Pandemic Delays Construction Of Proposed Mercy Health “Microhospital” In Crystal Lake

Attention of the Mercy Health management has been diverted from progress on construction of the $100 million, 13 bed microhospital planned for the southeast intersection of Three Oaks Road and Route 31 in Crystal Lake, toward dealing with the needed medical attention to Covid-19 patients in northeastern Illinois and Wisconsin, and the health care workers treating them, according to Crystal Lake Community Development Director Michelle Rentzsch. Some site work at the location has been performed under earlier issued building permits, but plans for the hospital building construction have not yet been approved.

After Mercy prevailed in lengthy litigation by which Centegra Health sought to block construction of the Mercy facility, Mercy originally announced that groundbreaking would happen in the spring of 2020. Now Mercy says it will “announce the start date and completion date in the fall,” once final plan approval and building permits are approved by the City of Crystal Lake.