Purdue University has released details about the recently started construction of its first new building in Indianapolis. The Academic Success Building, a 15-floor, 248,000-square-foot space, is expected to be completed in 2027 and will serve as the focal point of the university’s expansion into the Circle City.
The building, which will be located near West and Michigan streets, is another step forward in Purdue’s master plan to bring experiential learning opportunities for students in central Indiana and establish a talent pipeline to meet the needs of business and industry leaders around the state.
"The Academic Success Building will not only be a centerpiece to Purdue's expansion in Indianapolis, but a key asset to the local community," said Michael B. Cline, senior vice president for Administrative Operations at Purdue University. "This facility will support a future-ready college experience for our students and opportunities for our neighbors, while also enhancing Purdue's growing impact in the capital city."
The new building will feature state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories. Dining space will accommodate about 400 people and housing will include beds for 500. Purdue officials said the mixed-use building will also house space for use by community members, local high schools and global partners. When completed, officials said plans include the implementation of a STEM enrichment program for students in kindergarten through Grade 12 to be used in the evenings, weekends and summer months.
Purdue trustees approved the construction of the building last June at an estimated cost of $187 million. The Academic Success Building will enhance Purdue’s existing presence in Indianapolis, joining the university’s Purdue Motorsports and the Ray Ewry Sports Engineering Center at Dallara’s U.S. headquarters in Speedway. The university also operates the Accessible Precision Audiology Research Center and Manufacturing and Materials Research Laboratories, both located at 16 Tech Innovation District. In addition, Purdue brought Executive Education programs to Indy from the Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. School of Business. Those programs are offered at High Alpha in the Bottleworks District.
Purdue has also partnered with Elanco Animal Health Inc., a global animal health solutions company, to develop a new shared-used facility, One Health Innovation District, where the two will collaborate at a research park for advanced studies into animal, plant, human and environmental health. That facility is expected to open later in 2025.
Construction partners for the project are Indianapolis-based Browning Day as the architect on record, in collaboration with Perkins & Will, a national firm headquartered in nearby Chicago. Shiel Sexton, an Indianapolis firm with a large portfolio of higher education projects, will serve as construction manager. Shiel Sexton was instrumental in the construction of Purdue’s $140-million Gateway Complex at the university’s West Lafayette campus in 2023.
Purdue University officially launched its urban expansion into Indianapolis in July 2024. In a statement on the university’s website, Purdue President Mung Chiang said, “Fueling transformational growth, Purdue University’s expansion to Indianapolis will offer unique opportunities for Boilermaker students and faculty. We will expand enrollment. We will build startups. We will create new knowledge. We will connect talents and industry. We will maximize Indy’s unique strengths such as sports and biomedical technology. Purdue’s main campus now bookends the Hard Tech Corridor: 65 miles connecting Indy and West Lafayette. We will generate talents, jobs and innovation together in America’s heartland.”
