BlueCross BlueShield Adding 500 Jobs In Morgan Park

CHICAGO — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois plans to bring more than 500 jobs to Chicago's South Side and the Morgan Park neighborhood by opening a new multipurpose solution center in a new space they recently leased in Marshfield Plaza. Construction "reimagine" the space and create the new center is expected to begin before the end of summer as a 130,000 square foot space at the plaza near 119th Street and Marshfield Avenue.

“This center is the latest example of HCSC’s longstanding commitment to invest in the communities we are fortunate to serve,” said Maurice Smith, president of Health Care Service Corporation, of which Blue Cross Blue Shield is a division. “We are member-owned, so our focus is on the needs of our members and the communities in which they live – not shareholders. We are committed to improving the communities where we operate, which includes tackling health issues and societal factors, such as joblessness, that keep people from being their best selves.”

The new Morgan Park site, which is expected to open in 2020, will combine community health outreach with employee workspace. It's the second location BlueCross BlueShield has added on the South Side this year, opening the Blue Door Neighborhood Center in Pullman back in April.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she is grateful for the company's continued commitment to the city.

“This facility represents the type of collaboration, partnership and investment we need to improve the lives of residents while also boosting the economic development of our communities,” she said.

The center will open on the site of a large retailer that closed there earlier this year, the company said in a news release. Both Marshalls and Target had stores that have recently closed in Marshfield Plaza.