What Should Go Here? Razed Razed Silver Cross Hospital

JOLIET, IL - Last year around this time, the old Silver Cross Hospital property off Draper Avenue and Route 6 looked like a war zone area. Tons of broken concrete blocks were scattered on the ground. Heavy construction equipment needed months to demolish the former east-side hospital that served the Joliet community for many decades until it became antiquated.

As everybody knows, Silver Cross moved three miles up the road, building a new medical complex on Route 6 near I-355 in New Lenox. But Silver Cross has always been a community partner with Joliet, so hospital representatives have continued to work with the city in hopes of bringing a positive redevelopment to the former hospital site in Joliet's Forest Park area.

This week, the Joliet Patch Editor visited the former Silver Cross Hospital property to snap a few new photos. The site looks phenomenal compared to when the old hospital was being razed.

On Thursday afternoon, Joliet Patch visited Joliet's City Hall to interview Steve Jones, the city's assistant city manager and economic development director. The redevelopment of the former Silver Cross Hospital remains one of his biggest projects on his list of to-do projects.

I asked Jones the same question I will pose to you, our loyal Joliet Patch readers, what should go here?

Jones responded by pointing out, "It's not just the Silver Cross Hospital, it's the entire east side neighborhood. It's a major neighborhood that has been historically underserved for years."

Jones said he can envision "a single user" buying the land," given there's already a VA clinic and the Aunt Martha's community health center on the other part of the old Silver Cross campus. In an ideal world, Jones prefers a mixed-use redevelopment.

"If I could just wave a magic wand," Jones told me, "it would be a town center."

Jones said the current site, which is for sale, looks great. He said it has strong potential and he believes there will be strong interest in the land in the coming months.

"The old building had no value. It was just a big, ugly, empty structure," he added.

What do you think will work here? Reply to this article with your suggestions.