Lilly seeks to build conference center on downtown HQ campus
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Eli Lilly and Co. plans to build a 57,000-square-foot conference center on an existing parking lot at its downtown headquarters campus, with the goal of hosting more of its global meetings in Indianapolis.
The drugmaker is asking the city for approval to improve the existing parking area and erect a two-story building on about five acres of land.
The proposed site is on the southeast corner of Alabama and Henry streets, just west of Delaware Street and south of South Street Square Park. It is fully within the existing Lilly headquarters campus.
The primary building façade will be situated to face Alabama Street to the north, emphasizing the campus’ connection with downtown, said a letter from engineering consultant AECOM Technical Services in the petition package.
The northern portion of the Lilly campus would provide Lilly employees and visitors with easy access to hotels and restaurants in downtown Indianapolis, the letter said.
A projected cost for the project was not disclosed in the letter. A Lilly spokesperson could not be immediately reached to comment on the project.
“The project team viewed the building as an interface between the city and the Lilly campus,” the letter said. “For this reason, we felt it was important to pay respect to the heritage of the Lilly campus while looking toward the future and creating a design that engages with local residents.”
The plan would reduce the number of total parking spaces on the campus by an unspecified number, made possible by the reduced number of employees who work daily at the headquarters.
The primary materials of the new building are brick, glass and concrete colors representative of Indiana limestone. The façade will feature images of medicine and molecular proteins in a mosaic.
Landscaping will be comprised of a selection of native plantings aligning with existing species. Site lighting will be kept to a minimum.
The petition will be heard June 27 through a regional center hearing examiner of the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development.