For many Indianapolis residents, the thought of the Lafayette Square Mall area brings joyful childhood memories, but today several of those memories have faded away as the once bustling retail area has hit a brick wall.
But behind the crumpling landscape and abandoned lots, lies 900 acres of international destinations waiting to be explored by the Indianapolis community.
Mary Clark, one of the founders and now executive director of the International Marketplace Coalition, an organization started in 2005 to revitalize the neighborhood and formally known as The Lafayette Square Area Coalition, said the area once known for its retail shops is now known for its international cuisine.
“As this area became older, big businesses such as Macy’s and Penny’s (JC Penny’s) left and surrounding small businesses did also, which created vacancies,” said Clark. “People were fleeing to places such as Castleton, Circle Centre was relatively new at the time, then there was Keystone at the Crossing. At one point, leases were inexpensive so it made a great place to start a business.”
With a growing immigrant community, in 2010 the nonprofit began changing its focus from simply revitalizing the Lafayette Square area to restructuring the vision and truly embracing who they were becoming. In 2012 the city adopted those changes and helped recognize the area as the International Marketplace Coalition.
The coalition’s overall goal is to create an international food destination.
“We have well over 700 ethnic businesses,” mentioned Clark. “We like to boast that we have the best ethnic restaurants and grocery stores the City of Indianapolis has to offer. We have Ethiopian, Cuban, Mediterranean foods and others in the area.”
At the end of July, Jiallo’s, an African and Caribbean eatery located on West 56th Street and Guion Road will move into the international area on 38th Street.
On the coalition’s website is where the 2016 Passport to International Marketplace Food Guide can be found, which features American, Chinese, Italian, Salvadorian, Peruvian, Vietnamese, African foods and more. In the recent years, The New York Times and National Geographic have recognized many of the ethnic restaurants.
“If you go to our Ethiopian restaurant, Abyssinia, you’ve left the U.S., then you can go two doors down into Inkas Fine Peruvian Cuisine & Seafood and you’re in Peru. Around the corner is Havana Cafe with Cuban food,” stated Clark.
Not only does this area have an abundance of dining options, more than 20 international grocery stores and other small businesses are on the rise.
Traditional African dresses or skirts can be bought from an African or Indian dressmaker in the area, Duncan’s Fireplace & Patio Center has been in existence for over 40 years and Dulcerija El Caramelo, a candy store with specialty sweet treats imported from Mexico have recently purchased a new space because of an increase in business demand.
In March 2014 the area’s 30-foot gateway structures were erected, which display a globe and represent over 70 different languages in the area. At night the globes light up and often displays cultural holidays.
In addition to the structure, each bus station between the area’s natural boarders are decorated with a world map and accompanying street signs are orange fins that read “IM” to inform visitors of the developing area.
In the future Clark said the coalition would like to build a cultural center in the area and welcome several soccer and cricket fields. Although there has been talk about these projects, nothing has been set in stone.
When asked if there were any plans to restore the retail area at Lafayette Square Mall, Clark said great ideas are surfacing, but developments have not been pursued. Currently two of the mall’s anchors are Burlington Coat Factory and Shopper’s World. In 1968 when the mall was built, it housed over 90 tenants and today a little over 50 fill the 1.2 million square foot space.
Rhonda Lloyd, Indianapolis resident said she has fond childhood memories of the area.
“I remember waking up early on a Saturday morning and my mother dragging me to Penny’s to catch the sales,” said Lloyd. “I wish they could restore this place, there used to be a sense of community at the mall and today it’s filled with urban retail.”
In a Yelp 2014 review, avid reviewer Wendy S. said she will be a Lafayette Square shopper and defender as long as she can.
“I grew up as a Westsider and this was my mall. When I went to high school I’d eat here after work and haunt Waldenbooks. It’s a lot quieter now, and while I hear the ghosts of the people that don’t shop here anymore, I still find it to be what I need,” she wrote.
Clark said once the mall went downhill, the community began to sensationalize anything negative happening on the Westside as a part of Lafayette Square.
“The media always show the mall so people got in their minds that the area has high crime, but the truth is, crime in this area, unlike the rest of the city, is down and has been down year-after-year.”
Between March 2014 and 2015, homicides in the area were down 64 percent and overall crime is down 37 percent, said Clark, who meets with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department often.
“It is safe to come to this area and we are doing some amazing things. Economic development is who we are,” she said.
In February 2015, the coalition was awarded nearly $2.7 million over the next three years after approval from the City-County Council, which included a mix of community revitalization, grant, philanthropic and corporate dollars. This also includes a match from community development agency, Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC). Bill Taft, executive director of LISC Indianapolis said the funding match comes from LISC investments and other private investors.
The organization is working to develop the International Marketplace Coalition as a strong neighborhood resource.
“We’re funding a staff person and technical consultant to develop a new international center, which will be more of the real estate side. The economic planning process, which will help strengthen the businesses there, attract new ones and improve the cultural real estate in the area,” said Taft.
Clark said overall the community development response has been positive and other neighborhoods have contacted her for advice on how to advance their areas.
“We will always have those naysayers but most people love the idea of this being an international marketplace. People are starting to realize we aren’t the traditional city any more, we’re not just Black and white,” mentioned Clark. “We now have many shades of color.”
