Coming down: Rubble, Kohr, parking garage all that remains of former Bloomington Hospital

Boris Ladwig, The Herald-Times
·2 min read
A construction worker heads through the debris from the destruction of the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
A construction worker heads through the debris from the destruction of the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

While contractors recently continued to use heavy construction equipment to demolish structures on the former Indiana University Health hospital site, only the parking garage and historic Kohr building remained standing amid piles of rubble.

Indiana University Health still owns the main hospital site, north of First, west of Rogers and south of Second streets, but a contract between the city and IUH calls for the land to be transferred to the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission by the end of the year.

In the meantime, the city has spent $20,000 so far to protect the historic Korhr building, as contractors separate it from the main hospital building. The Kohr housed the former hospital’s administrative offices.

A dump truck hauls away a load of debris from the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
A dump truck hauls away a load of debris from the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

John Zody, director of the Bloomington Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development, said last week the city is still “very much interested” in seeing the Kohr building redeveloped into housing.

“We're actively working toward that with the potential development partners, which includes (Chicago area-based developer) Brinshore and the Bloomington Housing Authority. No contracts have been signed yet, but as the many moving parts come together early in 2023 and while we await the transfer of ownership after IUH completes demolition, we expect direction for the project to be finalized,” Zody said via email.

The city still plans to have about 40 affordable housing units in the Kohr, he said, but the city does not yet have firm project cost estimates, pending the finalization of development details.

“The project is a likely candidate for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and Historic Tax Credits (HTC), which will be a major factor in seeing it succeed,” Zody said. “Applications for those are due in Summer 2023. If everything comes together for that, the project would break ground sometime in early 2024.”

A excavator works on removing debris from the destruction of the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
A excavator works on removing debris from the destruction of the old IU Health Bloomington Hospital on Second Street on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

For its Phase 1 East, on the area bounded by Second, First and Rogers streets as well as the B-Line, the city expects to start infrastructure construction this spring, including utilities, extensions of University and Madison streets, a public park and parking for Centerstone. The city projects that portion to be completed in the first half of 2024.

In the same timeframe and with the help of federal dollars, the city also plans to reconstruct First Street roughly between College Avenue and Fairview Street.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Photos: Former Bloomington hospital site retains Kohr, parking garage