Cumberland officials launch 90-day Washington Square Mall site study as ownership and redevelopment claims collide

A long-troubled east-side mall becomes the focus of a new planning effort

Local officials and development partners have launched a pre-development site study aimed at outlining realistic redevelopment paths for Washington Square Mall, the aging retail complex at 10202 E. Washington St. in Cumberland on Indianapolis’ far east side. The announcement, made publicly at Cumberland Town Hall, immediately surfaced unresolved questions about who controls the property’s future and how decisions are being communicated to tenants and the public.

The site study is scheduled to begin on Feb. 18, 2026, with a 90-day timeline to produce an infrastructure-focused site plan and conceptual renderings intended to support future investment conversations.

Who is behind the site study

The effort is being advanced by Indianapolis City-County Councilor Michael-Paul Hart along with a team that includes the Lauth Group, Schmidt Associates, Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) and Cumberland Town Manager Ben Lipps. Organizers described the work as an initial, pre-development step meant to identify constraints and possibilities at the property and prepare materials that could be used to attract development partners.

Ownership and sale claims drive much of the dispute

At the center of the debate is whether the current ownership is pursuing a sale and whether any agreement is already in place. Eddie Hager, chief operating officer of BRC Commercial Properties, stated publicly that his company is close to acquiring the site and intends to carry out its own redevelopment plan.

Those assertions were disputed by Keith Lee Jr., who has served as the mall’s property manager since 2019 and represents the property’s ownership. Lee said there was no pending deal as described and indicated that the owner, Vijay Kumar Vemulapalli of Durga Property holdings, would consider selling only at an acceptable price.

Code enforcement, legal friction, and trust issues

The meeting also highlighted tensions over property conditions and enforcement. Hager described the site as needing extensive maintenance and pointed to a history of code-related problems, arguing that the public has not been fully informed about the status of the property.

Separately, Vemulapalli has previously said he believes code violations have been used in ways that could diminish the property’s value, and he has indicated he would challenge any effort to take control of the site for less than what he считает fair market value.

Tenants say uncertainty is affecting business

Several tenants told officials they had not been aware of the new site study before the public announcement and said unclear messaging has harmed customer traffic. R&S Menswear owner Sean Grant told the meeting that talk of a sale and redevelopment has contributed to a perception that the mall is already closed, which he said has reduced foot traffic and sales.

Tenants asked for clearer communication about what is planned, what timelines are being considered, and how current businesses will be treated during any transition.

What happens next

• The 90-day study period is expected to run from Feb. 18, 2026, into mid-May 2026.
• The deliverables are expected to include an infrastructure site plan and conceptual redevelopment visuals.
• Key unresolved issues remain: whether ownership will cooperate with the process, whether any purchase agreement emerges, and how tenant concerns will be addressed as planning moves forward.

For now, the site study is moving ahead amid competing redevelopment claims and ongoing questions about transparency, property control and the practical path to reusing one of the far east side’s most prominent commercial sites.