bookstore, a household goods retailer, a movie plex and the Indianapolis Farmers Market.

                The components of the development will be laid out in a circular design with footpaths and a natural creek and habitat corridor running through the midst.  Planners hope to connect the facility with the Indianapolis Greenways system, enabling passage from the facility to Eagle Creek.

                Holladay Properties Senior Vice President of Development Doug Hunt said the market will reflect a local and “international flavor” and support around 80 booths with vendors specializing in organic and natural foods.

                Two separate buildings will house a market deli, auction and meeting space, a community kitchen, refrigeration, and a packaging, shipping and receiving area.

                The architects hope to foster marketing opportunities by cultivating relationships between farmers and FedEx.

                The market is scheduled to open sometime next year.  Farmers interested in participating in the market should contact Chris Wilkes or Dan Phair at (317) 856-9000, ext. 230.

                Local customers will have direct access to the facility from Interstate 70 and State Road 67.  The Six Points Interchange currently under construction at I-70 will run next to AmeriPlex and intersect with State Road 67.  It is anticipated to run north in the future, first to State Road 40 and then to I-74.

                Developers estimate the “hybrid mixed use center” will attract between two and four million visitors per year, 40 percent of which will travel from outside Indianapolis and 30 percent of which will stay overnight.

                “It’s not just a place to shop- it’s a place to be.  I think the farmers’ market fits in great,” Hunt said.  “ We dream of opening the market with a barn raising.  We still have the old metal silos from the farm that used to sit here.  They need to be cleaned up, but we might use them as gateways to the market.”

Indiana soon will have a year-round farmers market located in a “destination development” at the far southwestern corner of Marion County.  In the largest rezoning project in the county, Holladay Properties’ AmeriPlex development, which currently features anchor tenants such as Gatorade and FedEx Freight, soon will open the AmeriPlex Town Center.