Retail developer and philanthropist Sidney David Eskenazi dies at 95, leaving major Indianapolis legacy

A prominent figure in Indianapolis real estate and civic giving

Sidney David Eskenazi, an Indianapolis-based retail real estate developer and philanthropist, died on January 31, 2026. He was 95. Funeral home information described his death as peaceful and said he was at his home.

Eskenazi was best known locally as the founder of Sandor Development Co., a firm he established in 1963 that built and managed retail shopping centers. Company and institutional biographies also note that he held a law degree and was admitted to practice law in Indiana and Illinois.

From legal training to shopping-center development

Eskenazi’s professional path blended law and commercial development. Biographical profiles identify his education at Indiana University, including a Juris Doctor, and say he began his career in Indianapolis before building a development business that expanded well beyond Indiana.

Sandor’s development work focused on large-format, retailer-anchored shopping centers. Corporate and commercial real estate profiles associate the company with projects featuring national big-box retailers and other major tenants, reflecting the model that reshaped suburban retail corridors across the Midwest and, later, other regions.

Philanthropy that reshaped public health care downtown

Eskenazi’s name became inseparable from Indianapolis’ public health system after a major gift with his wife, Lois. In 2011, the couple made a $40 million donation toward new facilities for the county’s safety-net hospital system, then known as Wishard. The gift led to the naming of the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and the broader Eskenazi Health system. The downtown hospital campus opened in December 2013.

The 2011 donation was recognized by local health leaders at the time as a catalytic gift that helped accelerate broader fundraising for the project and expand the system’s capacity to deliver care regardless of patients’ ability to pay.

Longstanding support for Indiana University and the arts

Eskenazi’s philanthropic footprint extended into higher education and cultural institutions. Indiana University has credited the Eskenazis with long-running support that began with scholarships and expanded to major gifts for arts and design education. The Eskenazi name is attached to IU entities tied to art, architecture, and design, reflecting contributions that helped fund facilities and student support.

Key facts at a glance

• Age: 95
• Died: January 31, 2026
• Known for: Founding Sandor Development Co. (1963) and developing retailer-anchored shopping centers
• Major civic impact: 2011 gift that helped fund Indianapolis’ new public hospital facilities and led to the Eskenazi Health name

Eskenazi is survived by his family, including three children, as described in funeral home materials. His legacy in Indianapolis includes both a decades-long imprint on retail development and an enduring role in the city’s public health and educational institutions.