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Cook County Hospital
Built in 1914, Cook County Hospital held the title of the largest public health facility in all of North America for decades. Over the years, the hospital earned a reputation for opening its doors to patients of all backgrounds and training some of the nation’s top physicians.
In the early … Read More
After three years of renovations, the hospital reopened in 2020 as the Hyatt Place and its extended-stay neighbor, the Hyatt House – together forming the centerpiece of a much larger complex expected to revitalize an entire district.
A project team including Walsh Construction; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM); and Wiss, Janney, Elstner (WJE) Associates was assembled, the latter serving as the exterior envelope consultant on the massive restoration.
Cook County Hospital's prominence near I-290 and Ogden Avenue in Chicago’s medical district meant the public couldn’t forget about this historic beauty as it slowly transformed into an eyesore, and unfortunately, the destruction of the legendary hospital seemed inevitable.
After three years of renovations, the hospital reopened in 2020 as the Hyatt Place and its extended-stay neighbor, the Hyatt House – together forming the centerpiece of a much larger complex expected to revitalize an entire district.
Rachel Will of WJE helped repair structural damage on the building's exterior. Photo courtesy WJE
Anchoring was installed for further stabilization via PROSOCO’s helical Stitch-Ties and Masonry Veneer-Ties to pin the terra cotta and some of the brick.
Working with two different masonry contractors (Mark 1 Restoration for the north, east and wide sides and MBB Enterprises on the south side), the group determined that cleaning would be the first step and they established a path forward.
When Rachel Will, Associate Principal at Wiss, Janney, Elstner (WJE) Associates, arrived at the site for her team’s first survey, a variety of challenges stood before her.
Facade stabilization required a number of methods. Photo courtesy WJE
Once all eight stories and all four sides of the exterior were cleaned between 2018 and 2019, the next step was envelope stabilization – another unique restoration challenge for WJE.
Contractors used 766 Limestone & Masonry Prewash and Light Duty Concrete Cleaner. Photo courtesy WJE
Uncared for and unoccupied for 18 years, Cook County Hospital in Chicago was ready for demo. Trees and plants growing inside and out, broken pipes, shattered window glass and a flooded basement belied the grandeur once embodied in this historic Beaux-Arts building with a virtuous legacy.
