By Jim Sterne
News Editor
"Interesting situation as we watch nothing happen," said Dick Hankett, executive director of the Ravenswood Community Council. Hankett was referring to the removal of some heavy equipment that was delivered to the site of the future North Center Senior Campus at Irving Park Rd. and Western Ave. The equipment lay idle for two weeks before being removed.
The site was once Martha Washington Hospital. It was purchased by Ravenswood Hospital, which was then itself purchased by Advocate. Finally Advocate closed Ravenswood.
Advocate and the Technical Assistance Corporation for Housing signed a formal agreement for the donation of five acres of land to the City of Chicago for development of affordable senior housing on Feb. 4, with much media fanfare. Advocate has worked hard to build good relations with the community that is still reeling from the closing of Ravenswood Hospital. Now, the odd departure of equipment has caused speculations about whether the Senior Campus will ever really come to be. There has been no formal closing on the Irving and Western property in which the deed is transferred legally to the City of Chicago.
The city did request bids for the parcel to be made into senior housing and a contractor was selected. However, some people distrustful of Advocate feared that work stopped before it even began because the property transfer was not finalized.
Megan Norris, communications specialist for Advocate, said, "Advocate has signed the papers. There has been no formal closing, but Advocate did give the city permission to begin demolition." She suggested that a reason for the delay should be sought at the Ald. Gene Schulter's (47th) office.
"Demolition will begin next week," Schulter said. "The reason for what seems to be a delay is not about the closing of the property. The reason is that there is a 10 business-day notification period before environmental remediation can proceed. A tank was removed many years ago behind the old mental health building and it wasn't done properly."
Schulter added that, meanwhile, demolition is completed on the southwest corner of Irving Park Rd. and Western Ave. and construction of a CVS Pharmacy will begin soon. CVS purchased the alley next to their property. The alley purchase will ease traffic flow in the area and will allow the pharmacy to be more esthetically pleasing.
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