Plan for CL Hospital revived

Mercy Health System is taking a second pass at building a hospital in Crystal Lake, three years after its first attempt became embroiled in a kickback scandal that resonated all the way to the governor’s office.

The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board received today the Janesville, Wis.-based health provider’s letter of intent to build a hospital and medical office building at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road, across Three Oaks from the Holiday Inn.

The letter from Mercy President and CEO Javon Bea said this hospital will be even larger than the original, with a 128-bed acute care hospital and a neighboring physician office building at a cost of $224 million. Mercy’s 2003 application asked for a 70-bed hospital and neighboring building at $81.4 million.

“Mercy has been approached by numerous individuals, including Mercy physicians, independent physicians, community leaders, elected officials and area residents concerning the importance of having more health care services, more health care providers, and more inpatient beds in McHenry County,” Mercy Vice President Barb Bortner said.

Mercy’s original effort to build a 70-bed hospital in the same location died in May 2005 when McHenry County Judge Maureen McIntyre ruled that the planning board violated its own rules to approve it.