Demolition Begins at 22nd and Meridian for New Affordable Housing

Demolition has begun on several long-vacant buildings located at the corner of 22nd and Meridian streets, as part of a larger initiative to create a new affordable housing development. The site will eventually become M22, a project that will include 127 apartments and opportunities for commercial space. Crestline Development and Near North Development Corporation are leading the effort.

While the city of Indianapolis is unsure how long the buildings have been empty, the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services noted there has been a history of unsafe building investigations, with one occurring as early as 2017. These investigations can be conducted on both vacant and occupied properties, highlighting the need for action in this area.

One of the structures being demolished is the former Sandor Headquarters. The company had announced in 2010 that it would relocate its headquarters to Hamilton County.

The Indy Health District is supporting the M22 project as part of its broader mission to improve the quality of life in the area stretching from the north end of downtown to Crown Hill Cemetery.

“It’s been a long time coming to just get to the point where we can, you know, get to the demolition part,” said Jamal Smith, executive director of the Indy Health District. “Those older buildings that were falling apart, creating some safety concerns, have been there and considered an eyesore to some for quite some time.”

In addition to M22, the district is backing a second project just down the street at the corner of 22nd and Illinois streets. This $8 million project will include 26 homes, a mix of townhomes and duplexes. Developers broke ground on the project in August 2025. However, there is currently no public timeline for when construction will begin on the M22 housing project.

“We have a number of touch points and surveys and things that we’ve sent out and candidly, housing remains one of the top three items of either concern or request that comes up when we’re having those discussions,” Smith said.

The district encompasses five neighborhoods and is designed to address social barriers that negatively impact health outcomes. Residents within this footprint are expected to live 15 to 20 years less—dying in their mid-60s—compared to those living just eight miles north in the suburbs, according to Smith.

The goal of the district is to help residents access healthy food, childcare, education, livable wages, and create green spaces like parks and trails. Affordable housing is a critical component of this effort.

“If someone is having a difficult time being able to stay in their home because it’s not affordable, that’s likely impacting their ability to access healthy food and afford healthy food, or they’re having to make tough decisions about how to, where to and if they can afford things like childcare or transportation,” Smith explained. “So if you can alleviate some of those pressure points, housing being namely one of them, then it frees up the anxiety and tension around those other spaces as well.”

The Indy Health District is currently working on its quality of life plans and is preparing to bring back its Floating Farmers Markets next month. This initiative was another request from residents aimed at improving access to healthy food.