Residents chat about abandoned Towne and Terrace condos

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – They pulled their chairs close to the table.

The discussion included a moderator, a white board, and concerned residents and stakeholders. This group appeared to have one collective direction: They want the best for the Indianapolis’ far east side. 

One of the topics of discussion included Towne and Terrace Condominiums. The condos have made the news cycle this year. This after two bodies on two different days were found in an empty condo. Then police found a body in a car near the complex.

Residents who call Towne and Terrace home add there are a lot of squatters that take advantage of the abandon buildings. According to the city, Indianapolis owns about 70 of the buildings on the property. Back in 2014, the city received a grant to tear the abandon buildings down, but a dispute between Towne and Terrace and the city has slowed the process down. 

While some are pushing for demolition, others are asking for investment. Liz Durden calls the area home. She would like to see the city build something the residents can use. She is also calling on services to aid with the homeless and those addicted to drugs. 

Finally, she made it clear that picking up and moving to another area is simply not an option for a lot of her neighbors. 

“You can’t just be an outsider and say we need to tear that down, but what happens to the people who work every day and pay their rent,” said Durden. 

There are no final plans on the future of Towne and Terrace.