Cook County Board President John Stroger appeared to soften his stance Thursday regarding demolition of the old Cook County Hospital, saying that his staff is evaluating the West Side campus’ future needs.
Stroger has been the target of intense lobbying by preservationists and some county commissioners to keep the 90-year-old structure, which has been empty since the county opened Stroger Hospital next door more than a year ago.
Developers presented detailed proposals for reusing the building at a joint committee meeting two weeks ago, after which some commissioners who had been in favor of tearing down the hospital expressed second thoughts.
Asked Thursday whether he believed the building should still be torn down, Stroger largely dodged the question, a change from recent months when he never hesitated to explain why it had to go.
“Some people are saying for historical purposes we should be trying to save the facade. I think that’s really the major issue that they’re arguing,” Stroger said. “My job as the president of the County Board is to try to carry out plans and programs that have been laid out … to develop the grounds over there toward health-care needs.”
Some developers have proposed using it for medical offices, which Stroger has acknowledged the county needs, as well as housing for medical students.
“We probably would ultimately have to do what the engineers, health professionals tell us what we need,” Stroger said. “I have no personal agenda on this. I’m just carrying out what I’m supposed to do as a responsible president of the County Board.”
County Commissioner John Daley, who chairs the Finance Committee and had favored demolition, said Thursday that he would consider plans to redevelop the old hospital.
“I’m willing to look at a number of options, including renovation,” Daley said.
Daley said Stroger may be interested in having the county redevelop the hospital rather than letting developers do the job.
“The president … feels that we might be able to do it on our own,” Daley said.
After earlier delays, the board Thursday had been expected to consider bids to demolish the hospital. However, the bids were left off the agenda.
Proponents for keeping the hospital say Stroger still lacks the votes for demolition.
“It’s certainly saved for today and I’m optimistic that the process is there to save it,” said Commissioner Larry Suffredin of Evanston, who has been the chief proponent of renovation. Also Thursday, Stroger’s chief of staff, Patricia Shymanski, announced that she is retiring to take an administrative position with the University of Chicago.
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Shymanski, 58, replaced Orlando Jones, Stroger’s godson, when Jones left the county in 2001. Shymanski, who has worked for the county for 20 years, was head of the civil bureau for the state’s attorney’s office before taking a job as a Stroger assistant in 1999.
Shymanski plans to leave in mid-March and a month later start her new job as director of academic affairs in the division of biological sciences at the University of Chicago.
No replacement has been named.