Construction of the new Lake Forest Hospital building is on schedule and officials estimate that portions of the building may be open by late next year.
The update was provided at a Nov. 9 meeting of the Plan Commission that also featured concerns from a few nearby who expressed worry about drainage and noise issues.
The outside of the building is “99 percent complete” said Tom McAfee, president of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. He anticipates the outpatient clinics of the hospital will open in fall 2017 and inpatient services will open in early 2018.
Other changes include relocating a road through the south part of the hospital campus and relocating a maintenance building.
Northwestern is committed to keeping more than 100 acres of the property open, McAfee said.
The new building will be 499,605 square feet and contain 114 private beds, 72-outpatient care spaces and eight operating rooms, according Christopher King, spokesman for Northwestern Medicine. The building will be composed of five pavilions and will cost a projected $392 million.
Northwestern Medicine first began discussing the project in 2010, McAfee said. The city of Lake Forest approved the project in January 2014 and excavation started in February 2015.
Resident Kathryn Duffy, speaking on behalf of the Middlefork Farm Homeowners Association, said she was concerned about landscaping and how the hospital would look when viewed from her subdivision. She requested that commission members look at the hospital from the Middlefork subdivision.
Resident Annette Champion expressed concern over pooling water.
“We have a drainage problem and it’s getting worse,” Champion said.
Resident Melissa Knorr echoed Champion’s comments about drainage and also questioned whether a berm would protect residents from the noise of mowers and equipment in a maintenance building.
Arthur Miller, president of Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, requested that part of the existing hospital be preserved including the front facade and interior entry, sitting room, wrought iron stairway and the porch at the center, among other features.
The original building’s architects were Anderson and Ticknor. Stanley D. Anderson was a third generation Lake Forest resident and built the preserved 1935 portion of Lake Forest High School, according to Miller.
“These are two local icons, east and west, that are recognized as archetypal Lake Forest.” Miller said by email.
The old hospital had several much larger additions constructed beginning in the 1960s through the 1990s, which Miller said are not worth preserving.
“We take seriously the history of the existing hospital and will be thoughtful,” McAfee responded.
He said he expects to tear down portions of the existing hospital but not until 2020 or later.
The Plan Commission will continue the hearing at its December 14 meeting.
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