Date: April 8-13, 2018

Location: Bloomington, IN

Sponsor: City of Bloomington

Subject Area: Economic Development

Panel Chair: Glenda Hood, triSect, Orland, Florida

For the panel report, please visit ULI’s Knowledge Finder 

Background and Panel Assignment

An advisory services panel made recommendations to the city of Bloomington, Indiana on sustainable approaches to develop the IU Health Bloomington Hospital site and integrate the development into the surrounding community, with a special emphasis on the adjacent McDoel Gardens Historic District and Prospect Hill Historic District.  IU Health made the decision to move the hospital location and demolish the building so the city of Bloomington purchased the site to gain site control. Panelists conducted a thorough review of all aspects of reuse, including:

• The value that the parking garage and/or the administrative building might contribute to the future development of the site;
• The appropriate scope and scale of redevelopment on the site, both from a market perspective and in terms of urban designs and planning considerations;
• Potential phasing and timing of the redevelopment of the 24 acres;
• The type of development/program that could best achieve the right balance of housing, commercial, and other land uses to enhance the neighborhoods surrounding the site;
• Infrastructure amenities that will be important for enhancing the value and feasibility of the redevelopment, including the timing and phasing of those investments;
• The correct zoning for a redevelopment of the site, in terms of density, uses, and heights; as well as entitlement tools for the redevelopment;
• How the city and other public sector entities will consider proposals for the sale and redevelopment of the property from other public or private sector interests; and
• The impacts and needs of the surrounding areas based on the potential uses of the site.

Key Recommendations and Takeaways

• The redevelopment of Bloomington Hospital site can:
  • Assist in meeting housing needs
  • Provide an opportunity for office space
  • Maintain neighborhood scale
  • Create a network of public space
  • Connect key assets
• Engage a master developer to manage redevelopment
• Build partnerships early and ongoing
• Invite robust community engagement