Indianapolis Coke

Indianapolis Coke ceased production on July 13, 2007 after nearly 99 years in business. In the coming months and years, the facility will be demolished and the plant site refurbished.

Plant History
Until it closed in July 2007, Indianapolis Coke, the Manufacturing Division of Citizens Gas, produced coke, manufactured gas and various chemical by-products for industrial use.

Coke is a solid carbon material that is used as a fuel primarily by steel mills and foundries. The plant, located at 2950 Prospect Street on the southeast side of Indianapolis, produced about 577,000 tons of coke in 2006.

Indianapolis Coke had been in operation since 1909 and once produced all of the gas used for heating and other purposes in Marion County . Coke oven gas started to be phased out of the gas distribution operation during the 1950s with the introduction of natural gas transported to Indianapolis via interstate pipelines. By 1998 coke oven gas was completely phased out of the gas distribution system.

Key Messages

• Current activity at site – We continue to decommission various equipment at the plant site and sell remaining supplies of coke and coal. This process is expected to take a year or more to complete.
  
• Plant demolition – Demolition of the plant structures is not expected to begin until 2009. Once demolition begins, we will work very hard to minimize disturbances to the neighborhood.
  
• Site remediation – Remediation of the plant site will likely commence following demolition of the plant structures. The details have not been determined, but site remediation could take several years to complete. Citizens will work closely with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management as we develop site remediation plans. As always, all of our plans for site remediation will be open to public review and comments.
  
• Future use of the site – Citizens has formed a cross-functional project team focused on the reuse and redevelopment of the 110-acre coke plant site. The project team's objectives are to study the potential uses for the property and prepare a master plan based on the study results. Citizens will likely engage an experienced consultant to assist with the study and master plan. This process could take up to 6 months to complete. During that time, we will provide periodic updates and solicit input and feedback from interested parties. Please feel free to contact us through the form below should you have questions regarding the current or future use of the property.