Construction Season in Full Swing
As the foundation of Northwestern University’s Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center is completed and its superstructure begins to rise, excavation of the site for Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s (NMH) new Prentice Women’s Hospital has begun.
Pending receipt of the final permit from the City of Chicago, Turner Construction has scheduled the delivery of three large “chillers” to the Lurie Center on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13.
These 45-ton machines are the heart of the air conditioning system for the entire building. To facilitate the work of bringing them into the construction site, Fairbanks Court between Huron and Superior streets will be closed from early Saturday morning until late Sunday evening. To keep abreast of these developments, go to http://live6.truelook.com/northwestern/lurie for updates.
On May 12 NMH held a groundbreaking ceremony at the former site of Wesley Pavilion that featured a “ballet on dirt” performed by the River North Dance Company and remarks by dignitaries such as Maggie Daley, wife of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; Patti Blagojevich, wife of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich; and United States Congressman Danny Davis. 
Excavation of the site began June 30 to make way for a world-class women’s hospital featuring integrated heath care programs for women from adolescents to the elderly.
The current Prentice Pavilion has existed at the 333 East Superior Street since 1975 and handled more than 9,000 deliveries in 2002, placing it among the top 25 birthing centers in the United States. When the new facility opens in 2007, it will accommodate 13,500 births annually, making it the third largest maternity center in the nation. It will continue to be a Level III Perinatal Center, serving as a referral resource for regional hospitals and physicians for high-risk obstetrical care. The hospital also will provide a full complement of care for women of all ages, including genetics, infertility, cardiology, osteoporosis, mental health, breast disease, gynecological oncology, and geriatrics.