Marion County Apartments for Rent

Marion County, Indiana is the 55th most-populated county in the nation with 903,393 residents; that’s more than the population of six states. The city of Indianapolis is the county seat, the state capital and largest city.

Within the city are six official Cultural Districts, all having historic and cultural importance to Indianapolis. Recent decades have seen these districts undergo revitalization, and they are becoming major centers for tourism, commerce and residential living.

The districts are Broad Ripple Village, Fountain Square, The Wholesale District, Canal and White River State Park, Indiana Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, better known to locals as “Mass Ave.”

The five-block area of Mass Ave offers an abundance of things to do with theaters, restaurants, art galleries and eclectic boutiques. Each block features unique shops, from Stout’s Shoes, the nation’s oldest shoe store, established in 1886; to Silver in the City offering silver jewelry and gift items.

One of four diagonal streets that led straight to downtown Indianapolis, Mass Ave benefitted from the streetcars and the business growth they brought; the area became a hotbed of commerce between 1870 and 1930. Prosperity started to wane in the 1950s and 1960s, and finally construction of the I-65 inner loop cut businesses off from outside traffic.

As they have in many American cities, merchants worked to reinvent Mass Ave as a thriving art district and home for unique entrepreneurial endeavors; the area gained new life in the 1980s. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

The listing played a key role in the Mass Ave revitalization. Another key was reviving area housing options. The 120-unit Renaissance Place, completed in 1983, provided an early opportunity for pioneering residents to enjoy the urban lifestyle, including walking to work and business meetings, taking in the city nightlife, and taking advantage of the cultural opportunities offered by local theaters, such as concerts, performance art and touring productions of Broadway shows.

Walkability, some residents say, is a key benefit of the Mass Ave lifestyle. Nearby attractions within walking distance include White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo and the Wholesale District where the Indiana Pacers play. Mass Ave’s charming “pocket parks” offer a quiet sanctuary away from the bustle of urban streets.