Bottleworks District Wins ULI Americas Award for Excellence

This award is one of the most prestigious in the real estate industry, evaluating projects based on marketplace acceptance, design, planning, technology, amenities, economic impact, management, community engagement, innovation, and sustainability.

For nearly 50 years, the former Coca-Cola bottling plant was partitioned off from the public. It was a barrier when it could have been a destination. Hendricks Commercial Properties and RATIO had a clear vision — this would be a district, highly integrated into the surrounding neighborhoods and instrumental to the future of Indianapolis.

The Bottleworks District is a 12-acre mixed-use development that reimagines the iconic 1940s Coca-Cola bottling plant into a vibrant culinary, arts, and entertainment hub. The site now features a food hall, boutique hotel, retail, and office space, with future phases set to include additional retail, office, and residential components.

This project exemplifies how embracing a city’s history can reignite a destination and foster a more vibrant, sustainable community.

This year, 52 projects and programs from across the Americas were submitted for the competition. The multidisciplinary jury, composed of experts in development, finance, planning, urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture, selected the Bottleworks District as a winner.

Bottleworks District will automatically qualify as a nominee for the 2024 ULI Global Awards for Excellence, competing against projects from the Europe and Asia Pacific regions.

“This year’s winners set a high standard of excellence and innovation in social, environmental, and design values for our industry,” said jury chair Doug Voigt, Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Recognition of the Bottleworks District underscores its role as a leading example of how thoughtful urban development can revitalize a community while preserving its historical essence.