Welcome to Holy Cross: An Urban Neighborhood with a Small-Town Feel 

As a lifelong Hoosier, I’ve seen a lot of what Indiana has to offer. I first grew up in Mishawaka, a city in northern Indiana near Notre Dame. I moved down to Indianapolis in 1999, after I graduated from Indiana University. And since then, I’ve lived in five different neighborhoods over the past 23 years, moving all across the nine-county region. 

While I loved every neighborhood we tried, none of them compare to where I am now. Holy Cross is the community I’ve been searching for all my life—and, without a doubt, my forever home. 

My partner and I moved to Holy Cross in October 2020, and we quickly fell in love with our new neighborhood. One of the best things about Holy Cross is that we’re only 1.8 miles from Monument Circle, near all the amenities of downtown Indianapolis. In fact, Holy Cross is the first neighborhood you encounter if you leave downtown driving east.

But you’d never know it just by looking! Our urban neighborhood is filled with mature trees, beautiful homes both old and new, and wonderful, friendly neighbors.

Holy Cross is a walkable, accessible neighborhood.

Looking for walkability in your community? Our location offers close proximity to the rest of the Indy region—literally two miles from everything downtown has to offer! 

The Holy Cross neighborhood is defined by Michigan Street to the north, Washington Street to the south, Davidson Street to the west, and State Street to the east. That means we’re right next to the I-70 and I-65 interchange, giving you convenient access to Indy’s interstate system. With just a short 30-minute drive, you can get just about anywhere in the nine-county region, including the surrounding suburbs and rural farms. Even the airport is only about 15 to 20 minutes from Holy Cross!  

But if you prefer walking, you can easily get around town—no cars necessary. Our neighborhood has direct access to the Monon Trail and Cultural Trail, where you can walk, jog, and bike across the region. We also have three grocery stores in the area, with plenty of public scooters and bike shares available if you need help carrying the load. 

From delicious restaurants to world-class entertainment, you can find just about everything within a mile of Holy Cross. Our neighborhood is next door to Mass Ave—with attractions like the Garage Food Hall, the Living Room Theater, amazing shops, and unique restaurants. And if you go a mile north, you’ll be in Windsor Park, another beautiful Indianapolis neighborhood.

There, you’ll find the Circle Center Industrial Complex, featuring local artists, chocolate makers, glass blowing studios, dancing classes, a distillery, a brewery, and fowling (a combination of football and bowling.) And did I mention that all these amazing places are within a one-mile radius?

Our neighborhood also offers attractions and amenities of its own.

Within the Holy Cross neighborhood itself, you can find delicious restaurants, beautiful parks, and other places where our community comes together. 

The first amenity to welcome you into our neighborhood is always Highland Park. This fenced-in park offers four acres of vibrant greenspace and a wonderful playground for the kids. We often see our neighbors walking their dogs, picnicking in the grass, or just hanging out. Since the park is on a hill, it also provides one of the best views of the city! The Fourth of July is always an extra special time to be in Holy Cross, as families head over to Highland Park to watch the fireworks. 

We also have two dog parks located right here in the neighborhood. Downtown Doggie is a dog park and boarding facility, boasting a 10,000 sq.ft. facility equipped with indoor and outdoor play areas. The second dog park is located at Natural State Provisions—a local bar and restaurant. So, if you want to take a walk with your pup and enjoy some great Southern style food with a beer, this is the place to be!  

From King Dough Pizza to the Smoking Goose Meatery, all of these places are within walking distance from Holy Cross. This walkability makes the whole community feel more safe and connected. We often run into our neighbors at local eateries and enjoy spontaneous gatherings on our front porches! 

Holy Cross offers exceptional schools for your family.

Our neighborhood offers a variety of public and private schooling options right in your backyard. For starters, we’re fortunate to have the historic Arsenal Tech High School here on the northern border of Holy Cross. Arsenal Tech was founded in 1912 and rests on a beautiful 76-acre campus with mature trees and iconic architecture. 

The school’s campus originally served as an arsenal during the U.S. Civil War, until it eventually closed down after the Spanish-American War. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and remains a proud part of our community today. Now, Arsenal Tech is part of the Indianapolis Public School system with one of the state’s most diverse curriculums. 

Just two miles away, Herron High School is a public charter school that emphasizes a liberal arts education model. Recent SAT results have indicated that Herron is one of the best college preparatory schools in the state. In fact, their Black scholars had the highest college readiness scores in reading and writing out of ALL the public schools in Indiana! 

For younger students in the area, Paramount Cottage Home helps set your kids on the path to success. Paramount Cottage Home is a public charter school for students from kindergarten to 4th grade. Their curriculum focuses on connecting theoretical teaching with practical, experiential learning activities. The school won the 2018 School Excellence Award from the Urban League, and The Education Equality Index recognized Paramount for closing the achievement gap irrespective of a family’s income. 

Together, these schools give Holy Cross residents ample options to choose from, so every parent can find the right school for their family!

Our neighborhood is a hub of culinary creators.

Here in Holy Cross, you’ll find delicious restaurants around every corner. Two of my favorites are King Dough and Natural State Provisions (with its built-in dog park!) Both of these restaurants are owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo, Alicia and Adam Sweet. 

They opened the first King Dough in Bloomington back in 2014, before expanding into Indianapolis with their Holy Cross pizzeria in 2019. Their motto is: “Live by pizza. Die by pizza.” So, it’s no surprise that they serve some of the best New York Style pizza I’ve ever had. After their success with King Dough, they opened Natural State Provisions in the summer of 2022, offering delicious southern comfort food in the heart of the midwest. 

If you’re craving Mexican food, then La Parada is the place for you. The food is authentic, the service is tremendous, and La Parada was even voted the #1 Mexican Restaurant in Indy in 2021. Meanwhile, Futuro Pizza is another great pizza joint with three types of delicious pies: Tavern style, Detroit style, and deep dish. I’ve tried all three, and they are absolutely amazing! 

In the morning, there’s nothing like waking up, suiting up my pup, and walking down to Sidedoor Bagels. (Sidedoor is technically in Cottage Home—a wonderful neighborhood just north of Holy Cross—but that’s still within walking distance!) Their bagels are made fresh daily, including the popular everything bagel and rotating specialty flavors like jalapeno cheddar and rosemary. 

Just a little further north, you’ll find the Amelia’s Bakery in Windsor Park. Their mission is to bring high-quality, old-world bread to the people of Indianapolis. They’re not only a staple in this community, but also a destination for visitors. Along with delicious bread, they stock fresh baked pastries, espresso, coffee, and a few grocery items. But whatever you choose, I promise you will not walk away hungry! 

Holy Cross connects you with local art and entertainment.

In Holy Cross, we’re just minutes away from Indiana’s most popular museums, sporting events, conventions, and concerts. Downtown Indianapolis has four major music venues:  White River Amphitheater, The Murat Theatre, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Lucas Oil Stadium. 

But there are also many smaller venues across the city, including the Hilbert Circle Theatre, Indy Fringe, the Basile Theatre at the Historic Athenaeum, and the Phoenix Theater. All of these theaters welcome a variety of musicians and acts to their stage, so there’s always a new show to enjoy!

In neighboring Windsor Park, you can also find a unique and intimate place called the Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie. Here, you’ll find a restaurant run by James Beard-nominated chef Abbi Merriss, serving up crowd-pleasing, European-style food for all ages. You don’t have to enter the theater to eat at the Brasserie, but since you’re there, why not make it dinner and a movie?

Enjoy a night out at the Bottleworks District!

Our neighborhood’s only a couple blocks away from Mass Ave and all the great restaurants, trendy shops, and the overall cool vibe of the area. But there’s nothing quite like Bottleworks!

Bottleworks is a new cultural district with something for everyone—built in the former Coca-Cola Bottling Company at the end of Mass Ave. You can check out the Garage Food Hall, the boutique Bottleworks Hotel, and a giant entertainment hall called Pins Mechanical. At Pins, you can play everything from duckpin bowling to bocce ball, while enjoying drinks from their rooftop bar. 

One of my favorite date nights included walking to Bottleworks and having an amazing dinner at Modita, their full-service, Asian-inspired restaurant. From there, we walked just down the street to catch a movie at the Living Room Theater. If you haven’t been there yet, it’s a must! Being able to watch a movie in a comfortable recliner while eating great food and having a cocktail is the best. Then, to end the evening, we walked down the street to St. Joseph’s Brewery and sat outdoors for a night cap. It was perfect.

Holy Cross is a community amongst communities.  

Here in the Indy region, there are hundreds of places you could call home. That’s one of the things I love most about this area. You can choose to live somewhere urban, suburban, rural, or something in between and still be 30 minutes away from the heart of Indianapolis. So, what sets Holy Cross apart from other neighborhoods?

For me, it goes back to the small-town feel right in the heart of the city. Looking at our neighborhood, you’d never know that downtown Indianapolis was just 2 miles away. The homes are beautiful—complete with front porches and tall trees. We walk everywhere we go, and our neighbors are more than just our friends. Many of them have become like family.

One of my favorite things about living here is being part of a community that comes together to keep our neighborhood safe, clean, and thriving. We have an elected neighborhood board with community meetings every other month. There’s a true sense of pride and ownership in our neighborhood, and everyone pitches in to make it the amazing place it is. 

Holy Cross is also the most diverse neighborhood I’ve ever had the pleasure of living in. Our neighbors are a mix of all ages, races, genders, and sexual orientations—from white collar to blue collar to dog collar! We have retired friends and families with young kids, as well as middle-aged neighbors and empty nesters, whose kids have left to start their own life.

Whatever your background, Holy Cross is a community where everyone can feel welcome. If you’d like to learn more or come experience the neighborhood for yourself, please feel free to contact me!  We look forward to meeting you soon!