OUTSIDE IN

Views are paramount in a newly expanded downtown pied-à-terre

Written by Bridget Williams / Photography by Eric Williams

“We wanted a place that would entice us enough to leave our lake house in South Carolina and return to Indianapolis,” said Steve Harkness when recalling he and wife Shelly’s search for a unique in-town property. The couple enlisted the help of good friend Deborah Dorman of Encore Sotheby’s International Realty – whose personal crusade for the revitalization of downtown is quite infectious – to help them find a property that offered something different, as well as a turnkey lifestyle. Dorman jokes she can feel vertigo coming on when recalling the afternoon the group visited the Residences at 429 on the Park. Still under construction at the time, both hard hats and vision were required for the site visit. When considering various properties, Steve said he and Shelly asked themselves “Do we want to be the view, or do we want to see the view?” After admiring the picturesque vistas of the downtown skyline and the lush green space of the War Memorial Mall directly across from the building, the Harkness’ became the first buyers within the 19-unit luxury development.

The residences are constructed on top of a Rubish and Hunter-designed building erected in 1920 and listed on the National Register. Leo Stenz purchased the property in 1987 and added a contemporary office addition. “We wanted to create something different and striking next to the historic building,” he said. Inside the historic lobby, granite columns and a marble rotunda give way to a soaring atrium. The original plans for the building called for eight additional stories, which prompted Stenz to add the residential component. Having worked with multiple National Register properties, his company was ideally suited for the unique addition, the façade of which continues the white marble and interesting detail of its historic counterpart. Attention to fit and finish was paramount for the project, as the railing detail of the balconies that mimics a pattern found in the architecture of the War Memorial attests.

Each of the 19 units within the luxury development enjoy vistas of the downtown skyline and the lush green space of the War Memorial Mall directly across from the building.

After purchasing their corner unit, the couple spent time with interior designer Chip Kalleen, ASID, then of Lohr Design and now with Kalleen & Company so that he could gauge their interests and help design interiors that meet the demands of their lifestyle. No sooner had Chip made the finishing touches when, in March of last year, the couple decided to purchase an adjacent unit and create a new wing primarily for entertainment purposes.

The door to the unit opens to the newly expanded entryway, which is now “the kind of entryway befitting such a special property,” said Kalleen. Serving as the connecting point between new and old, the wall boasts a coral-colored Venetian plaster finish by Corwin Winger of The Painted Finish and Image. The marble floor is further accentuated by an intricate linear Walker Zanger mosaic of black, white, and cream tiles sourced from Architectural Brick & Tile. Above a lacquered console table designed by Kalleen and fabricated by Antreasian Design is a circular mirror flanked by bronze sconces from Holly Hunt. Opposite this presentation is a lively encaustic painting by Jason Zickler. The streaks of color call to mind taillights visible just outside the windows at night.

The wall in the foyer boasts a coral-colored Venetian plaster finish by Corwin Winger of Te Painted Finish and Image. Walker Zanger mosaic tile sourced from Architectural Brick & Tile accentuates the marble floor. Above the lacquered console table designed by interior designer Chip Kalleen and fabricated by Antreasian Design is a circular mirror flanked by bronze sconces from Holly Hunt.

Tile floor transitions to Acacia wood with a Pacific Rosewood finish in both wings. To the left, in the original portion of the residence, is where the couple spends most of their time. The rooms largely function as one, delineated by carefully placed furniture and creative room dividers that are mindful to never obstruct the view. In the same vein, fussy window treatments are eschewed in favor of remote-controlled shades that quietly disappear from sight.

Streaks of color found in the lively encaustic painting by Jason Zickler in the foyer call to mind taillights visible just outside the windows at night.

Artfully illuminating the dining room is an “Altar” chandelier from Holly Hunt that appears as pillar candles of alternate heights resting on an iron platform. Underneath the Baker table and chairs is a Persian Sarouk carpet, circa 1920, purchased from Joseph’s Oriental Rug Imports. Anchoring a comfortable seating area in front of the window that overlooks the War Memorial is a carpet designed by Kevin Wals for Tufenkian and also purchased at Joseph’s.

Artfully illuminating the dining room is an “Altar” chandelier from Holly Hunt. Underneath the Baker table and chairs is a Persian Sarouk carpet (circa 1920) purchased from Joseph’s Oriental Rug Imports.

Arguably the pièce de résistance (in a home full of many contenders) is an eight-foot-high and four-to-six-foot wide blown glass art piece/chandelier suspended in the two-story atrium. Commissioned for the home and created by Joe Thompson, founder of Bear Creek Glass of Orange Beach, Alabama. The stunning piece of functional art consists of more than 300 hand-blown pieces of recycled glass painstakingly hung within a metal core and lit from within by LED lighting. Also impressive are the four-inch cherry stair treads that lead down to pair of guest suites, one of which has direct access to the rooftop terrace, which Kalleen points out is the best spot in the city for watching the multitude of parades on the city’s annual calendar. According to Kalleen, “reglets” that mimic the actual fenestration of the atrium’s curtain wall help “provide a visual scale to the two-story walls and add distinct and very crisp shadow lines.”

Suspended in the two-story atrium is an 8’ high piece of functional art by Joe Thompson of Bear Creek Glass and comprised of more than 300 individually crafted glass pieces. The Tufenkian carpet in the seating area is from Joseph’s Oriental Rug Imports.

The new addition, which gives the couple the entire front of the building on both the fifth and sixth floors, is designed to serve as a “series of really relaxing and comfortable lounge spaces suitable for parties, fundraisers, special presentations and other entertaining possibilities,” said Kalleen. While the site of many parties, Steve says that it is not unusual to find he or Shelly there in quiet repose.

The Paul A. Howard Company was responsible for upholstering the raised seating area in the lounge.

The presence of an elevator shaft for the commercial side of the building that created a concrete floor 24” higher than the surrounding space presented a unique design challenge. The raised living area created as a result offers wonderful architectural interest and offered a unique opportunity to exhibit an outstanding array of custom art of personal significance to the homeowners. One of the most interesting examples can be found in the cast glass stair treads that lead up to the sitting area. Shelly - Dr. Shelly - is a professor of mathematics at the University of Cincinnati, and each backlit tread is embedded with a mathematical equation. Tese and a pair of custom etched and sandblasted glass panels that depict stylized renditions of buildings and places of significance to the homeowners were made by Greg Tompson of GRT Glass Designs.

Each of the backlit cast-glass stairs treads is embedded with a mathematical equation. They were made by Greg Thompson of GRT Glass Designs. The rough edges of the “drystacked” natural slate panels are a counterpart to a smoother rendition in the den.

The concrete platform is wrapped in a unique series of niches and shelves that provide ample display space for an array of art glass from the Marta Hewett Gallery in Cincinnati and objets d’art. Within this framework is banquette-style seating with custom upholstery by Paul A. Howard Custom Furniture that faces a wall dressed with sheets of “dry-stacked” natural slate (a rough counterpart of that found in the den on the opposite side of the condo). A wide doorway leads to a television room.

To work around the raised concrete floor in the living area of the condo, Kalleen designed a built-in banquette with display niches and topped with a Corian countertop.

Opposite the elevated seating area is a service bar with cabinetry of curly maple. Te same wood was used to wrap the home’s only visible support column. Appliances in the service bar are from Clark Appliance while the plumbing fixtures are from Ferguson.

Curly maple was used throughout the newly added wing, including the service bar.

In front of the windows and overlooking the atrium is a seating area. While the comfortable armchairs are the same as those visible across the open expanse, in this instance they are arranged around a sizeable Holly Hunt coffee table and atop a circular Edward Fields rug. Shelly purchased the pillows – made from antique Ikat-print fabric – during a trip to Istanbul.

Homeowner Shelly Harkness purchased the pillows on the armchairs - made from antique Ikat-print fabric – during a trip to Istanbul. Te coffee table is from Holly Hunt and the circular rug is a custom design by Edward Fields.

Bisazza mosaic tile creates a lovely display in the guest bath, along with the striking blue sodalite marble used for the vanity top and shower surround. Remnant pieces were set into custom steel tables used in the bathroom and the living room. At the end of the hall near the bathroom is a pair of doors. One of the doors is wood and leads to a closet. The other is a steel door for the fire egress and Corwin Winger faux painted it to mimic the grain of its neighbor. “Mother nature would be envious of its beauty,” laughed Kalleen.

Left: Dramatic wallpaper by Walter Knabe enlivens the power room. Right: Colors of sea and sky are called to mind via the vivid mosaic tile from Bisazza in a guest bath.

The homeowners are fond of purchasing art with an Indiana connection. There are three pieces by Jerry Points, whose vibrantly colored landscapes are in step with the energy the residence exudes. Standing in contrast to the more abstract interpretation of landscapes is a pair of unbelievably realistic colored pencil drawings of leaves by David Morrison and purchased through the Garvey Simon Gallery.

Normally summering in South Carolina, Steve said he and Shelly have been enjoying their newly expanded home in Indianapolis so much they have pushed back their departure date. “We love it here. We can walk to everything and at home, there are so many places to sit and relax,” he said. Kalleen added, “This is as close as Indianapolis gets to a Park Avenue feeling.”