Hoffman mayor against proposed Huntley hospital

Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod was among those who testified last week at a hearing about a plan to build a hospital in Huntley.

The $233 million hospital proposed by Centegra Health Systems would be in direct competition with St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, which is preparing to break ground on a new $117 million children's hospital on its campus off Barrington Road near Golf Road. The new St. Alexius wing could open in early 2013.

McLeod said that between St. Alexius, Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington, there are plenty of hospital beds available for patients.

“I think they have the area covered,” McLeod said Monday after a village board meeting.

Over the past couple of months, the village board has approved a series of permits allowing St. Alexius — one of the village's largest employers — to go forward with its project.

McLeod read a letter at the Feb. 16 hearing, which was held at Huntley village hall and run by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. State Rep. Fred Crespo, the Hoffman Estates Democrat from the 44th District, also provided testimony.

McLeod reasoned that hospitals already have beds that are underused, and the new Centegra facility would oversaturate the market.

“I don't think (the proposed hospital in Huntley) makes sense at all,” McLeod said.

Centegra supports their desire to build the 360,000-square-foot building with Census 2010 figures that show Huntley's population more than tripled to 24,291.

The state board would review the proposal after listening to testimony such as Crespo and McLeod's. A decision by the board is expected on May 10.