Joel and Kathryn Dart

When jobs brought southern Indiana natives Joel and Kathryn Dart to Indianapolis, they knew they wanted to be in the center of things. Having both grown up in small towns, they were eager to experience all that living in a big city has to offer.

Friend and fellow DePauw grad, Mark Abdon and his wife Laura, had begun to consider the City’s near eastside and soon both couples were looking for thier first homes in St. Clair Place. They attended informational housing receptions at the City Gallery and were excited to learn about the history of the neighborhood, the investment in the area resulting from the Legacy Project, the urban gardens and commitment of the residents to the neighborhood. They were also drawn to the convenience of living near the Monon Trail and the Cultural Trail. From the City Gallery, they learned about incentives for homebuyers and connected with INHP (Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership) for first time homeownership training classes.

They fell in love with a house on Jefferson Avenue, near the friends who first told them about the neighborhood. Since closing on the house in July, 2011, the Darts have enjoyed meeting neighbors while walking their dog, hanging out on their front porch, walks to Massachusetts Avenue for dinner or frozen yogurt, food trucks and the convenience of living so close to the many cultural amenities Indianapolis has to offer. They are enjoying being a part of the revitalization of this historic neighborhood and looking forward to raising their family here.