Purdue University is strengthening its presence in Indianapolis, focusing on collaboration and inclusivity as it works alongside community leaders and partners in the historic Indiana Avenue district.
With several new facilities and projects underway, the university’s expansion aims to foster innovation while honoring the area’s cultural and historical significance.
Purdue’s efforts in Indianapolis include several key projects:
- The 28-acre campus launched in July of last year.
- The 248,000-square-foot Academic Success Building near Michigan and West Streets are set to provide classrooms, laboratories, residential space, dining facilities and community access.
- The 518-520 Indiana Avenue facilities were established to meet near-term space needs for Purdue’s students, faculty and staff.
- A 29,500-square-foot building at 401 W. Michigan Street, with plans for future activation depending on Purdue’s needs.
According to Evan Hawkins, senior director of administrative operations for Purdue, these developments aim to create a vibrant, interconnected space for students, faculty and the local community to thrive together.
“I think there’s just such a tremendous amount of history and legacy on The Avenue,” Hawkins said. “As we have embarked on listening tours, we’re just in awe of the sense of pride as it pertains to the history and legacy of the avenue, and what we’ve heard is a strong desire to sustain and maintain that history and that legacy. Purdue’s presence in Indianapolis requires us to engage and understand that history and listen.”
Community collaboration is central to Purdue’s plans. Leaders like Hawkins and Renee Thomas, associate vice provost for student access and community engagement, have spearheaded conversations with local stakeholders to align Purdue’s expansion with the community’s needs and aspirations.
“Evan and I have gone on what I call a listening tour, and we’ve met with a variety of community stakeholders,” Thomas said. “We’ve been recognizing that we are the new kids on the block and new to the community, so we wanted to understand better the vibrance of the historical neighborhood in which we sit.”
Purdue’s Indianapolis expansion also includes academic programs to address workforce needs and capitalize on local opportunities.
- The Motorsports Engineering program, the only accredited undergraduate program in the country, will be housed at Dallara’s U.S. headquarters on Main Street in Speedway, across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- A reimagined Construction Management Technology program is being relaunched to meet growing industry demands.
- New programs in Sport Management, in partnership with Indiana Sports Corp, and Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing, in collaboration with SpectronRX, will launch next semester, further strengthening ties between Purdue and Indianapolis-based entities.
A key part of the initiative is ensuring that the development respects and integrates the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Indiana Avenue district. Purdue is working to build trust and foster open dialogue with residents and local organizations as the campus evolves. Additionally, Purdue will be present at the Madame Walker Legacy Fest in June and the Indiana Black Expo Youth Summit in July.
“We’ve been partnering with some community residents,” Thomas said. “A couple of weeks ago, we partnered with St. Philip’s Church, and we had a group of students do some volunteer work at St. Philip’s in which they were cleaning up the lot, both exterior and interior, for the church.”
The Academic Success Building stands out as a cornerstone of Purdue’s vision in Indianapolis. In addition to serving the university’s students, the facility will be accessible to local high schools and community members, creating a bridge between education and the neighborhood.
“The academic success building, which is currently under development, we broke ground recently on the corner of Michigan and California, is Purdue University’s largest capital project in history and will be a gateway and truly an anchor for Purdue University in Indianapolis,” Hawkins said.
Purdue’s projects also open doors for local engagement in science, technology and the arts, ensuring that the university’s expansion will be a resource for all.
“Students being exposed to community civic and industry partners, the co-ops, internships, creates that stickiness, right?” Hawkins said. “And ultimately contributes to a retention of talent in the city as well as the state of Indiana to accelerate our STEM talent pipeline, which is critically important to the infrastructure of our state and our nation.”
As construction progresses and academic programs launch, Purdue’s Indianapolis campus is poised to become a hub of innovation, education and opportunity. The university’s commitment to the community is clear: this is a project built for students and the city as a whole.
“We’re optimistic about what lies ahead for Purdue University and not only Purdue University, but the residents of Indiana, the entire city of Indianapolis,” Thomas said.
For more information about Purdue’s expansion, visit purdue.edu.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
