Lafayette

Homes in the Bennett neighborhood in southside Lafayette sell fast. “We’re definitely in a hot market,” Jennifer O’Shea says. O’Shea, a KW realtor, has lived in the area her whole life and has been selling homes here for 25 years. Homes in Bennett sell in six days compared to the national average of 43 days. Bennett is located 4 miles south of downtown Lafayette. The quality of schools is a big draw, O’Shea says. “We have good [public] schools and very affordable parochial schools. The Catholic School has a great reputation for academics and athletics,” she says. Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School is right in the neighborhood. Bennett offers many different architectural styles, unlike nearby neighborhoods where a majority of homes are prefabricated. “Bennett has more variety. The houses don’t look as identical,” O'Shea says. Many homes feature stone or brick combined with siding in ranch-style, Cape Cod and Colonial Revival styles. Two-car garages and ample driveways are common. Some homes feature sweeping lawns with elegant landscaping. Home prices range in price from $200,000 to $400,000. Children may attend Edgelea Elementary School, which earns an A-minus from Niche before moving on to B-minus-rated Sunnyside Intermediate School and Lafayette Tecumseh Junior High School. High schoolers can attend Jefferson High School, which offers Chinese, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish foreign language programs. Niche gives Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School, an A grade, ranking it No. 18 out of 429 best high schools for athletes in Indiana. Bishop Woods Park on the Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School campus hosts the Summer Knights Day Camp and Summer Sports Camps, where students can serve as camp counselors. Kids can choose from wrestling, track, soccer, softball, baseball, basketball, volleyball, football and tennis camps. Bennett is home to the Lafayette area’s only private country club. The Lafayette Country Club occupies most of the northern end of Bennett above Teal Road. Although non-members can rent event rooms at the club, the pool, golf course and dining facilities are open to members only. Bennett is within one mile of a surprising number and variety of restaurants. Some local favorites include Mary Lou Donuts, Oliverio’s Southland Restaurant, Banh Mi Eatery and Old Buffalo’s Outpost Bar and Grill. Two miles to the east of Bennett, Tippecanoe Mall includes anchor stores like Dick’s, JCPenney, Kohl’s and Macy’s. Malibu Jack’s Indoor Theme Park is also located at the Mall. Grocery shopping is conveniently located less than two miles away at Pay Less on Beck Lane. Ace Hardware is steps away from Pay Less. Bennett is conveniently located 5 miles west of Interstate 65. Drivers can take I-65 south about 60 miles to Indianapolis and 125 miles north to Chicago. Although most people drive to get around town, public transportation is an option. Several CityBus stops line Old U.S. 231, S. 9th Street and Beck Lane. The Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds roars to life in July when the Tippecanoe County 4-H Fair gets underway. Bennett residents can walk over to the fairgrounds to compete with neighbors in corn husking and donut eating. Kids enjoy the kiddy tractor pull and robotics event. The area above Teal Road and along Old U.S. 231 are at greater risk of flooding.

Brady Lane is a tiny neighborhood 4 miles south of downtown Lafayette. Although it's mostly residential, Brady Lane includes a small, convenient strip mall in the northwest section. Rebecca Wright, a Realtor with Trueblood Real Estate, refers to this part of Lafayette as “Southside,” meaning, the south side of downtown Lafayette. Neighborhoods like Brady Lane stand out with their established trees, walkability, and proximity to area amenities, Wright says. "Little by little, older homes are being renovated, and new businesses and restaurants are popping up, transforming the overall area," she says. Brady Lane's northwest section is home to a huge storage facility and the Brady Center shopping strip. The neighborhood’s five residential streets and eight cul-de-sacs are laid out in a neat grid. Streets are lined with mature trees and feature ample sidewalks. Old-fashioned post mailboxes sit on grass medians between the sidewalks and curbs. Brady Lane is a neighborhood of starter homes, Realtor Carole King says. King, a Realtor with KW, has been selling homes in the area for 16 years. Recently, she’s seen an uptick in investor activity in the Brady Lane neighborhood. “Four years ago, anything that came on the market was bought by investors. Some [investors] don’t even come to see the property before buying," she says. King also owns rental property on Brady Lane. Ranch-style homes are the most common type, although one can also find the occasional Cape Cod or bi-level. Condos account for 14% of housing. Ranch-styles can sell for $135,000 to $250,000. Condos can sell at prices between $125,000 and $135,000. Homes here sell in ten days compared to the national average of 43 days. Students can attend public schools in the Lafayette School Corporation. They can start at Miami Elementary School, which earns a B-minus from Niche and move on to B-minus-rated Sunnyside Intermediate and Tecumseh Junior High School. High schoolers can attend Jefferson High School, which earns a B-plus. Jefferson’s comprehensive foreign language program offers Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French and Russian. Brady Lane is located 4 miles west of Interstate 65, which runs to Chicago and Indianapolis. It’s also close to State Roads 25, 26 and 38 and U.S. Routes 52 and 23. Travelers who prefer to skip the drive can take the train at Lafayette’s Amtrak station. Service to Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York City is available three times a week. Greyhound in Lafayette is another option. Public transportation is available through CityBus local bus service with multiple stops along Brady Lane and S. 18th Street. Although there are no bike lanes within the neighborhood, there is one on S. 18th Street. Brady Lane is close to numerous venues for sports, social interaction and entertainment. Columbian Park, including its zoo and Tropicanoe Cove water park is a favorite destination for area kids. Armstrong Park, named for astronaut and Purdue University alumnus Neil Armstrong, is the closest park to the Brady Lane neighborhood. It features a paved walking trail, multiple playgrounds, baseball fields and lighted tennis and basketball courts. The Beck Lane Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA are each under two miles away. The neighborhood’s Brady Center strip mall includes a Dollar General, a convenience store and a liquor store. Grocery shopping is conveniently located 2 miles away at Pay Less. The Tippecanoe Mall, also two miles away, is home to anchor stores like Macy’s, Penney’s, Dick’s and Kohls. Favorite locally-owned restaurants include the Legacy Pub, Teays River Brewing & Public House and Walt’s Other Pub. “Legacy Pub is very popular. There are a lot of vegetarian dishes. It’s crowded all the time,” King says. The Brady Lane Church is just outside the neighborhood’s eastern boundary on Brady Lane. The church is home to the Good Shepherd Learning Center, where preschoolers have been receiving a Christian-based early education for over a quarter-century. In October, Fort Ouiatenon near West Lafayette welcomes thousands of visitors to the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon. Participants reenact the mid-18th-century annual fall gathering that brought French and Native Americans together. Each June, downtown Lafayette closes its main streets to make room for A Taste of Tippecanoe, a one-day summer festival that draws 40,000 visitors who come to enjoy local foods and live entertainment. Every summer, the 4-H Club holds its week-long fair at the Tippecanoe Fairgrounds, a mile away.

In Central, homes are much more than four walls and a roof. In this Lafayette neighborhood, front porches invite friends and neighbors to stop and chat on their afternoon walks. "You see people walking their pets, kids riding their bikes, people doing their gardening, neighbors talking," says Amanda Oakley, a broker with Trueblood Real Estate who grew up in the neighborhood. "Central is very traditional in what you would think a neighborhood would be." While the nearby Lafayette Country Club offers a white-tablecloth dining experience, this neighborhood is not one for pretentiousness. Here, bartenders know their customers by name at the smoky neighborhood tavern. While grand colonial houses make a statement, smaller styles offer a more accessible entry into the neighborhood. And residents aren't afraid to add personal touches. In July, American flags are carefully lined up on front lawns between lilies and daisies, while in December, string lights twinkle on roof gables. "Whether first-time homebuyers or last-time homebuyers, the people that gravitate to Central are interested in a house to live in, especially if you want sweat equity," says Cheryl Butcher, Managing Broker at Keller Williams Realty. Central has homes from the early to mid-20th century in various sizes and styles. On South Ninth Street, stately Colonial Revivals overlook the country club. Green and russet Victorian homes have decorative shingles in the roof gables. Smaller styles include gingerbread cottages with steeply gabled entrances and brick chimneys. Craftsman bungalows have brick columns holding up front porches. Many properties display pride in ownership, from period-accurate paint colors to updated kitchens and bathrooms to decorations on the front porches. "Who knows how many owners have been in each of those homes, but they've carried on some of those traditions to keep the character," Oakley says. Updated bungalows may range from $140,000 to $350,000. Green spaces are within reach both inside and outside of Central. Northeast of the neighborhood is Columbian Park, a recreational hub for Lafayette that is home to a zoo, a water park and a baseball stadium within its 40 acres. Rolling green hills border the neighborhood's west side at Lafayette Country Club. Established in 1909, the club has deep roots in the area as a space for golf, tennis, swimming, dining and social activities. Immanuel United Church of Christ also offers a neighborhood park with basketball hoops and play sets for different ages. The wooded trail provides a moment of reflection to the soundtrack of cardinals, sparrows and finches. "People love the trail; I see the same people out walking their dogs a lot," says Tari Seeger, Youth and Family Ministry Community Events Director at the church. Proximity to Jefferson High is one of this neighborhood's perks. Located at the neighborhood's southeast corner, it earns an A-minus from Niche and offers a robust early college experience through dual enrollment and AP courses. Staff members get involved in the Central neighborhood by leading soccer and other activities at Immanuel Church's sports camp. Before Jefferson, kids can attend A-minus-rated Oakland Elementary, Sunnyside Intermediate and Tecumseh Junior High — both earn a B-minus. Neighbors like to hang out over a pint at their neighborhood bar. At Checkerboard Tavern, established in 1916, bartenders greet regulars by name. Rock music, cigarette smoke and friendly banter hang in the air as anticipation builds for Tuesday night bingo. "When I was a bartender here, we knew what people drank so we could have it ready before they sat down," says Checkerboard co-owner Toby Edmonds. It also serves hearty meals, including prime rib, bacon cheeseburgers and wings. For a homemade meal, ingredients are available about 2 miles east at Aldi. Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds is a county-wide draw just south of the neighborhood, especially during the July fair. The smell of fresh earth and livestock wafts through the Coliseum. Prized cows await judgment as fairgoers from across the county look on from the bleachers. The new 20,000-square-foot, air-conditioned building was part of a $21 million construction project on the grounds, completed in 2021. Immanuel Church also hosts events throughout the year. The Trunk or Treat each October is one of the most popular. Kids come dressed up to collect candy around the trail. "Last year, we probably had 400 kids come through," Seeger says. "A lot of people come every year." Other events include an Easter egg hunt, a summer sports camp and a fish fry in November. Central is close to all the action of downtown Lafayette. The neighborhood is about 1.5 miles south of the city center, with multiple ways to get there. Bordering the neighborhood's west side, South 9th Street offers a northern route toward downtown. The road also has a bike lane, although it ends at Kossuth Street. Public transportation is available via the 3 and 6B buses, which stop on the neighborhood's bordering streets.