Populous-designed Music Venue Breaks Ground as Part of CSX Site Redevelopment in Downtown Indianapolis

Populous is designing a new indoor music venue in downtown Indianapolis as part of the redevelopment of the former CSX rail servicing site, a long-vacant property in the city’s historic Wholesale District.

The project will transform a key downtown block into a new hub for live entertainment, hospitality and activity just steps from Populous-designed Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home to the Indiana Pacers.

At the center of the redevelopment is the new music venue with an estimated capacity of 4,000 guests, intended to attract mid-size concerts, touring acts and live events that currently bypass the Indianapolis market. Operated by Live Nation Entertainment, the venue is designed with modern acoustics, flexible seating configurations and robust production capabilities to support concerts, comedy and special events.

By filling a critical gap between small clubs and large arenas, the new venue will expand Indianapolis’ live entertainment ecosystem and support continued investment in the downtown core.

"Investments like this one keep the momentum we are experiencing in our downtown going and help take our hospitality and tourism industries to a new level."

Herb Simon

Founder, Boxcar Development, Owner and Chairman, Pacers Sports & Entertainment

The broader mixed-use development, led by Boxcar Development LLC, includes a 15-story Ritz-Carlton Hotel with approximately 176 rooms, street-level food and beverage offerings, retail and structured parking. The Ritz-Carlton Indianapolis will be operated by Sage Hospitality Group. Design for the overall site is being led by Ratio Architects, with Populous serving as architect of record for the music venue.

“The most powerful concert experiences are the ones where artists and audiences feel genuinely connected. This venue is designed to strengthen that relationship, balancing intimacy with production capabilities while allowing the energy of downtown Indianapolis to carry from the street into the room,” says Julie Rinaldi, Principal at Populous.

Once complete, the project will create a pedestrian skybridge connection to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Construction is expected to continue through 2027, with a targeted late-2027 opening.