The former home of Prentice Women’s Hospital could receive a new lease on life if the historic preservation group Landmarks Illinois has its way. On Friday, the group revealed a 16-page report that shows how the distinctive clover-shaped building, currently scheduled for demolition, could be newly utilized.
Landmarks Illinois’ report includes three proposed uses for the Northwestern University-owned property: housing for students or medical staff, a research complex with room for 60 labs and 800 researchers, or a 200,000 sq. ft. office building.
The report also recommends that the hospital’s dim, imposing glass base be substituted with a more modern-looking translucent glass wall, and that a green roof be installed to enhance the appearance of the roof for neighboring buildings.
In a press release, Jim Peters, the president of Landmarks Illinois, said that preserving the complex would be “a more sustainable approach to redevelopment, while also addressing the concerns of nearby residents about the growing ‘canyonization’ of the Streeterville neighborhood.”
The Landmarks Illinois report was produced with the support of three Chicago-area architectural organizations who asked not to be named.
The old Prentice Women’s Hospital structure was built in the 1970s by renowned American architect Bertrand Goldberg, who is most recognized for designing the Marina City complex. After the hospital moved to a new location in 2007, Northwestern University could not work out a feasible use for the building. The school said it would demolish the structure later this year.