Indy Health District launches with lofty vision for near north side

IU Health and other Indianapolis-area business executives, city leaders and neighborhood associations gathered to announce the launch of Indy Health District, Inc., a non-profit with a mission to create healthier communities in five neighborhoods near IU Health's new downtown hospital. Those neighborhoods include Crown Hill, Highland Vicinity, Historic Flanner House Homes, Meridian Highland and Ransom Place. IU Health president and CEO, Dennis Murphy says the goal is to address key socioeconomic and health disparities in this 1,500-acre area that stretches from the north end of downtown Indianapolis to Crown Hill Cemetery. "As we began serious planning for [our new hospital] we were clear that our project needed to include bold, new thinking about how we engage our neighbors. It is our determination to transform the area around our campus. If we only build a great hospital we will have failed."