Mapping Possible IU Med School Locations
by: Brad Linzy
As the debate raged over the expense of the recently approved hotel project downtown, one predominant reason emerged among six City Council Members for rejecting the $37.5 million public bond issue – the need for the City of Evansville to maintain its financial leverage to attract an IU Medical School.
In statements issued by several Council Members, including Dr. Dan Adams who sits on the steering committee for the med school, it was clear that most Council Members endorsed the idea of a downtown location for the proposed medical school. “I know for the best bang for our buck, we must put all of our ‘eggs’ in the downtown medical school basket first,†said Councilman Dr. Adams in a statement.
Some city politicians seem predetermined in attracting IU with a proposal for a downtown location. Mayor Lloyd Winnecke has stated he supports a downtown IU Medical School and has explicitly stated he will only support a downtown development.
In an interview with an Indianapolis radio station Winnecke said, “We are in the early stages of putting together what we think will be a dynamite plan for downtown, and we know that we will be competing with developers who will want it in another county. We know we will compete against developers who will want it in other parts of the city, but we’re gonna fight like the dickens to get it right downtown.â€
In addition to a possible downtown site, the exact location of which remains unclear, a handful of other locations have also been discussed – USI campus, Old North High School, Evansville State Hospital Grounds, Burkhardt area land owned by Promenade, the Gateway Women’s Hospital Grounds in Warrick County, and the old Roberts Stadium Site.
To better understand each proposed location, click the map below. You will find the locations of all area hospital facilities (in red), all area educational facilities (in black), and the proposed locations of the IU Med School (blue stars).
CLICK FOR MAP: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?hl=en&mid=zl7L8cNHY9EI.k2mpnNQ2oObA
USI Campus
USI was named as a possible location in a recent Courier article. Although it has merit with its proximity to another educational facility, it lacks proximity to teaching beds at established medical facilities.
Old North High School
Located at Diamond and Stringtown, the Old North High School facility is a favorite of local activist Jordan Baer. The site suffers from a lack of proximity to teaching beds and existing Universities, and has other shortcomings that required even an area high school to relocate.It is unclear why IU would want North High School’s second hand buildings in a location that offers few if any advantages.
Deaconess Gateway Campus
There are a couple of undeveloped sites near the Deaconess Gateway Women’s Hospital. A site adjacent to the Women’s Hospital is considered the foremost rival site not located in Evansville city limits. It is unclear exactly where such a development could occur, but there is a patch of farmland near Deaconess Urgent Care which might work.
Promenade on Burkhardt
While the Burkhardt area has boomed from a retail perspective attracting big box stores and chain restaurants it is unclear why this location might be attractive to IU. It suffers from high traffic and lack of pedestrian access. Furthermore, this site offers no practical advantages over the rumored Warrick County location just down the road.
Downtown Evansville
It’s unclear where a med school might actually go downtown, but this is the preferred location of most politicians, including many Council Members and the Mayor. There is one city block currently empty behind the old Greyhound bus depot, but any downtown location will suffer from a lack of proximity to teaching beds and existing educational facilities. It is also unclear why a downtown location would be preferable to IU over more centralized locations like the State Hospital or Roberts Stadium, or why it would be superior to a Warrick County location near the Gateway Hospital.
Evansville State Hospital Grounds
Due to its proximity to St. Marys, the Lloyd Expressway, the University of Evansville, shopping centers and recreational areas, the State Hospital Grounds are considered a good contender, although it’s unclear yet how such a deal would work out or if a development would disturb the park grounds or the soccer or ballfields. It is also unclear whether a med school complex would face Lincoln, Vann, or the Lloyd Expressway.
Roberts Stadium Site
This might be the best option to pitch the IU board. Its proximity to St. Mary’s, two recreational areas (Wesselman Woods and the State Hospital Grounds), the Lloyd Expressway, and the University of Evansville would make it a good location which would also be central to east and west side medical facilities. In addition, the City already owns the property and it’s already cleared for development. It would have the added benefit of saving taxpayers the estimated $1.5 million to complete a dog and skate park at this location.
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