Georgia Street chairs, tables moved away from church so homeless won't linger
Seating areas relocated to east end of street
Posted: 09/28/2012
Last Updated:
235 days ago
INDIANAPOLIS - A renovated Georgia Street was meant to be a downtown attraction, but some area merchants and residents say it's become a lounging place for the homeless.
Downtown Inc, the venue manager for Georgia Street, said the sitting areas set up along the street as place for people to eat, relax and socialize have become an issue.
Thursday, the tables and chairs were moved from one end of Georgia Street to the other.
The tables used to be on the west end near St. John Catholic Church, which offers food to the homeless, but area merchants expressed concerns to Downtown Inc. about the number of homeless people using the chairs for long periods of time.
Downtown Inc. spokeswoman Julia Watson said crews moved the tables to the middle and east end of Georgia Street based on both the homeless gathering issue and because there are more restaurants and other businesses to the east that can utilize the tables.
Although some Georgia Street residents think the area has become a hangout for the homeless, one man, who didn't want to be identified, said the homeless people don't cause a problem and they shouldn't be pushed away.
"These people live here," he said. "They might not have a roof over their head, but they still live here."
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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