This weekend, we went on a tour hosted by Indiana Landmarks of the Historic Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in Indianapolis, one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the state. It was a lot of fun – and exciting to see that the currently abandoned building is going to be repurposed – with MUCH of the interior remaining intact. You can read a little more about the plant and its future HERE and HERE! We’ve always wanted to go inside, and we missed getting tickets to a tour in the fall, but since it was so popular, they did another one this weekend, and we jumped at the chance!
Here are some significant facts about the building, taken from Architecture Indiana:
Coca Cola Bottling Company, 1931
858-868 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis IN 46204
Architect/Designer: Rubush & Hunter
DESCRIPTION:
There are two main structures within the complex, the main bottling plant and a garage. The buildings within the complex feature facades of white, glazed terra cotta. The terra cotta design features various details such as chevrons, sunbursts and elaborate spandrels. Throughout the structures are decorative pilasters and copper details, even along the loading dock canopies. These exquisite structures have remained in excellent condition, in large part due to their continued use as part of the Indianapolis Public School system. The Coca Cola Bottling Company has remained an art deco icon in Indianapolis and hopefully will continue to be fully utilized as a lasting architectural masterpiece.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT – INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS AND AWARDS WON:
One of the finest examples of art deco architecture in Indianapolis the Coca Cola Bottling Company is largely unaltered from its original appearance. At one time the world’s largest Coca-Cola bottling plant, the complex takes up an entire city block.
I’m posting a LOT of pictures, but I really couldn’t edit because I wanted you to see everything. But there won’t be a lot to read, so it’ll just be a fun pictorial tour!
It was so great to have Indiana Landmarks facilitate a tour – we are so glad we went!
Great post! Thanks for taking us along for the tour. I’m really curious to see what they do to the space.
Wow, what a beauty. Thanks for this tour. There is certainly a lot to work with and for the new owners. When the reuse/reno starts to really take place it would be great if you could share links of photos and articles to your non-local followers.
Oh my gosh. That was so fun to look at. Thanks for posting this. Another beautiful building saved. Thank God. Finally. Somebody smart in high places (politicians finally got it right.) Let’s hope more are saved.
Reading that they took inventory of every single block of that terra cotta cladding to preserve/patch/replace them as needed makes me pretty mad at some Philly developers. We lost 2 really cool facades, one of which is coming back as a replica, which I suspect was a ploy to get approval for something cheaper than a facadectomy. Also very interesting that they used terra cotta inside as a substitute for ornamental plaster. (Speaking of art deco architectural terra cotta… https://hiddencityphila.org/2018/02/art-deco-enclave-in-upper-darby-a-display-for-the-ages/)
And that bathroom – pretty sure you can do it! I spot irregular handmade field tiles, a border of encaustic cement tiles, and one of different sized rectangular tiles arranged in a pattern. All you need is the right plumbing and light fixtures.
I totally got a Willy Wonka vibe from that tasting room and it’s FANTASTIC.
Thank you so much for sharing this Amy! So glad this is being saved! Art Deco is not to my personal liking, but I appreciate it non the less. It reminds me of a house we looked at in the Aberdeen/Hoquiam, WA area that was built by a lumber baron. Gorgeous tiled bathrooms, all intact.
Great shots, Amy! Nice meeting you (even if it was just briefly) on Saturday. Glad my big noggin didn’t get in the way of any of these photos!