The Park Ridge Zoning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals have given their approval for Advocate Lutheran General Hospital to expand its cancer treatment center. This development aims to create a comprehensive cancer center where all cancer care—from diagnosis to treatment—is centralized in a single building.
Allison Wyler, President of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, explained the rationale for this separate facility. She noted the benefits of having a one-stop shop for both patients and healthcare providers. Wyler emphasized that such a setup reduces the risk for immunocompromised patients by minimizing their travel through a general hospital environment. She highlighted the importance of having everything needed for patient care in one location.
“There are elements of a cancer journey that are very predictable,” Wyler stated. “And there are elements that are very specific to each patient. … The environment we are going to be creating allows it to be very patient-centered and team-centered, to support the entire patient journey.”
Currently, the components essential to cancer treatment are distributed throughout the hospital, but the new facility will centralize these services. The plan involves expanding the existing Center for Advanced Care by adding two new floors, increasing the total area by 77,605 square feet from its current 99,602 square feet at the location on 1700 Luther Lane.
The hospital sought zoning variances related to parking lot islands and space requirements for walls or fences. Developers highlighted that no walls or fences exist around the rest of the hospital and proposed using shrubs around the perimeter. Additional green space at the entryway will also compensate for the removal of parking islands and aid in stormwater drainage. Steve Gregory, a landscape architect, informed the zoning board that the project includes 10% more green space than required. He mentioned that greenery provides a calming environment for patients, a notion the board accepted along with the zoning variances.
Following approval from the zoning boards, the city council is expected to review the proposal in July. Although this facility is not the first of its kind within the Advocate Health Care system, Wyler believes it will become a significant destination for patients. The expected completion date for the center is 2028. While the exact number of new jobs created remains unclear, Wyler anticipates employment growth in the area due to the expansion.
“We absolutely will have jobs created because of this,” Wyler confirmed.
Jesse Wright reported on this development as a freelance contributor for Pioneer Press.