Old City Hall Properties

The City of Indianapolis is soliciting proposals for the adaptive reuse, restoration, or development of Old City Hall, a four-story Beaux Arts structure at 202 and 222 North Alabama Street, with proposals due August 28, 2026. The property is subject to a Historic Preservation Plan adopted by the Metropolitan Development Commission, requiring that any development, construction, restoration, or alteration remain appropriate to the building's historic and architectural values and be reviewed and approved by the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission using the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

The property encompasses approximately 1.29 acres and was constructed in 1909–1910 by Rubush and Hunter. The structure features Indiana Bedford limestone facing, a granite foundation, and a distinctive 750-square-foot stained glass dome in an 85-foot rotunda. Interior features include marble-inlaid floors, mahogany woodwork, interior murals commissioned from the Cincinnati art firm of William F. Behrens, and bronze architectural details. The building has served as city government offices, the Indiana State Museum (1967–2002), and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (2002–2007).

The preservation plan identifies specific objectives: maintaining architectural integrity of interior and exterior features, encouraging adaptive reuse, restoring window openings, and ensuring that any additions or attachments connect to the north or west elevations while remaining visually compatible with the historic structure. The plan notes that from 1964 to 1966, approximately one million dollars was invested to renovate the building for museum purposes, including exterior cleaning and repointing, sealing of window openings, and installation of climate control systems. Despite these modifications, much of the original architectural character remains intact.

The City of Indianapolis owns the property. The source does not specify estimated development value, contract term structure, or detailed evaluation criteria beyond historic preservation compliance.