Buggs Temple Re-development
Indianapolis, IN

Winter 2005 - Spring 2006 | Steel Framing
Spring - Summer 2005 | Masonry Restoration
Winter 2004 - 05 | Demolition
July 2004 | Schematic Design Issues and Announcements
October 2003 | Project Announcement

The re-development of Buggs Temple transformed an existing church building into an entertainment destination along the Canal Walk District in Downtown Indianapolis

Buggs Temple, formerly known as the Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church, has had a rich history with early African American influences in the late 1800's and jazz and gospel influences in the early 1900's. The church has only recently been vacant while the City of Indianapolis has re-created the Canal Walk to generate pedestrian traffic and cultural substance to a historically functional element of the old City. Click here for an historic timeline of the building in pdf format (43 Kb).

Buggs Temple was completely renovated, while maintaining historic elements such as the alter as a stage and the second floor mezzanine balcony. The building now contains a local restaurant and lounge and a nationally franchised frozen custard retailer and coffee shop. The building will also house a museum quality display of jazz and other historic memorabilia representing the local cultural identity from the last century.

Design features are a second floor exterior balcony and a large wrap-around ground floor plaza, which will transition between the main floor level and the canal level as well as provide views of Downtown Indianapolis and the South axis of the canal.


(Above) Buggs Temple before renovation - 2003