Living in The Canal & White River State Park District - Discovery runs through it!

As Brian puts it, “We were sort of done with that program. We wanted to simplify our lives and not spend a lot of time with rakes and shovels and chainsaws and chipper shredders and garden tools and -- do I need to go on? Just the oversized burden of a big house.”

At the time, the couple’s three children were all teenagers. “We told them, ‘When you guys are gone, we’re going to move Downtown,’” Brian remembers. “They all immediately said ‘Why wait?’ They were all about ‘Let’s do it.’”

So they did. The couple chose a home in the Watermark development in Indianapolis’ The Canal and White River State Park. Not only is Watermark along the scenic Central Canal, but home-related maintenance is provided. So Brian called up a relative, offered him the family’s miscellaneous lawn-chore equipment, and the Sullivans moved Downtown.

Now, more than a decade later, the kids have moved out – two to other Downtown homes. And the Sullivans are as enthusiastic about their community and Cultural District – known because “Discovery Runs Through It” -- as they were when they first opened their front door.

“We have the best of both worlds,” Mary Ann says. “We have this great urban location. Our house works really well for us. We have our own little green spaces, our own little courtyard. We’re very fortunate – we have a driveway and a two-car garage. It’s a pretty special neighborhood. Having the Canal for a backyard is pretty wonderful.”

Both are close to their workplaces, as well: Brian’s an executive vice president at Shiel Sexton’s headquarters, just two blocks away, while Mary Ann has only a five-block stroll to the Statehouse, where she serves as the state representative for Indiana House District 97, which includes Downtown Indianapolis. (She’s also an education consultant.)

Upbeat, Walkable & Diverse
In their leisure time, the couple takes advantage of the many offerings at nearby IUPUI, where Brian works out at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport and plays tennis at the school’s tennis center. Mary Ann runs along the Canal and enjoys taking in a little people watching.

“It’s a very upbeat place,” she says. “People are happy. You see lots of kids. It’s kind of a melting pot, too. I see people from out of town, people associated with the University. So it’s very diverse, very urban.”

That contemporary environment also attracted Tom and Kris Kellam Jernstedt to the Watermark more than 10 years ago. Kris, a former resident of Manhattan, was engaged at the time to Tom, who chose the Watermark location with his future bride’s background in mind.

“I was all about living the cosmopolitan, walk-everywhere type of schedule and life,” Kris says.

And walk everywhere they do.

“For the first five years that we lived here, we only had one car,” Kris says. “Either he would walk or I would walk. And after we had our son, we continued. Ever since he was a baby, we’d put him in a stroller, and we’d hit the sidewalks. There’s always something going on and something to do.”

Today, they love strolling along the Canal to the Indianapolis Zoo. The newly renovated and expanded Central Library offers plenty of family-friendly activities as well, and children-oriented productions are often featured at the Murat Centre in the neighboring Mass Ave Cultural District.

“We love living Downtown,” Kris says. “I know (some people think) it’s a little unusual to be Downtown with a younger child, but we think it’s great.”

The Sullivans also love the easy walkability, especially as new shops and services have opened in the area. “There are fewer and fewer reasons to have to get in your car and drive to the north side or the south side for retail reasons,” Brian says.

Variety & Entertainment
They also look forward to the various festivals and events held at Military Park and other areas of Downtown.

“There is a lot of variety, depending upon what parade is happening, what convention is in town, if there’s a Colts game,” Brian explains. “So the complexion of our Downtown neighborhood changes dramatically from event to event. And that’s cool. It’s like kinetic art.”

And for a couple’s night out, both the Sullivans and the Jernstedts appreciate the wealth of Downtown restaurants and entertainment venues.

“We like music, so The Lawn at White River State Park music venue is awesome,” says Brian Sullivan. “We’re big fans of The Rathskeller and the Biergarten (along Mass Ave). Our son-in-law runs the trivia night at the Elbow Room (a nearby eatery), so we walk down there.”

The couple also enjoys the gourmet sandwiches and savory offerings at Goose The Market and the variety of food vendors at Downtown’s City Market.

For a grown-up night out, the Jernstedts head to The Capital Grille, The Oceanaire Seafood Room or Palomino, all in the heart of Downtown. For a nostalgia break, they’ll dine at the Eagle’s Nest revolving restaurant atop the Hyatt Regency hotel, a longtime staple of the Downtown skyline.

But even though multiple big-city amenities are within walking distance, the Watermark community offers the warm ambience of a close-knit neighborhood. In fact, says Mary Ann Sullivan, with its four annual “block parties” in the courtyard and friendly atmosphere, the Watermark has brought her closer to her neighbors than in her previous, more traditional community.

“I actually feel I know many more of my neighbors Downtown than I did living (in her former neighborhood),” she says. “There, I felt attached to the community, but not necessarily to my neighbors. We’re so close here to our actual neighbors, so much closer to the people.”

And in a Cultural District known for a theme of discovery, that’s perhaps the best one of all.

Visit www.discovercanal.com for more!

Visit www.discoverculturaldistricts.com to learn more about the six Cultural Districts.

Written July 2009