The Indiana University Board of Trustees approved design plans for athletic facilities in Indianapolis as well as projects at Bradford Woods and Riley Hospital for Children.
IU Indianapolis Athletics Center
The designs for the IU Indianapolis Athletics Center reflect how the space serves the campus and embraces the downtown community. The 137,500-square-foot facility will be able to host basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics events, as well as speaking engagements, graduations and banquets.
The center includes a separate practice gym; concession stands; locker rooms for men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball; IU Indianapolis Athletic offices; and athletic training facilities. Additionally, USA Track & Field will be a tenant in a dedicated office space.
The seating bowl is a single-rake format, with a uniform upward slope set into the ground at grade level. The open-concourse arena seats 4,100, with special event seating for almost 5,000. It maintains 360-degree views down to the event floor and has a shared conference room with glass facing the seating bowl. The conference room can be used by IU Athletics and USA Track & Field during the day while being a VIP area during events. Architectural features include a gently curved roof structure that spans over the seating bowl, large video displays in the corners of the facility with unobstructed views, and a glass wall facing into the practice gym.
The exterior will be made of limestone and metal, with large glass walls at the east and west entrances. Those entry points will be angled toward pedestrian access paths, enhancing the sense of destination for incoming spectators. A long roof will overhang the building to control the amount of daylight into the space. The southern part of the building, where the offices will be located, will include a mix of metal panel walls and glazing, with exterior sunshade devices.
Bradford Woods Aquatic Facility
Bradford Woods is IU’s outdoor center, providing experiential and therapeutic outdoor programs on its 2,500-acre campus in Morgan County. Rehabilitation of the Lilly Pool at Bradford Woods will proceed. Totaling approximately 12,000 square feet, the updates will protect children through advanced bathhouse design while supporting the swimming experience for children of all abilities.
To improve accessibility, the existing 1970s aluminum pool will be removed and a new zero-entry pool will be installed. While the specific plans for the bathhouse are being determined, two new all-gender single occupancy restrooms will be added. The $2.8 million project will be funded by a capital grant from the Riley Children’s Foundation, and appropriate state approvals will be requested.
Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis space addition
The board approved a renovation project to expand the space of the IU Health Department of Radiology on the first floor of Riley Hospital for Children in downtown Indianapolis. The approximately 2,100-square-foot expansion will align the first floor with the floors above it, creating room for new diagnostic imaging equipment.
