Draft plan for Bloomington Hospital site to be unveiled

Bloomington, Indiana -Officials in Bloomington will Wednesday present a draft final master plan for the redevelopment of the current Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital site. The property is set to be vacated next year after the opening of the new IU Health Regional Academic Health Center.

The city acquired the 24-acre site from IU Health in a $6.5 million deal first announced in 2018. The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission contracted New York-based architecture and urban planning firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to over see the master planning process, which included community engagement and site design options.

SOM will present the draft final plan to the Bloomington City Council during its meeting Wednesday, though no action will be taken by the council. The plan will then be available for public viewing online and residents will have the ability to provide feedback.

In 2018, the Washington D.C.-based Urban Land Institute a report with recommendations for possible use of the site, which include the development of affordable and market rate housing, office and retail space, a community arts center and green space.

The city says the feedback will help inform the finalized master plan, which is expected to be complete in December.

In 2017, the Indiana University Board of Trustees approved the final site plans for the 735,000-square-foot Regional Academic Health Center. When complete, the facility will not only house the new IU Health Bloomington Hospital, but also an academic facility that will be used for health sciences education and research at IU. 

Crews placed the final beam on the $400 million project in October 2019 during a “topping out ceremony.” The new complex is expected to be complete next year.