County seeks public input on Oak Forest Hospital future

With the first phase of the planned demolition of the 153-acre Oak Forest Hospital campus now complete, Cook County is seeking public input on how the land should be used.

The Cook County Office of Asset Management will hold a public meeting on the property at 5:30 p.m. April 8 at the Markham Courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Ave., Markham.

The session will include a menu of ideas and invite people to participate in small group sessions, the county said on its website.

“This meeting will include a ‘charette,’ which is an intensive, collaborative workshop, giving community members the opportunity to work together in a structured way to highlight their priorities and what they would like to see for the future of Oak Forest,” it says.

A virtual option will be available, although participation in small group activities will be limited for virtual participants. To access the online meeting, go to CookCountyMeet.org at the time of the meeting.

The demolition of hospital buildings began in February 2025.

The first phase of the project, now complete, was to include the demolition of up to 11 buildings, including abatement of hazardous building materials such as asbestos and lead, according to county documents.

The second phase, expected to be completed in 2028, will involve the reduction and demolition of up to 40 remaining buildings, according to county documents. Eventually, almost all of the more than 50 buildings on campus will be removed.

No explosives are used and water spray is used to minimize dust, according to the county website. Air quality is monitored throughout the project and air quality test results are published online.

The campus is in unincorporated Cook County, adjacent to Oak Forest, southeast of Cicero Avenue and 159th Street. The campus is bordered by two Cook County forest preserves, Oak Forest Heritage Preserve and Midlothian Meadows.

In its early history, the property was home to a poor farm and a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients. The campus later became a 600-bed, full-service hospital. In addition to providing care to inpatients, the hospital was a training ground for thousands of health care workers.

Oak Forest Hospital closed in 2011. It continued to provide outpatient care for several more years, but those services eventually moved to Blue Island.

Demolition was scheduled to begin in September 2023, but has been delayed.

If you leave

Or: Markham Courthouse, 16501 Kedzie Avenue, Markham

Online option: CookCountyMeet.org

When: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 8

RSVP: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA4A929ABFDC16-62459371-april#/

elewis@chicagotribune.com