Oak Forest Health Center Buildings Set for Demolition

Portions of the Oak Forest Health Center described as “functionally obsolete” will be razed next year as part of a plan plan that could save more millions over the next 15 years by consolidating and better managing county-owned real estate, Cook County announced this week.

The seven buildings marked for demolition total almost 260,000 square feet, or nearly one-fourth of the 1.1 million square feet of total space. An estimated one-half of the campus is underutilized or serves as inactive storage areas, according to a press release. Buildings to be torn down include a medical residence and a laundry facility.

The demolition is expected to begin sometime next year; the cost is not yet known. The county hopes to trim the campus to 300,000 square feet of useable space.

Demolishing the building would help the county dodge a 10-year capital investment of more than $100 million, and cut operating expenses by $1.3 million annually.