IU Health is launching a $214 million expansion plan in Greater Lafayette.
The project includes building the city’s first hospital in West Lafayette, constructing a new state-of-the-art cancer center in Lafayette and expanding specialty services in the area.
The three-part plan, known as the Greater Lafayette Community Growth Project, is meant to meet the growing health care needs of Tippecanoe County and surrounding areas. Construction on the new hospital and cancer center is set to begin in 2026 and finish in 2028.
“Several years ago, we recognized that Greater Lafayette was on the cusp of significant growth,” said Art Vasquez, president of IU Health’s West Region. “Today, we’re proud to announce the next bold step in that journey with the Greater Lafayette Community Growth Project. This is a major milestone, not just for our organization, but for our community.”
IU Health officials say the project is part of a long legacy of local investment, beginning with the Arnett-Crockett Clinic in 1922. The project includes:
- IU Health West Lafayette Hospital, which will be the first inpatient hospital in West Lafayette. It will feature a 24/7 emergency department, inpatient rooms, multiple operating rooms, advanced imaging and lab services and a helipad for emergency transport.
- A new 55,000-square-foot Cancer Center on the IU Health Arnett Hospital campus, which will replace the current facility on 26th Street in Lafayette. The new building will increase infusion therapy capacity by 23%, house two linear accelerators and offer precision genomics services. It will also include integrative wellness services such as yoga, music therapy and support groups.
- Renovation of the IU Health Medical Offices on Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette. The 8,000-square-foot upgrade will bring a multispecialty clinic, a walk-in orthopedic clinic and a rapid access cardiology clinic to the area.
Dennis Murphy, president and CEO of IU Health, said the organization has a history of bringing “firsts” to Tippecanoe County, including the first cardiology and pediatric departments and the first urgent care facility.
“Now, we’re preparing to bring another milestone — the first hospital in West Lafayette,” Murphy said. “IU Health has consistently followed through — investing in infrastructure, talent and innovation to meet the evolving needs of the communities we proudly serve.”
The Greater Lafayette area is the fastest-growing metro in the country, and Tippecanoe is one of the fastest-growing counties in Indiana, according to IU Health.
The growth project is expected to add more than 210 full-time healthcare jobs by 2030, including physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers. IU Health currently delivers care in over 40 specialties to patients across a 10-county region.
“This project represents IU Health’s commitment to growing with our community,” Vasquez said. “It isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about fulfilling a promise we made years ago and meeting the needs of a growing community with care that’s close to home.”
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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.
