More than two years after City Market shut its doors, the downtown site’s west wing will be demolished in the coming weeks as construction begins on a new outdoor plaza.
The renovation of Whistler Plaza will partially expose the catacombs beneath the historic site and is expected to wrap up by the end of 2027, Department of Metropolitan Development Director Megan Vukusich said in a June 17 update. Demolition will begin “shortly” on the west portion of the building, after indoor site work began this spring, Vukusich said.
The plaza’s redesign, led by landscape architecture firm Merritt Chase, has been subtly reimagined since the city unveiled its vision last year.
The west wing’s foundation will stay intact and form an overlook on the site’s north side. Beneath that, a portion of the catacombs will remain enclosed behind glass panels, photo renderings shared with IndyStar show.
That design tweaks the layout from when catacombs were to be preserved on the southwest corner of the site, Chris Merritt of Merritt Chase said. The plaza will now better open up to pedestrians approaching from Market Street to the south, Merritt said.
“That was due to cost savings,” Vukusich said, “but actually worked out pretty well with the design.”
Why City Market reopening has been delayed
The city’s plan to redevelop City Market, at 222 W. Market St., has hit multiple snags since the 140-year-old building closed for repairs in March 2024. City officials initially expected the renovation to finish in 2026, but now it’s likely to take at least twice as long.
Asked when the main building may reopen, Vukusich told IndyStar Wednesday that it’s “too early to tell.” The City Market Corp. Board of Directors did not respond to a request for comment, but board chair Craig Mince recently told the Indianapolis Business Journal that a 2028 reopening is no longer feasible.
The city removed developers Gershman Partners and Citimark from the plaza renovations last summer to let the firms focus on converting the Gold Building, just north at 151 N. Delaware St., into more than 300 apartments. The city loaned the firms up to $18 million in September 2025 to keep the project, which includes an adjacent brick office building and parking garage, afloat amid financing struggles.
In late 2025, DMD entered a $15.3 million contract with a new developer, The Hagerman Group, to oversee the plaza renovation. DMD also entered a contract with the law firm Shrewsberry & Associates for up to $435,000 to serve as the city’s legal representative in April 2025.
When it’s finished, the renovated Whistler Plaza will provide new seating, green space and a pedestrian walkway in Wabash Alley, which splits the block between the Gold Building and the City Market properties.
DMD and the City Market Corp. said they will host discussions this summer to hear from community leaders about how best to restore and reopen the Market House, which previously was a food hall.
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Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTSmith@indystar.com. Follow him on X @jordantsmith09.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: New City Market plaza design unveiled, as main building progress lags
Reporting by Jordan Smith, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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By Jordan Smith, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
