Residents Worry, Advocate Christ Gets Set to Expand

Advocate Christ Medical Center officials met with community residents a fourth time since planning began for a new ambulatory pavilion and parking garage to set to break ground in October.

from Advocate Christ Chief Operating Officer Dominica M. Tallarico who spoke of why the expansion was happening and what it would mean for the hospital, before opening the floor to questions from the roughly 40 residents attending the Monday meeting.

“There's a lot of great ideas and we're really open to whatever ideas the community and village have,” Tallarico said, adding, “as long it doesn't impact patient care.”

Though it was an open meeting, media members in attendance were asked to shut off their recording devices by hospital staff during the question and answer session.

One resident of Crawford Gardens, who identified herself as Debbie, voiced concern over hospital staff and visitors taking over the streets of the Crawford Gardens neighborhood. She said that she has seen staff and visitors driving extremely fast down residential streets, blaring their horns with a seemingly total disregard for residents' safety.

Others, including Joan Kresek, who lives on 94^th Street and Kolmar Avenue, worried about the impending expansion's implications on the property values of homes in the area and about traffic patters in the community.

“As far as I'm concerned, nothing changed from any of the other meetings, as far as our situation on Kolmar,” Kresek said. “We're very unhappy about this big structure going up there. I think our property values are going to go down.

“[One resident] is already looking at trying to sell his home to the hospital already, so you know, that means if they want to tear that down, they can tear it down. … To me, you get to voice your opinion [at the meetings], but nothing is going to change. You're up against too big of a corporation.”

For other residents though, the expansion means that the hospital is only going to better serve patients. Dolores Dorman, who lives across the street from the hospital, was upbeat about the expansion following the meeting.

“I think it was very helpful and I admire the staff and their patience and willingness to listen to all the questions and give answers,” Dorman said. “... I do understand the need for the expansion.”

Still some residents left the meeting feeling worried. Groundbreaking for the ambulatory pavilion and parking structure is scheduled for October. Advocate Christ officials hope to have the project completed by November 2013. The project is expected to bring about 500 construction jobs to the southwest suburbs.