Joliet Tells Volunteers Of America Illinois To Go Away

JOLIET, IL — Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk and City Manager Jim Capparelli vehemently opposed the Volunteers of America Illinois' proposal to build a 42-unit women's opioid addiction treatment center at the former Silver Cross Hospital site.

On Thursday, Joliet Patch broke the news that Volunteers of America Illinois will not move ahead with its development called the Hope Manor Village Joliet. The project was on the Joliet City Council agenda two weeks ago, but backers of the project requested the Council not take a vote at the time.

City officials told Patch the Hope Manor Village Joliet did not have enough support from the Council to pass. The proposed site on the former Silver Cross Hospital campus is 2.1 acres north of Copperfield Avenue and west of North Hebbard Street.

Capparelli told Patch this week that Volunteers of America Illinois should take its project to some other village or community in Will County such as Channahon, Shorewood, Plainfield, Frankfort or Homer Glen.

At the last meeting, there was some confusion regarding the petitioner's name. City documents listed the petitioner as being Veterans of America Illinois. However, the proper name of the organization is Volunteers of America Illinois, according to Capparelli.

Either way, Capparelli said he is tired of Joliet always becoming the dumping ground for programs and social services for the homeless and drug addicts.

Capparelli said Joliet already has two large homeless shelters, DayBreak on East Cass Street, and the MorningStar Mission on East Washington Street, plus all the social service programs and offices across Joliet for Cornerstone Services.

O'Dekirk said he was not surprised the women's addictions campus got pulled from next week's agenda before a City Council vote could occur.

"I don't think the support was there," O'Dekirk told Joliet Patch on Thursday evening. "That is why it was tabled two weeks ago."

O'Dekirk said the City Council recently voted down a large apartment complex proposed on the city's far west side, after the project drew considerable opposition from residents.

Therefore, the women's drug treatment facility suggested on the east side needed to be rejected, he said.

O'Dekirk said he supports economic development on the city's east side, and that's why Joliet created a Tax Increment Finance District a few years ago when the old Silver Cross Hospital was demolished at Route 6 and Draper Avenue.

A women's drug addiction recovery campus is not the type of economic development that Joliet's east side citizens deserve, O'Dekirk said.

According to O'Dekirk, Joliet resident Bob Hernandez, who addressed the Council two weeks ago, said it best. The Council would never, ever, approve construction of a large women's drug treatment center in the Cathedral Area or anywhere else on Joliet's west side.

"I think it's simple, everybody needs to be treated equally," O'Dekirk said.

According city of Joliet reports:

The Volunteers of America Illinois proposal sought to develop a multi-family, supportive, housing complex for women suffering from addictions, especially opioid addiction and their children on the former Silver Cross Hospital campus.

Hope Manor Village Joliet called for a 42-unit development consisting of 1 and 2-bedroom units. The operation will be entirely recovery based, gender-responsive and trauma-informed to best serve the future residents.

The property site is north to VOA’s “Hope Manor Joliet” supportive housing for veterans and their families, which opened in 2017.