The long-vacant Larue Carter campus on Indianapolis’ Near Northwest side is finally getting a second act, and it is a big one. Marian University is moving forward with a plan to turn the historic former Veterans Administration hospital into a cradle-to-career education hub, bringing together early-childhood classrooms, K–12 supports and adult credentialing under one very large roof.
The centerpiece is the old hospital itself, which Marian plans to convert into classrooms, collaborative office space and community services as part of what it calls the Riverside Education Innovation District. University leaders say the district is designed to knit together neighborhood schools, nonprofits and workforce training efforts to boost literacy and create stronger career pathways for local residents.
Marian’s Plan for the Site
In a news release, Marian University described the Riverside Education Innovation District (REID) as the master plan for revitalizing the former Larue Carter property and moving university education programs and community partners into the space. According to the university, the hospital’s oldest structure, built in 1931, will be transformed into shared classrooms, partner offices and areas dedicated to literacy and wraparound services.
Funding and Timeline
Pulling off a transformation like this requires serious funding. The initiative includes a $25 million grant from the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration program, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Local coverage has framed the broader redevelopment as roughly a $137 million effort, and Marian formally kicked off renovations in 2025 as work began on the historic hospital, as reported by WRTV.
Partners and Programming
Marian is not planning to fill the hub alone. Vincennes University is set to operate a career and technical center on the campus and expects to launch programming in fall 2027. Public-media reporting notes that the main hospital building is roughly 69,000 square feet and is now owned by the Cold Spring Innovation Corporation. Planned users include St. Mary’s Early Learning Center and neighborhood nonprofits, according to WFYI.
Neighborhood Impact and Next Steps
Marian says the project will reuse more than 22 acres of the long-vacant Larue Carter campus and offer services that span from early childhood education to adult credentialing, according to REID materials from Marian University. Local leaders and partners argue the hub could become a new anchor for economic and educational growth on the Near Northwest side, with the work expected to unfold in phases over several years.
Cold Spring Innovation officials and Marian leaders have repeatedly emphasized the long-term nature of the effort. As WRTV quoted Marian’s Chris Creighton, “The positive potential for the Northwest area is limitless.”
