Islamic Center of Bloomington

The origins of the Islamic Center of Bloomington (ICOB) date back to 1975, when the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Indiana University purchased a house on East 8th Street from a local church and converted it into an Islamic center. The center had two prayer halls, a library, and basement, but was not suited for the nearly 500 students who used it. In 1984, the MSA purchased property on E. Atwater Ave, near the campus of Indiana University, with a plan to build a purpose-built mosque. Plans were drawn up and money was raised, but ultimately the planned center could not be financed. The original plans were scaled back, and the existing center officially opened on the first Friday of August 1993.The ICOB building includes two prayer halls, office space, and a library. The building is faced in alternating bands of lighter and darker brown brick, similar to the ablaq technique found in some traditional Islamic architecture, particularly Mamluk buildings. There is no dome or minaret.Source:Islamic Center of Bloomington. "History." Accessed January 26, 2015. http://www.icob.org/?page_id=1376,