Northwest Community postpones some changes
Northwest Community Hospital will probably come back with a new five-year plan after receiving permission from the Arlington Heights Village Board to postpone a few items on the existing one, Nicholas S. Peppers, hospital attorney, said Monday night.
The hospital is postponing an 8,200-square-foot addition to the Wellness Center, a 30,000-square-foot addition to the entry and public lobby, an extension to the 10-foot wide bike path along the east property line, the reconfiguration of the ring road system and improvements to the Central Road/Fernandez Avenue intersection, according to a report from village staff.
The hospital completed its eight-story 245,731-square-foot medical Patient Care Addition and seven-level parking garage. Other parts of the five-year plan, the renovation of the Emergency Department and an addition for ambulances, are under construction.
The village board approved a two-year extension to the plan.
The hospital will spend a good part of these next two years evaluating “where we are and what we’ve done and what we are going to do,” Peppers told the board.
The postponed change at Central and Fernandez involves straightening an internal drive and would not affect traffic complaints by area residents, Peppers said after the meeting. Village President Arlene Mulder agreed.
The hospital agreed to all the conditions staff recommended for the time extension, said Bill Enright, deputy director of Planning & Community Development:
Ÿ Two traffic signals on Central Avenue have already been synchronized, he said.
Ÿ An interim asphalt bike path will be installed by Sept. 30 to connect the existing path at the northeast corner of the campus to Central Road. The hospital needs to finalize its plans for the southeast portion of the campus, according to a letter from Peppers to the village, then the southeast leg of the ring road will be constructed.
Ÿ A barrier median will be installed at the west Central Road entrance. This median was removed at one time, said Peppers.