Indianapolis City Market

The Indianapolis City Market is a historic public market located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was founded in 1821 and officially opened in its current facility in 1886. The market building is a one-story, rectangular brick building trimmed in limestone. It has a front gable center section flanked by square towers. While it was originally a farmers market, it is now a food hall. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

History

The current marketplace was originally two separate buildings called the Market House and Tomlinson Hall. The basement became known as the Indianapolis Catacombs after a vendor tried to unsuccessfully convert it into a shopping mall. The marketplace was the first place to sell bananas in the city, which were introduced by Italian immigrants that imported the product. In 2021, the market received $270,000 in direct subsidies for its operations from the city.
On June 15, 2022, the city of Indianapolis announced plans to replace the east wing of the market that had been added in the 1980s with an 11-story, 60-unit apartment building that includes of office space and of retail space. The $175 million project will also include converting the office building at 151 N. Delaware Street into a 350-unit multi-family housing tower and would result in the block having the highest population density in the state of Indiana.
In March 2024, the market was closed to facilitate these renovations. Some tenants relocated, while others permanently closed. Tenants received two months worth of free rent before the closure.