Demo Of Joliet's Silver Cross Hospital Starts In Weeks

JOLIET, IL - For the past five years, the old Silver Cross Hospital has sat abandoned and the property has fallen into disrepair on Joliet's east-side. The massive hospital complex near Walnut Street and Draper Avenue became empty after Silver Cross moved three miles away, opening a state-of-the-art hospital in New Lenox along Route 6 near Interstate 355. On Friday, officials from Joliet and Silver Cross announced that redevelopment of the old Joliet hospital will start soon.

The announcement means the end for the old hospital that served thousands of people around Joliet for several decades. Silver Cross has hired the Brandenburg Industrial Service Company to oversee the demolition work. The contractor has taken down buildings at several Chicago area hospitals including Palos, Elmhurst, Prentice Women's, Northwestern, Sherman and the Great Lakes Naval Hospital.

Silver Cross plans to tear down all of its old medical buildings and parking lots with the lone exception being the 60,000-square-foot Specialty Care Pavilion that was constructed in 1998.

Demolition of the vacant Silver Cross Hospital facility is set to begin in October. The demolition probably won't finish until next May when landscapers will come in and spread top soil and sod, a news release indicated.

Joliet leaders plan pursue the possibility of creating a Tax Incremental Finance district around the old Silver Cross campus as a financial incentive for developers.

"We think there is potential on the former Silver Cross Hospital site and are excited about the possibilities," Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk said in a statement. "The site offers a campus-like environment and is likely suitable for a mixed-use development."

In a statement, Silver Cross Hospital President and CEO Paul Pawlak said, "When we announced that we would be building a replacement hospital, we promised the community that we would leave the property in good shape while continuing to improve the quality of life for the residents of the eastside of Joliet."

On Friday afternoon, Joliet's Economic Development Director Steve Jones told Joliet Patch the pending demolition is certain to be welcomed by many Joliet residents, particularly people who live on the east side.

"It's a huge positive for the city," Jones said. "These buildings were antiquated in terms of their medical use."

Jones said the removal of the multi-story hospital over the next several months will make the old Silver Cross property much more attractive for developers.

He's optimistic the site is conducive for apartments, offices and retail shops. "If you clear the site and clear the pad, I think there's a much better view for developers," Jones said.

And it's a site with strong potential, Jones said, pointing out that in 2013, veterans affairs expanded its outpatient clinic into the 60,000 square foot emergency pavilion on the former Silver Cross Hospital campus. Also in 2013, Aunt Martha's opened a federally qualified health care facility on 2.2 acres of land donated by Silver Cross.

"This is an area that is lacking in community retail and service uses. Potential development will help fill that void for the adjoining neighborhood and also benefit the VA and Aunt Martha uses already on it," Jones said. "The fact that Silver Cross is partnering with the city to help market the campus after their departure is a symbol of their commitment to the overall area and Joliet community."

Images via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor