UIC proposes $191M outpatient care center in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) - University of Illinois health system officials are proposing to build a $191 million outpatient care center next to the school's hospital on Chicago's West Side

The six-story 200,000-square-foot (60,960-square-meter) building would be connected to the main hospital through a bridge, according to an application filed by the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System.

There's already an outpatient building connected to the hospital, but university officials said there's demand for more services. The proposed second building would include clinics, a pharmacy and waiting area for surgery patients.

The project application said it would be funded through a public-private partnership, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. A hearing has been set for April 7. If approval is granted, the project could be completed by 2022.

'œThis new facility represents the extraordinary momentum of our clinical care delivery for our communities locally, across the state and beyond,'ť said Dr. Robert Barish, vice chancellor of health affairs for the University of Illinois at Chicago.