IU Health celebrates construction milestone for new West Lafayette hospital

Indiana University Health, elected and community leaders and project partners gathered yesterday to celebrate a major construction milestone for the future IU Health West Lafayette.

The topping out ceremony marked the placement of the hospital's final steel beam, signifying completion of the building's steel structure. The milestone brings the project one step closer to providing expanded access to healthcare services for patients and families throughout Greater Lafayette and the surrounding region.

During the event, attendees watched as the final beam was lifted into place atop the structure. The ceremony also recognized the many IU Health team members, construction partners and community stakeholders whose work has helped bring the project to this point.

As part of the milestone, a commemorative steel plate signed by IU Health team members was incorporated into the structure. The signatures represent the physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, support staff and other team members who provide care and service to patients across Greater Lafayette every day.

"This is an exciting step forward in bringing IU Health West Lafayette to our community," said Star Meyer, chief nursing officer and interim chief operating officer and hospital administrator for IU Health Arnett and leader of the Greater Lafayette Community Growth Project. "While this milestone reflects extraordinary progress in construction since we broke ground in June, it also represents our continued progress toward expanding access to high-quality healthcare and meeting the needs of a growing community."

The future hospital is designed to support the healthcare needs of a rapidly growing region while enhancing access to care and creating a welcoming environment for patients, families and team members.

The project is part of IU Health's Greater Lafayette Community Growth Project, a broader $214-million commitment that also includes the construction of a new cancer center on the Arnett Hospital campus and an expansion to the number of specialty services available at IU Health's existing medical offices in West Lafayette.