Indianapolis, IN
Marion County launches online database to find lead contamination
(MIRROR INDY) — Nearly a half-century after the federal government banned the use of lead in many consumer products and after the closure of lead refining smelters in neighborhoods around the city, Indianapolis still faces a lead contamination problem.
That’s concerning, because the toxic metal can damage the brain and kidneys and cause other health conditions in people exposed to it, especially kids. In 2023 alone, blood testing identified more than 70 kids in Marion County with blood lead levels high enough for health investigators to get involved.
At the Lead-Free Indy Summit on Sept. 19, the Marion County Health Department and IU Indianapolis announced a website called Lead Advisor. They hope the site will help make it easier for Indianapolis residents to learn where lead contamination has already been found and where to get the resources to ensure their homes are lead free.
The website “will eliminate barriers to healthy housing, something that everyone in our city deserves, as well as intervening on the problem before it even begins,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said at the summit. “It is a productive first step toward our vision of a lead free Indianapolis.”
According to the county health department, local lead contamination is mainly found in older homes that contain paint, plumbing or fixtures made with lead. Contamination can also come from smelters, like the Avanti Superfund Remedial Site in the Hawthorne neighborhood on the west side and the American Lead site in the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood on the near east side.
In many cases, people don’t know about the lead threat in their homes or neighborhoods until after they’ve been exposed. For Dr. Virginia Caine, director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department, that is much too late.
“We can’t wait to tackle this problem after children have been poisoned,” she said at the summit. “We’ve got to reach them before this environmental hazard impacts them, and that means a lot of community education.”
How to use Lead Advisor
The Lead Advisor website lets residents type in the address of a home and check whether it has been inspected for lead. If it has been tested, the site displays inspection results and any violations found.
The site also will allow residents, school administrators and child care providers to schedule lead inspections and parents to schedule lead tests for their children. The website’s Lead Advisor chat function uses artificial intelligence to answer questions about the services offered by the county. The advisor can answer questions in multiple languages.
“I’m excited about the fact that you can look up and know in advance (a rental unit) has no lead contamination, or if I’m moving into a home, that it’s got no lead contamination,” Caine said.
The website is operational but is a work in progress. Right now, the site contains a few years of Marion County inspection data and does not contain the locations of smelters and other lead sources.
According to Karla Johnson, who is the county health department’s administrator, the website ultimately will be expanded to include more lead inspection data.
Finding all the lead sources may be difficult
Residents who live with or near lead contamination often have mixed feelings about testing, because they’re worried they may be left holding the bag for paying for cleanup.
Elizabeth Gore, a member of the Martindale Brightwood Environmental Justice Collaborative, said some residents did not want to be attached to the stigma of a polluted neighborhood.
Her neighborhood is located near the American Lead site, 2102 Hillside Ave., where a lead smelter operated between 1946 and 1965.
According to federal documents, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management knew about pollution there as early as 1980s and was in talks with the owner, Texas-based NL Industries, to clean up the site between 1996 and 2003. The negotiations failed, and the EPA ordered the company to clean up the site, which it did between 2005 and 2007. A decade later, lead from the American Lead plant was found in homes near the plant, and another cleanup was launched.
But despite the knowledge that lead contamination could be present, some people refused testing.
“People didn’t want you to come into their homes and grounds,” Gore remembered. “They didn’t want to be penalized for having lead.”
When home lead inspections are undertaken, homeowners can be held responsible for fixing the issues that inspectors find. That can create a tough situation for some residents, in a neighborhood where the median household income is about $24,200.
Patti Daviau has lived across the street from the Avanti Remedial Superfund site, 502 S. Harris Ave., for more than 50 years. She thinks the website is a good starting point, but believes the city is focusing too much on household sources of lead and not enough on finding where lead was used industrially.
“I just want to scream it from the rooftops,” Daviau said. “You can clean up all the lead paint inside the house, but if the main problem is the environment, then those kids are still exposed, those families are still exposed and new families will come and be exposed.”
More resources for lead contamination
To check whether your home has been tested for lead, head to the Lead Advisor website and enter your address. If it has been tested, results will appear at the bottom of the page.
Home lead inspections through the Marion County Public Health Department Lead Poisoning Prevention Program can be scheduled via the site’s Contact Us tab. They can also be scheduled by phone at 317-221-2155 or via email at leadct@marionhealth.org.
To test the soil around your home for lead, head to any of these 18 Indianapolis Public Library locations around the city to pick up a community science kit, which comes with instructions on how and where to collect the samples.
For more information, call the health department at 317-221-2000 or email healthdept@marionhealth.org.
Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @heyEnriqueSaenz.
by:
Gregg Montgomery and Kelsie Gibbs
Posted: / Updated:
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Parks on Saturday will unveil the restoration of longstanding fountains, a project almost two years in the making.
The fountains were already shooting water among newly landscaped walking paths on Wednesday afternoon at the Garfield Park Sunken Garden.
City planner and landscape architect George Kessler designed the Sunken Garden and the adjacent Garfield Park Conservatory, which was built in 1916 at 2505 Conservatory Drive.
Funds for the $3 million restoration project were part of an $80 million Lilly Endowment grant issued to Indy Parks in late 2022 for projects at 42 Indianapolis parks.
The Friends of Garfield Park, a group devoted to the south-side park, oversaw the project to restore the concrete walls and plumbing, and add color-changing lights to enhance the look of the fountains.
The group hopes to raise an additional $1 million for the upkeep of the fountains.
A news release issued Wednesday said a recognition event and a ribbon-cutting, free and open to the public, were scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. Due to storms in the forecast, the event could be delayed or canceled.
Indianapolis, IN
That trail you walk downtown? It’s generated $3 billion for Indianapolis, study finds
See the 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting ceremon
Highlights: Indiana Ave. and 10th Street Cultural Trail Expansion ribbon cutting on Indiana Ave. on Thursday, June 20, 2024, in Indianapolis.
Since its creation, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail in the heart of Circle City has drawn millions of residents and visitors to its distinctive paved path. But according to a new report, the trail isn’t just beneficial for those looking to get out on an urban stroll or bike ride — it’s a driver for the city’s economy and quality of life.
The report, “Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick at 20: Connecting People, Places, and Possibility,” was based on analysis by James Lima Planning + Development, a group of real estate, planning and economic development advisors. Here’s what to know about the report.
How has the Cultural Trail affected the city’s growth, development?
According to the report from 2026, the 10-mile trail has generated $3 billion in assessed property value around its path — money that supports the city and its governmental services.
The population along the trail has grown five times the city average and retail space near the trail has increased 39%, the report shows. Nearby food and beverage sales are almost twice the average per square foot in Indianapolis.
Additionally, the report shows, undeveloped land along the trail has the potential to add $1.4 billion of value in the near future. Since an initial study in 2015, the trail’s economic impact has grown from $1 billion to $3 billion.
“For nearly 20 years, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has helped transform Downtown Indianapolis into a more vibrant, connected and economically competitive city,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a June 3 news release. “It is more than a trail. It is a nationally recognized public asset that drives investment, supports local businesses, connects neighborhoods and improves quality of life for the people who live, work, play and stay in our city.”
According to the report, over 1 million people use the trail each year, and almost half of downtown Indianapolis residents live within a three-minute walk of the path.
What other features does the Cultural Trail offer?
Users of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail aren’t limited to walking — the Pacers Bikeshare program, operated by the trail, has 57 bike stations throughout the city that are accessible 24/7.
The trail also features nearly six acres of plants and greenspace, offering locals and visitors an urban getaway. City planners from across the world have visited the trail to study its design, according to the report.
What is the future of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail?
Focus on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has shifted from construction and maintenance to long-term operations and expanded resources for the public.
Kären Haley, executive director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. — the trail’s nonprofit — said it has grown into the “crown jewel” of the city with the growth and development it has created over two decades.
“The Cultural Trail is driving billions in investment and making surrounding neighborhoods thriving destinations,” she said in a June 3 news release. “As we enter the next phase for the Trail, we look forward to building upon our initial 20 years of impact.”
Mia Thurow is the breaking news and criminal justice reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at mthurow@gannett.com.
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
-
News23 minutes agoNational Guard has done little to reduce violent crime in D.C., a new study finds
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoMan claiming to be armed robs Culver City bank, gets away with $10,000
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoFired Detroit TV anchor Taryn Asher files sex discrimination lawsuit against old station, claims new GM protected men
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoSan Francisco family devastated as they face nearly 90% rent increase
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoWings’ top pick Azzi Fudd hosts clinic as Cash App donates to Dallas nonprofit
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoPatients left scrambling for care after Miami-Dade woman accused of operating an unlicensed surgery recovery center
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoClover plans to reopen some locations after sudden closure, thanks to an anonymous investor
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoNew report finds Denver metro home buyers and sellers experiencing ‘unattainability fatigue’
