Local
Indianapolis panel clears 242-unit Union at Astor project in Stringtown
The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-0 to approve final plans for a 242-unit apartment complex that will replace several homes in Stringtown. The revised design adds balconies, wider sidewalks, bike parking and nearly 100 saplings, but residents continue to question the project’s scale and impact on the west-side neighborhood.
A 242-unit apartment complex planned for Stringtown received final approval Oct. 21, clearing the way for Fishers-based developer Annex Group to demolish several homes and build Union at Astor.
The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-0 to approve the project’s final design. It will occupy about 30 lots between Saulcy and Astor streets, in the west-side neighborhood across the White River from downtown Indianapolis and just west of the Indianapolis Zoo.
The plans have changed after months of discussions with residents over whether the development would fit among Stringtown’s mostly single-family homes. The latest design includes balconies, wider sidewalks, bicycle parking and nearly 100 saplings. It also calls for a parking garage with more than 250 spaces, a community room, a playground, a dog park and a grilling area.
Misha Rabinowitch, an attorney for Annex Group, said the developer believes the changes will make the project stronger.
Some residents remain concerned about the project’s scale and the loss of existing homes and green space. Jessy Baum, president of the Stringtown Now neighborhood association, said the area already has rental housing and questioned the need to remove longtime homes for the complex. “Stringtown is already an extremely affordable place to live for many renters,” Baum said.
The commission’s vote follows a May approval allowing the site to be used for a large apartment building. That decision also authorized removing five heritage trees, which are considered irreplaceable or historically significant because of their age, size or rarity.
After zoning approvals, the project underwent a design review process that included multiple meetings with residents. Neighbors raised concerns including crime, eviction and privacy. Brian Robinson, the city’s Regional Center hearing examiner, approved the updated plans in September but said he still had reservations about the project’s size relative to the surrounding neighborhood.
City staff supported the final design, pointing to the need for denser housing across Indianapolis. The commission’s approval settles the final design review for a development that has drawn competing concerns over new housing, neighborhood character and the removal of existing homes and trees.