Judge upholds construction of Huntley hospital

A Will County judge on Friday upheld a state panel's decision to let Centegra Health System build a hospital in Huntley.

The ruling ends a lawsuit a pair of Centegra rivals filed about a year ago to block the hospital's construction. With the lawsuit out of the way, Centegra will break ground on the 128-bed hospital in the spring, said Susan Milford, Centegra's senior vice president of strategy and development.

“We are very excited, so we can move forward,” Milford said late Friday. “It was a very strong decision in our favor.”

Mercy Health System and Advocate Health Care filed the lawsuit against the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, the body that last year approved Centegra's plans for the hospital.

Centegra's rivals argued the Huntley hospital was a waste of money, would duplicate existing services and compete with them for patients and staff.

The parties have the option to appeal the ruling.