Big opportunities, real obstacles define historic Indiana Women's Prison site
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The infirmary is one of structures still standing on the former Indiana Women's Prison campus. Photo: Courtesy of the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development
Whether it becomes a walkable retail destination or a hub for affordable housing, near east side residents want the future of the former Indiana Women's Prison campus to honor its past.
Why it matters: The 15-acre site is one of the larger redevelopment opportunities within close proximity to downtown Indy, and it carries rare national significance.
Driving the news: The public's ideas for how to utilize the space after nearly a decade of inactivity were shared by Department of Metropolitan Development officials Tuesday night during an information session at Spades Park Library.
Catch up quick: When it opened in 1873, the Indiana Women's Prison was the first separate correctional institution for women in the U.S.
- It served as a national model for gender-specific correctional care, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment.
- The prison relocated to the west side in 2009 after 136 years on North Randolph Street. A men's re-entry program operated there until 2017, when the campus was shuttered.
- The site sat vacant and deteriorating until ownership transferred from the state to the city of Indianapolis in December 2024, kicking off the DMD's planning process.
Zoom in: According to DMD engagement administrator Nikeshia Fomby, a structural assessment of the campus found no major structural deficiencies and no risk of imminent collapse.
Yes, but: All eight remaining buildings need substantial rehabilitation due to years of weathering and deferred maintenance.
- A March 2026 environmental review resulted in a comfort letter and restrictive covenant from Indiana's Brownfields Program — including a prohibition on potable water wells and required indoor air quality testing.
- Historic preservation covenants attached to the property's deed mean certain buildings cannot be altered or demolished without state review and approval.
- Seven developers surveyed at a roundtable also raised concerns about the site's underground tunnel system and structural conditions, and recommended a multi-year, phased redevelopment strategy.
Zoom in: If those hurdles can be cleared, here is what the community wants most, based on DMD surveys and a developer roundtable:
- Walkable mixed-income and mixed-use developments.
- Affordable housing at multiple income levels, including townhomes, fourplexes and multifamily options. Residents specifically called for homeownership opportunities and accommodations for seniors.
- Public green space anchored by gardens, destination playgrounds and public art. Many residents want to preserve features built by incarcerated women — including an onsite labyrinth, pond and amphitheater.
Plus: Residents were emphatic that reinvestment should benefit current near east side neighbors, not displace them.
What's next: Fomby said the DMD will issue a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) on Wednesday.
- The request is a non-binding document to gauge developer interest before any formal bidding process begins.
- A new community preference survey is expected in either late this year or early next year, followed by another public feedback session.