Connecting Campus to Community
Over the past decade, Butler University has made significant investments in campus infrastructure projects including new residence halls and state-of-the-art academic facilities. These initiatives have greatly enhanced Butler’s academic excellence and student experience while making space for the growth of new programs that serve a broader set of learners and enrich the Midtown Indianapolis community. The Butler Gateway Project represents the next iteration of our long-term vision for Butler’s campus as a vibrant space where people can live, learn, work, and play. Driven by the Butler Beyond strategic vision, these current and future projects have the potential to make a generational transformation to the Butler campus, neighborhood, and surrounding community by expanding access to arts, entertainment, athletic, and educational opportunities. This is Butler, beyond.
Completed Projects
These innovative facilities are key to offering a transformative student experience.
Fairview House residence hall
Opened fall 2016
Irvington House residence hall
Opened fall 2018
Bill and Joanne Dugan Hall
Home of the Lacy School of Business and the Butler Transformation Lab
Opened fall 2019
Levinson Family Hall and renovation of Gallahue Hall and Holcomb Building
Sciences expansion and renovation
Opened spring 2023
On the Horizon
Connecting campus to community, these projects are at the heart of the Gateway Project’s mission.
Midtown Arts District
In December, Butler announced a $9 million grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation to support a multi-phased renovation and expansion of Clowes Memorial Hall. The grant will also support the construction of a new, multi-purpose venue adjacent to Clowes Memorial Hall, which can shift between being a 1,250-1,450-capacity music hall and a reception and private event space. The renovation and expansion projects will launch the development of a $100 million Midtown Arts District, a transformative hub for live performances, thought-provoking lectures, stunning exhibitions, and world-class arts education. Future plans call for the construction of additional venues and amenities, including a multi-purpose convention center and an outdoor plaza.
The grant-funded renovations will occur in phases beginning in June 2025. Phase one will bring much-needed upgrades to the seating across the theater’s three balcony terraces, including the addition of open-air suites. Restrooms will be renovated and expanded, with the addition of 13 new gender-neutral facilities. The second and third phases will involve the installation of additional loading docks and stage upgrades, enhancing the venue’s ability to host top-tier productions and performances. The final phase will introduce the Allen Whitehill Clowes Ballroom to the east lobby, a new, versatile event space that will open in spring 2027. Allen Whitehill Clowes, the Foundation’s namesake, was a philanthropist, civic leader, arts patron, and business executive who took leadership in the construction of Clowes Memorial Hall, opening in 1963. Its construction was made possible by major donations from Clowes, the family foundation, friends, and other partners in memory of Clowes’ father George H.A. Clowes.
Ross Hall Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton—Opening in 2027
Last August, Butler University and Hilton announced an adaptive reuse project that will restore historic Ross Hall at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Hampton Drive, transforming it into a bespoke hotel within the Curio Collection by Hilton brand. Ross Hall opened in 1954 and housed thousands of Butler students in its 65 years as a residence hall before closing in 2019. The refurbished property will feature 105 elegantly designed rooms and suites, a signature restaurant, and meeting spaces, all thoughtfully integrated into the historic architecture of Ross Hall. The hotel is expected to open in 2027 and is developer-funded by partner Purpose Lodging.
Holcomb Gardens—Replanted 2024
Last fall, more than 400 Butler students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers replanted Holcomb Gardens with approximately 3,700 native plants. The effort was made possible through the partnership and in-kind design assistance of the Indiana Native Plant Society. The 20-acre Gardens serve as a public park for many thousands of visitors each year and represent a treasured historic space for the campus and larger community alike. Originally established in 1928, the Gardens had been covered with turf during the COVID-19 pandemic due to plant theft, destruction, and staffing shortages. Through the replanting project, Butler is advancing quality of life in the broader neighborhood by keeping the Gardens free and open to the public, while also making them more accessible, sustainable, and educational than ever before.
Watch a video about the plans for Holcomb Gardens.
Marianne Glick and Mike Woods Founder’s College Commons—Opening fall 2025
Last summer, Marianne Glick ’73, MS ’74 and her spouse, Mike Woods, generously donated $2.5 million to the University, providing operating support and facility renovations for Founder’s College. Named in gratitude for the gift, the Marianne Glick and Mike Woods Founder’s College Commons offers a welcoming space designed to provide holistic support for Founder’s College students. Located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Haughey Avenue, alongside Butler’s College of Education, the facility integrates resources such as financial aid and career services under one roof. Construction on the space began last summer and will be completed over the winter months. The design reflects the College’s family culture approach. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony this spring, Founder’s College faculty and staff will move into the space and prepare to welcome the inaugural class of students this fall. Founder’s College aims to offer equitable opportunities for academic success and an affordable high-quality education to students with high ability and low wealth.
Jay and Christine Kile Love University House—Opening at end of 2025
In 2022, Butler received a $4 million gift from Trustee Jay Love ’76 and spouse Christie (Kile) Love ’79 to fund the construction of a new University House and Presidential Residence, which will be named the Jay and Christie Kile Love University House. Construction on the house began last summer and is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. The residence, located at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Blue Ridge Road, will serve as both a home for future Butler presidents and a prominent, inviting venue for hosting fundraising and other community events.
Safety and Transit Hub
Located on Butler’s campus, the Hub will service pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. This facility will expand parking options on campus and provide a new, expanded headquarters for the Butler University Police Department (BUPD). Final project details are still being determined.
Watch video content related to The Gateway Project. To learn more or view renderings of other potential future projects, visit butler.edu/gateway.