City Officials Commemorate City’s Largest Building Concrete Pour…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2024

Media Contact: Monica Brase
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City Officials Commemorate City’s Largest Building Concrete Pour, Provide Construction Update on Convention Center Expansion and New Signia by Hilton Indianapolis Hotel

Indianapolis, IN – A significant milestone in the progress of construction of the Signia by Hilton Indianapolis hotel and sixth expansion of the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) took place this weekend: the largest continuous building concrete pour in Indianapolis history.

“As we celebrate this milestone feat in construction,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett, “we are taking a huge step in solidifying Indianapolis as a top host city and the meeting capital of the world.”

The concrete pour began at 1 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, and ran for approximately 12 hours with completion on Saturday afternoon. The pour featured more than 800 concrete trucks filled with concrete from eight Indiana IMI facilities. Trucks delivered 7,347 cubic yards of concrete, enough to fill two-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Held in place by nearly 1,000 tons of reinforcing bars, the concrete will reach full strength in 56 days. The entire footprint of the construction site will eventually be covered with concrete.

A time-lapse video of the historic pour is available here (with captions) and here (without captions).

“This project, which includes the Signia by Hilton hotel and convention center expansion, has been a long time in the making and it’s profoundly gratifying to see these signs of growth,” said Capital Improvement Board Executive Director Andy Mallon. “This breathtaking addition to our skyline is materializing before our eyes.”

The project completion is estimated for the fall of 2026. Once completed, the building will house one of the top 10 convention center ballrooms by size in the U.S., allowing Indianapolis to host two citywide conventions at one time. The 38-story hotel will be the tallest in the city and bring the number of rooms connected by climate-controlled skywalks to more than 5,500, more than any other city nationwide.

City leaders provided the following construction-specific updates:

• The exterior glass enclosure mockups passed all performance tests at a lab in Wisconsin. Testing included use of an airplane engine to mimic blowing wind and rain. With the approval of these test results, production of the building skin can begin.
• This fall, the structural concrete frame will begin to go vertical.
• As the concrete frame is built, the mechanical and electrical framework will be added.
• The two tower cranes, which arrived on the site in May, will lift construction materials in place until roughly December 2025.

The last ICC expansion was completed in 2011 and built in conjunction with the JW Marriott. The current ICC expansion is a result of more than nine years of planning, including a three-year feasibility period that showed significant demand for the project and additional hotel rooms. By adding the 800-room Signia by Hilton, Indianapolis will increase convention business and availability.

According to Visit Indy, the project has already helped the city retain $1.3 billion in convention business while adding more than $1 billion in new convention business, with groups booking Indy based on the project as far out as 2036.

“Even at this stage in the project, the Signia headquarter hotel and Indiana Convention Center expansion have given Indy a competitive edge with conventions renewing their commitment to stay in Indy while also attracting new tourism business,” said Chris Gahl, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Visit Indy. “This project is also positioning Indy as an ascending meetings destination, a city not sitting idle.”

City officials also shared that they are seeking a diverse array of bidders for interior finishes and exterior site work. To assist parties interested in learning more and potentially bidding on the work, the City of Indianapolis and AECOM Hunt are hosting outreach meetings on June 11 and 12. Interested parties can learn more here.

Partners in the project include construction manager AECOM Hunt, design firm Ratio Design, Central Indiana Building and Construction Trades, and concrete subcontractor FA Wilhelm Construction.

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About the Capital Improvement Board of Managers

The Capital Improvement Board of Managers (CIB) is a municipal corporation of Marion County created in 1965 by the Indiana General Assembly pursuant to the provisions of Indiana Code 36-10-9, and authorized by the statute to finance, construct, equip, operate, and maintain any capital facilities or improvements of general public benefit or welfare which promote and serve the commercial, industrial, and cultural interests of Indiana and its citizens. The Board may assist, cooperate, and fund governmental, public, and private agencies and groups for these purposes. The CIB operates and/or owns the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Victory Field, Virginia Avenue Parking Garage, and Hudnut Commons, all located in downtown Indianapolis.

About Visit Indy

The Mission of Visit Indy is to enhance the quality of life in Indianapolis by optimizing visitor-related economic impact. For more information, VisitIndy.com.