Friday, April 24, 2009

Brookville and Ritter

This is at the intersection of Brookville Rd and Ritter Avenue on Indianapolis' southeast side...


There's also one at Southeastern and State further west...




Looking at the intersection from a block north on Ritter.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This area is likely to be hit hardest by what happens at Navistar. Is that plant still open?

thundermutt said...

My hood. It's an area of affordable workingman's bungalows. You can tell the factory-workers' places 'cause they have big pickups to tow big toys like boats, trailers, campers, etc. It's also an area for immigrants and lower-to-middle income folks of all colors and stripes.

Area was already hit by the closing of Citizens Coke plant just west and the dead-man-walking Ford plant just east at English & Shadeland. Harvester/International has already announced the closing of this plant later this year. It'll be a mixed blessing for us neighbors...less soot and smoke and smell, maybe a few less bars on that strip of Brookville (I think it's five between Emerson & Arlington). But definitely less money and more blight and probably more used car lots as places close up. The old grocery and drugstore are gone, replaced by a church and a Family Dollar.

But there's hope. This area is (by some definitions) the south end of Irvington. SoIrv doesn't have the ring of SoBro, though. :)

Graeme said...

I live a block from that intersection, it's an interesting place. I love the noises from the factory, especially when they are breaking a casting. Between that and the railroad you really do learn to appreciate the quiet times.

However, I find it unfortunate you missed the front sign of the PuffnChew which reads Discount Tabacco [sic]. That always makes me laugh.

The whole area must transition uses from a heavy industrial zoning to something else. It will be interesting to see what uses the properties will be put to in the next few years. Who knows, maybe another casting operation will open.

Anonymous said...

It is the Puffnchew neighborhood. Nice sound to that name.