Neighborhood Profile: Herron-Morton

 

The reason I invest (primarily my time) in my neighborhood is that I am passionate about developing connections with my neighbors.  I grew up in central Iowa where my family lived in three houses on the same street because of such great neighbors. I want that to be the case in our neighborhood -where people know their immediate neighbors by name.

Back in the winter of 2011 my wife Missy and I had been living in a duplex in Chatham Arch for a little over three years and we were trying to find a vibrant neighborhood that was well connected and shared similar interests as the both of us.

Missy and I decided to put our home search on hold after going through more than a dozen homes in neighborhoods close to downtown.  Just as we made the decision to "wait a bit" a home came on the market in Herron-Morton Place (HMP) at a price too good to be true.  I convinced Missy to go look at it, and she reluctantly agreed (knowing full well that I wouldn't stop talking about it until she said yes).  As we walked through the home we took into account the work it needed but also the opportunity to live on a quiet street and live near tremendous community pillars such as Goose the Market, Herron High School and Harrison Center for the Arts.  As we stood in front of the house, looked up at the towering roofline and peeling paint, we wondered to ourselves if we could really do this and survive. Just then, Bill and Joanna Taft (who also live in the neighborhood) walked around the corner seemingly out of nowhere and gave us the enthusiastic boost we needed to make the offer.

Missy and I knew more than five people in HMP before we even moved in. I don't know if that is an Indianapolis thing, but it sure makes a difference.  We now live in a Victorian home built in the late 1890's which we love for the high ceilings and character.

There is a vast range of home owners - young families, old families, singles, renters, renovators, you name it, they all live here and they are all welcome.  It's also nice to talk with individuals and families who have planted roots in the neighborhood and choose to stay here long-term.

I am excited to keep building density and seeing homes being renovated and built, building relationships with businesses in the area like Foundry Provisions and 111 Cakery.  The growth of the schools in the area is a very positive thing and we plan on taking advantage of that in the future.

Jon Berg is originally from Urbandale Iowa before moving to the Chicago suburbs in 2004.  In 2008, he and his wife Missy moved to downtown Indianapolis.  Jon is a member of the marketing team for the School of Science at IUPUI.  He is the current President of the Herron-Morton Place Neighborhood Foundation and is involved with the Lacy Leadership Association.  He is also a proud member of the Inaugural class of Public Allies Indianapolis.  Jon has been an active percussionist and instructor for the past 10 years and in his spare time follows local and national circuits.