More than five years ago, executives at Eli Lilly and Company, the global pharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Indianapolis since 1876, expressed to Mayor Greg Ballard that to continue to grow and recruit talent, the company needed more connectivity to the urban core — more livability in their part of town in the shadows of Lucas Oil Stadium. The mayor instructed Lilly executives, essentially, to make it happen. The result is CityWay, a $155-million, mixed-use retail and residential development arising from 14 acres of land, owned by Lilly and used for years as a parking lot that separated the company’s corporate campus in southeast Indianapolis from Monument Circle, the core of downtown.
Anchoring the neighborhood is The Alexander at 333 S. Delaware St., a $44-million, 209-room, 161,000-square-foot, four-star hotel that is attracting attention not only for providing great food and drink options in the neighborhood, but for hosting corporate events, and even weddings.
Jason Hoffman of Evansville, who works as operations manager at Tin Man Brewing Co., recently stayed at The Alexander with his wife Jessica, an account executive at Tucker Publishing Group, for a wedding.
“The Alexander was a fantastic place to stay and to attend an event,” says Jason Hoffman. “Being a part of the wedding party gave me a chance to see how well the events coordinator managed everything from flower arrangements to handling a group of raucous groomsmen. Having Plat 99 (the stylish mixology bar) to settle the nerves was great, too. They had a great selection of craft beer and have an amazing selection of cocktails, also.”
I stayed at The Alexander when I recently attended a board meeting in Indianapolis, and was impressed with the business amenities I saw. With its contemporary feel, adorned with local art, the hotel offers 16 flexible meetings spaces, a penthouse boardroom with a wraparound terrace, and a 2,400-square-foot outdoor plaza, perfect for weddings and nice-weather meetings.
For more information about The Alexander, visit the hotel’s website at thealexander.com.
