City may acquire Michael Reese Hospital for Olympics 

By Julie Sommarco 

The City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development is poised to exercise its authority to acquire and redevelop 22 parcels of land at and around Michael Reese Hospital in Bronzeville, pending the outcome of the City’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Acquiring the hospital property, located west of Lake Shore Dr. between 26th and 31st Sts., represents the City’s effort to improve planning and coordination for the community, which includes the proposed Olympic Village. Mayor Richard M. Daley believes “the future of a site this large will have a significant impact on the community at large, and it is important for the City to guide its redevelopment,” he said.

The proposed $1.1 billion Olympic Village, a housing area for Olympic officials, would be built on the hospital campus if Chicago gets the 2016 Olympics. Plans include a new street grid, connecting the area to the lakefront and communities further south, new public transit, open space, and affordable housing, according to Arnold Randall of the Department of Planning and Development.

Even though the City wants the hospital property and has preliminary plans for the site, both Pat Sandona, assistant to CEO Enrique Beckman, MD, of Michael Reese and Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (4th Ward) said Michael Reese Hospital has no plans to close.

The 37-acre hospital campus is underused, however. The institution uses only five of its 27 buildings and only about half of its 360 patient beds. According to Preckwinkle, the hospital also suffers from some financial trouble.

City officials will not know whether Chicago has won the Olympic bid until October 2009. At that time they will start negotiations with Michael Reese Hospital to determine the property’s fate and future use.