With the first phase of the planned demolition of the 153-acre Oak Forest Hospital campus now complete, Cook County is seeking public input on what use the land should be put toward.
The Cook County Bureau of Asset Management will hold a public meeting on the property at 5:30 p.m. on April 8 at the Markham courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave., Markham.
The session will include a menu of ideas and invite people to participate in breakout sessions, the county said on its website.
“This meeting will include a ‘charette,’ which is an intensive and collaborative workshop, giving community members the opportunity to work together in a structured way to highlight their priorities and what they would like to see for the future of Oak Forest,” it states.
There will be a virtual option available, though participation in breakout activities will be limited for virtual participants. To access the meeting online, go to CookCountyMeet.org at the time of the meeting.
Demolition of the hospital buildings began in February 2025.
The first phase of the project, which is now complete, was to consist of the demolition of up to 11 buildings, including the abatement of hazardous building materials such as asbestos and lead, according to county documents.
The second phase, which is scheduled to be completed in 2028, will involve the abatement and demolition of up to 40 remaining buildings, according to county documents. Eventually, all but a few of the more than 50 buildings on the campus will be removed.
No explosives are being used, and water spraying is used to minimize dust, according to the county’s website. Air quality is monitored throughout the project, with results of air quality testing published online.
The campus is in unincorporated Cook County next to Oak Forest, southeast of Cicero Avenue and 159th Street. The campus is bordered by two Forest Preserves of Cook County properties, Oak Forest Heritage Preserve and Midlothian Meadows.
Early in its history, the property hosted a poor farm and a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients. Later, the campus transitioned into a full-service, 600-bed hospital. In addition to providing inpatient care, the hospital was a training ground for thousands of health care workers.
Oak Forest Hospital closed in 2011. It continued to offer outpatient care for several more years, but those services were eventually relocated to Blue Island.
Demolition had been scheduled to begin in September 2023, but was delayed.
If you go
Where: Markham Courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave., Markham
Online option: CookCountyMeet.org
When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on April 8
RSVP: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA4A929ABFDC16-62459371-april#/
elewis@chicagotribune.com
