Advocate Health Care proposes outpatient clinic offering immediate care and other services in Lake Zurich

Advocate Health Care’s proposal for an outpatient clinic offering immediate care service at the northwest corner of Route 12 and Miller Road will proceed to an official review process in Lake Zurich.

The nonprofit health care system wants to annex five, 1-acre unincorporated lots into the village and consolidate them to a single parcel for development. The plan is to rezone the property from residential to business for a 12,500-square-foot facility with room for expansion.

Primary care practice, immediate care and laboratory and X-ray services would be among available services.

Advocate operates a primary care facility at 350 Surryse Road in Lake Zurich, but its closest immediate care facilities are in Hoffman Estates and Crystal Lake.

“Our current medical offerings in Lake Zurich and Wauconda are at capacity and we need to expand our locations to meet the expanding needs of the community,” Advocate said in material submitted to the village.

Advocate representatives pitched the idea to the village board Monday during a nonvoting courtesy review. Such reviews are intended to give developers and village staff a sense of the board’s preferences or concerns about a proposed use at a given site.

In this case, the property is in keeping with Lake Zurich’s comprehensive plan and goals to annex and zone property for commercial use along the Route 12 corridor, Advocate says, and will add offerings in a community it already serves.

“I think it makes sense on a number of different levels,” said Trustee Jake Marx.

The undeveloped property is owned by the Foglia Foundation and would be donated to Advocate Health after an annexation and rezoning agreement is approved.

“We know that more people want immediate care visits than going to the emergency department,” said Trent Gordon, vice president of business development. “We want to give people options.”

Advocate Clinic Walgreens had been operating across the street from the proposed new facility. It functioned like an immediate care facility and reported more than 2,400 visits per year. However, Advocate closed all its Walgreens clinics.

“That was one of our busiest clinics throughout Illinois, so we know there’s a demand for these types of services,” Gordon said.

Trustee Greg Weider, who lives in that part of town, said he was excited to have such a facility on that corner but cautioned traffic will be an issue going forward. Appearance also will be a consideration.

“Whatever is there on that corner is going to represent the gateway of Lake Zurich,” said Weider. “I think that will be important as you think about design and presence.”

Advocate representatives said they want to start the annexation and zoning process immediately with construction, pending approvals, in 2026.