First look: IU Health provides peek at hospital construction, hotel-like design

Three large towers will join the Indianapolis skyline as IU Health’s new downtown hospital and look like nothing else in the city.

The $2.3 billion project is set to open in 2027 and will contain over 2 million square feet of space. The buildings will consolidate IU Health Methodist Hospital and University Hospital and be a significant source of redevelopment in downtown’s Northside.

IU officials provided a media sneak peek of the project Wednesday.

The three towers will reach nearly 700 feet and 16 stories high. The designs make heavy use of natural elements with limestone veneer and faux wood external and internal features, all resting on a solid granite base. The modern design with natural elements will be unique on Indy’s skyline and effectively expand it to the north.

The hospital will have 864 licensed beds, and all rooms will be private. Each room will be 325 square feet.

Dr. Ryan Nagy, president of the IU Health Adult Academic Health Center, believes the investment reflects IU Health’s commitment to excellence.

“It says we are optimistic, we are aggressive, we have the resources, and we intend to lead health care. We do not seek to just get by; we don’t seek to just be good; we seek to be the best,” Nagy said.

Design goes for a hotel vibe

The facility has been designed with the comfort and well being of its visitors in mind, according to Jim Mladucky, vice president of design and construction of the project. Drawing inspiration from the design philosophies of Disney and major hotel chains, the hospital aims to create a stage-like atmosphere that reduces anxiety for visitors. The building is designed for natural light to take center stage, with renderings showing the exterior covered with windows.

Mladucky said the design philosophy extends to meaningful rest spaces for employees that are easily accessible. Some health care workers don't leave their unit during a shift because rest areas are too far away. The new hospital will have them on every floor.

Staff areas of reprieve climbed to the forefront of considerations during the pandemic, according to Nagy. The toll front-line workers faced in inadequate spaces left many burnt out.

The new hospital is also designed with flexibility in mind, so if an emergency takes precedence, rooms can be used for whatever is needed most.

The hospital's ground level will include a large multipurpose green space in front of the tower entrances designed to be used by the community, which Mladucky said is rare downtown.

'Part of this neighborhood'

“We want it to be open to our neighbors; we are a part of this neighborhood,” he said.

The ground floors will also include retail and dining options, another way Mladucky believes the hospital is creating a multiuse space for more people. Initial plans included space for a grocery store, fitness center and child care facilities, but nothing is finalized.

The designers have worked closely with IndyGo to create convenient bus stop locations, particularly on the Red Line. Mladucky expects significant increases in housing developments near the site and said IU Health is working closely with developers to ensure affordable housing is developed in the neighborhood to avoid gentrification.

The new construction will have significant improvements in sustainability and carbon emissions. IU Health estimates that the buildings will reduce carbon emissions by 34,000 metric tons, worth $8 million annually in operating costs.

Overall, IU Health expects to save $50 million annually in operating costs by combining the two hospitals. There are no current plans for the Methodist Hospital buildings after the new hospital’s opening. University Hospital will be turned over to IU Indianapolis.

Construction is expected to reach a major milestone later this summer, with the base reaching completion and construction on the three towers beginning. The hospital is projected to open during the fourth quarter of 2027.

Tyler Spence is a Pulliam Fellow primarily covering business. He can be contacted at jspence@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU Health provides peek at hospital construction, hotel-like design