Silver Cross in the News
Right decision by Silver Cross
The Herald News - August 5, 2007
It's the right decision at the right time.
Yes, we were all shocked 10 days ago when Silver Cross Hospital announced intentions to build
what is being termed a "replacement" facility in New Lenox near the intersection of U.S. 6 and
the soon-to-be-completed Interstate 355 extension.
"How could they forsake Joliet, the town that has supported them and nurtured them for these
100 or so years?" some people asked.
The simple answer is Silver Cross isn't abandoning Joliet. They're just moving down the street a bit.
The fact is it's not about geographical boundaries. It's about how to provide the best possible
health care for the people who live and work in western and central Will County and northeastern Grundy County.
Will County development guru John Greuling loves to tell anyone who will listen that this
area is on the verge of becoming a "world class" destination for business and industry.
What does the Will County Center for Economic Development president and CEO say it will
take to get us over the top? World class transportation. World class education.
And, yes, world class health care.
Our health care facilities are outstanding right now with Silver Cross, Provena Saint Joseph
Medical Center and Morris Hospital. And they'll only get better when Adventist Bolingbrook
Hospital opens in a matter of months.
But can Silver Cross, operating out of its current facility, continue to make the kind of strides
necessary to meet the future health care needs of this area?
The answer is no.
Silver Cross has outgrown its campus at Maple and Walnut. It's a hodgepodge of buildings, some of
which have been there for seven or more decades. Experts estimate that, with construction of another
bed tower, the hospital could continue to serve the area's basic health care needs for another decade or so.
But what about 20, 30 or 40 years from now?
That's what the foresighted members of the hospital's board of directors asked themselves as they
contemplated what they knew would be a controversial decision.
It was not easy to make the call. In fact, the easy way out would have been to announce another
expansion project at the current site.
But board members, after extensive examinations of all options, elected to take what they knew
would be the more controversial path. They knew it was all about patient care. They knew that
remaining at the current site would compromise patient care decades from now. They knew that
settling for less wouldn't be fair to the people who count on Silver Cross. And to the children of
those people. And their grandchildren. And their great-grandchildren.
They knew this will help our region achieve the "world class" status that Greuling talks about.
They also knew they would be creating well over 600 construction jobs during the two or three years
it will take to build the new facility. They knew they would create hundreds of new jobs once the
hospital opens in New Lenox.
Could they have privately consulted Joliet officials as they contemplated their final decision? Perhaps.
Is Silver Cross "abandoning" the East Side of Joliet? Certainly not.
Hospital officials promise to work hand-in-hand with the city of Joliet to determine the best possible use
for the current property. They've gone so far as to prepare, at their cost, a 27-page report detailing six
possible options for the property, including mixed use retail and residential, senior residential and
recreation, a college campus, a health care/medical campus, a city park or a retail center anchored
by a grocery store.
This is a tremendous opportunity for the city to give a much-needed shot in the arm to revitalization of
the East Side, particularly along U.S. 6, which likely will become the city's prime entry and exit point
from the east once the I-355 extension is completed.
Will it be easy? Heck no. It's going to take a lot of work.
But it's doable.
This is not a disaster for the city of Joliet.
It's an opportunity for both Joliet and the region.
The initial shock is over. It's time to put aside emotion and work together to make this move happen.
It's a win-win situation for everyone.
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