Accessibility in charming downtown Noblesville, IN

There are two free parking garages where you can park when visiting downtown Noblesville. The Levinson Parking Garage and Federal Hill Parking Garage (both are 4 hours free and then $2 per hour after that). You will also find some parking around the square if you are lucky enough to score a space. If you are parking in the downtown square zone, there is a two-hour parking limit enforced M-F from 9AM-5PM on weekdays. There are only a handful of accessible spaces around the square. Most of those spaces do not have adequate room for a van that has a wheelchair ramp that would need to unfold. The parking garages are the best option if you need ample space.

I found the downtown area to be very accessible as far as the curb cutout areas when crossing the streets. As a wheelchair user, this is something I have really come to appreciate and helps me feel safe and independent when exploring a downtown area. They are nicely done and I was able to cross the streets with ease. The sidewalks can be narrow in certain spots, as with many downtown areas, but I found they were large enough for my wheelchair.

For dining options, there is a variety of options to choose from. It is a rapidly growing downtown area that promises even more options to come.

Most recently, I visited Primeval Brewing. While they do not have an accessible entrance in the front of the restaurant, we were directed to the back of the restaurant where they have an accessible entrance. Once inside, there was plenty of space to maneuver my wheelchair, and they have two accessible restrooms. While most of their seating is picnic style tables, I was able to pull my wheelchair up to the end of the table with no issues. They also have an outdoor area with tables which was flat and easy to maneuver.

Living in Noblesville for many years, I have also tried out several of the other restaurants in the downtown area. Some accessible options include The Courthouse Club, Grindstone Public House, Noble Coffee and Tea Company (their west facing entrance is accessible), Asian Grill, and Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano. These places all have a flat entrance.

I recently visited Indie Coffee Roasters located west of the square across the river and connected to the Federal Hill parking garage. You can park in the garage where there is an elevator that can take you directly to one of their entrances. You can also park in their lot that faces Conner Street. There is a wheelchair ramp located at that entrance.

To satisfy a sweet tooth, Alexander’s on the Square, an old-fashioned eatery, has many different ice cream options (as well as a food menu) and I have found that to be a place I can get into and enjoy a sweet treat.

There are a variety of shops around the square and on a few of the side streets. I visited The Linden Tree which is a charming store that has home décor, women’s fashion, and unique gifts. At a glance, it may not seem accessible with a staircase in the front. However, there is a nice side entrance along Clinton Street that has a ramp, accessible button for opening the door, and an elevator that leads directly into the store. They also have an accessible restroom that was easy to get my wheelchair in and out of.

Logan Village Mall…as with many of the business along the historic downtown square, there is a single step to get inside. They were open to discussing this with me, and they do hope to have a solution very soon for disabled shoppers to be able to enter their store. My husband was able to get me up that one step in my manual wheelchair. Once inside, there were some vendors that had room for my wheelchair, but most spaces were too tight. Note: They do not have public restrooms for use.

A new bookstore/cafe called The Chapter Book Lounge, featuring literature, merchandise, coffee, tea, cocktails and more has opened on the corner of Conner and 10^th streets. While they were not open when we went by, it looked like they do have an accessible entrance off 10^th Street. The front entrance is not accessible.

In the past, I have visited Noblesville Antiques on the Square. At that time, they had a portable ramp that they were able to bring out to provide and accessible entrance.

Portable ramps would be my temporary suggestion for many of these shoppes until a more permanent solution could be created. I did notice some of the places along the square that have been renovated have created a small ramp style entrance that enhances accessibility.

Formerly Nickel Plate Arts (located just south of the square at 107 S. 8^th Street) is an opportunity for visiting professional artist studios, tour galleries, shop for art or even take a class. While I have not personally visited yet, I was informed this is an accessible location to enjoy.

There are public restrooms found near the visitors center at 835 Conner Street. There are also public restrooms at Federal Hill Commons which is a park located west of the square, which hosts many Noblesville events including the farmer’s market as well as outdoor concerts.

Each of the business owners that I spoke with that day were open to discussing accessibility, and many are willing to make improvements where needed if that becomes a possibility for them. Changes such as providing each business with a portable ramp would be a huge plus for the disabled community, allowing us to enjoy even more of the beautiful shoppes and tasty restaurants.

Downtown Noblesville is a fun and unique place to visit, with many dining and shopping options. While not all options are accessible, there are several places to enjoy as a wheelchair user. Noblesville has long been a charming location to stroll around downtown and enjoy the day. I love living here!