Silver Cross in the News

Lockport supports Silver Cross' move
The Herald News- October 12, 2007
By Tony Graf, Staff Writer

LOCKPORT -- Silver Cross Hospital's proposal for a replacement hospital in nearby New Lenox received unanimous support Wednesday from the Lockport City Council.

The replacement hospital would be built near U.S. 6 and the future Interstate 355 -- just down the tollway from Lockport.

The I-355 tollway extension is scheduled to open Nov. 12. On Wednesday night, a resolution to support the tollway-area hospital was passed with the Lockport council's consent agenda. Mayor Tim Murphy sees a benefit for Lockport in having the hospital at the proposed site.

"It is going to be closer to 355," Murphy said of Silver Cross. "From what I've been told -- of course, I'm not an expert on this -- the ambulance traffic in that vicinity will be able to make it faster to the hospital."

The replacement hospital would be three miles east of Silver Cross' current location, which is at 1200 Maple Road in Joliet. The hospital has been in Joliet for more than 110 years.

With the replacement plan, Lockport Alderman John Collier sees a benefit for the hospital.

"It's a good move for them to be closer to the tollway and where the activity is at -- with the development," Collier said.

For Alderman Brian Smith, Lockport is close enough to both the hospital's current and proposed locations.

"As far as Lockport, we're close to either one," Smith said.

"But I think it's a good idea," he said of the replacement hospital. "They are a Top 100 Hospital. They're probably there for a reason. They've probably been making some good decisions so far. So I support them."

Smith was referring to Silver Cross' rankings by Solucient, an information product company. Solucient ranked Silver Cross as one of its 100 Top Hospitals in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Paul Pawlak, president and chief executive officer of Silver Cross, visited Lockport last week to tell the council about the replacement proposal. On Wednesday, Smith mentioned Pawlak's discussion of Silver Cross' cost scenarios and options: expanding the current hospital or building a new one.

"It probably makes sense to build a new one, to put money into a new one and be done with it -- have everything new, the updated equipment, probably better parking," Smith said.

In New Lenox, Silver Cross wants to build a 600,000-square-foot hospital that would include 289 beds. Pending state approval, Silver Cross would break ground in 2008, and the $400 million facility would open in 2011. It would be on 70 acres on the south side of U.S. 6, directly west of Cedar Crossings, a proposed mall on the west side of Cedar Road.

In late summer, the New Lenox Village Board unanimously passed a resolution supporting the replacement hospital.

In early August, the Joliet City Council passed a resolution objecting to the move and urging Silver Cross to look at expanding within Joliet.

Contact Tony Graf at (815) 729-6026 or tgraf@scn1.com.