Co-location of Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Indiana School for the Deaf
Co-location of Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Indiana School for the Deaf
Academic Quadrangle
Abatement/Demolition of existing buildings began October 2024, and site preparation including new infrastructure and utility work, is underway, Summer/Fall 2025.
The Residence Halls and Education buildings will be the first and second buildings out of the ground. Construction/Renovation for all the campus buildings will take approximately 3 years.
ISD and ISBVI will move to campus Summer of 2028 for the Fall term.
Located on a 67 acre site at 75th Street and College Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Co-Location Campus promotes a one-campus mentality for students from both the Indiana School for the Deaf & Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired while maintaining and respecting their two unique and historic identities.
With such a unique site, we strived to enhance and celebrate a wonderous and natural landscape that maximizes student safety, joy, and discovery. We sought to restore and modernize historic structures to foster a world-class educational model that develops the unique needs and strengths of its students. And complement those historic structures with new state-of-the-art facilities that respectfully respond to the rich context while being designed of our time.
The rolling, forested site with its bluff overlooking Williams Creek is an idyllic place for a school and residential campus. Most buildings are designed with specific entries and spaces for each school.
• The existing signature Administration Building, with its Bell Tower and adjoining wings, will be renovated and repurposed as the new Campus Center.
• In the true spirit of collaboration, a new Academic Building will be constructed accommodating both schools as a centerpiece of the main Academic Quadrangle just north of the historic Administration Building.
• Similarly, a new Residence Hall will be constructed for both schools in the quiet northeast corner of the site.
• A new Fieldhouse will be constructed that will include two high school gymnasiums. The existing Natatorium structure will be converted into the new Dining Hall.
Overview
- Owner Managing Design and Construction is the Indiana Department of Administration.
- Design Team consists of 150 people and is led by Ratio Architects.
- The contractor managing the project is Turner Construction.
- Campus will serve ages 18 months–22 years.
- Building GSF = 541,000
- 6 New Buildings
- 4 Renovated Buildings
- 3 Existing service buildings to be stabilized for future program use.
- Cost = $655 Million
June 2025 - Storm structures and sanitary sewer lines being installed.
The Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) was established by the General Assembly in 1847. The school was initially located downtown and in 1930 relocated to its present College Avenue site where multiple services for the Blind and visually impaired community across the state continue to be provided. These services include both a residential program and a day school.
Additional information is available here: https://www.in.gov/isbvi/
The Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) was founded in 1843 and originally named after its founder, William Willard. After only three years in operation, the Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) became the first Deaf school to provide free education to Deaf and hard-of-hearing
students. Prior to the current campus, built on East 42nd Street in 1911, the facility had occupied several sites. ISD serves the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community via programming for students ranging from 3 to 22 years old.
More information is available here: https://www.deafhoosiers.com/
1. Co-Location: Establishing One Campus, Two Unique Identities
2. World-Class Educational Model: Developing the Unique Needs and Strengths of Our Students
3. One Campus / Maximize Student Safety, Joy, and Discovery
4. One Campus / Enhance and Celebrate a Wondrous, Natural Landscape
5. One Campus / Community that Strengthens State-wide Connections
6. One Campus / Reduces Operational Costs, Acreage, and Buildings
Please reach us at capitalprojects@idoa.in.gov if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Thank you for your inquiry. Currently, the future of the Indiana Deaf School campus has not been determined. Planning discussions are still ongoing. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Yes, updates will be provided directly by each school administration.
Grass
In the current design football/track will have lights. The baseball and softball fields will not.
Total sqft of the co-located campus is less than the current total of both school's sqft combined. This is because there is efficiency in shared items like campus-wide services such as maintenance areas and utilities.
The tactile physical model will continue to be updated as design progresses and will be brought to any future town halls.
The Design Team has met with ISD leadership, staff, and teachers over the last 3 years to review athletic teams, practices, competition schedules, and educational programs. The campus wide athletic buildings and sports fields have been designed with all of this information in mind.