Silver Cross in the News
Village OKs new zone for hospital NEW LENOX—The village board has approved a new zoning classification governing hospital districts in anticipation of Silver Cross’s expected move to the Interstate 355 interchange. The zoning rules were approved by a unanimous vote after the village for months worked with Silver Cross officials on drafting the plan. The rules specifically create the zoning classification in the village’s codes. Later this spring, the village board will vote to rezone Silver Cross’s 70 acres into that classification. While the village’s zoning codes would have allowed a hospital on commercially zoned land, both village planners and hospital officials thought it would be best to create a new zone specifically addressing issues found in a medical campus. “None of our zoning districts take into account a campus concept with interconnected uses and walkways between them,” Robin Ellis, the village’s planning and zoning administrator, said. “It lays out all of the terms in advance for what can go on that campus,” said Ruth Colby, the hospital’s vice president of business development. Since hospitals are ever changing and require constant upgrades, the zoning district prevents Silver Cross from having to come back before the village board for changes to uses that fall under the new district. According to the 16-page document approved by the board, such changes can be approved administratively in the village. “We don’t have to go back and go through the whole process every time we need to do some renovations or upgrades,” said Jeff Tryon, vice president of operations. The document outlines a number of permitted uses, including retail outlets that provide commodities on site—such as bakeries, floral shops, food stores and restaurants—in addition to medical offices, residential care and treatment facilities, schools and day care centers. If the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board signs off on Silver Cross’s plan to build the $400 million replacement hospital at U.S. 6 and Clinton Road, the village board will begin its work on approving the site plan. The state board currently has the issue on its agenda for its May 20 and 21 meeting in Chicago. Reporter Patrick Ferrell can be reached at (815) 729-6037 or pferrell@scn1.com. 
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