Old Sherman hospital site has new use -- urgent care

With its new $325 million hospital opening up on Elgin's west side, Sherman isn't exactly abandoning the city's east side.

The old campus at 934 Center St. on Wednesday will become a 24-hour immediate care facility to treat people with nonlife threatening ailments.

"It will be a terrific resource for families that live near the Center Street campus," said Sherman CEO and President Rick Floyd.

"Sherman will be at the Center Street campus for generations to come."

The Center Street location will be the fourth immediate care center operated by Sherman.

It also has sites at 2320 Royal Blvd., Elgin, 2000 McDonald Road in South Elgin and 600 Randall Road in Algonquin.

While patients were taken by ambulance to the new facility Tuesday, some staff members remained behind to pack up equipment and files and essentially streamline Center Street for immediate care.

Roberta Golden, a registered nurse who worked 31 years in the Center Street emergency room, said she and many of her co-workers have mixed feelings about the move.

Yes, they were excited about the new beginning but had made many memories at the old Sherman.

The last assignment sheets in the morning had "Goodbye, Old Friend" written at the bottom, which summed up Golden's thoughts perfectly.

She said she often thought "This is my final this, this is my final that" as she walked the quieter halls.

"I have a lot of memories here," Golden said. "It's like a new job. Sad to see it go but at the same time pretty excited."