City Approves Land Swap with Hospital

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 22, 2009 8:40PM

Sinai Health System announced Tuesday that the Chicago Housing Authority had approved a land swap with the hospital. As part of the deal, the CHA will give Sanai a parcel of land bounded by Ogden, Washtenaw and Fairfield Avenues. In exchange, the hospital will give the CHA a parcel of land at 15th and California. The hospital plans to build a 200,000 square-foot expansion outpatient center at Ogden and California, and a parking lot. Sinai also plans to build a 900,000 square-foot hospital at 12th and Washtenaw, but likely won't be able to finance the development for some years. The deal involved no cash.

The CHA plans to build some 300 units in the North Lawndale neighborhood on the land acquired. “Were we not able to find land on which to build a modern health facility, this critical North Lawndale resource would have disappeared,” a Sinai spokesman told Crain's. “It’s a great beginning. Now the hard work begins.” And CHA CEO Lewis Jordan told Chicago Public Radio that the community will benefit from housing near the hospital "It just helps to add to the quality of life of our residents who will be there, the opportunities that they'll create not only in job and training but life skills. " The first phase of construction is scheduled to begin next year, and the hospital will break ground shortly after that.