Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana announces plan for new Ronald McDonald House®
Readying to open new doors for world’s largest “home away from home”
September 15, 2008 - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC® -CNI) today announced plans for a new Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The charity has completed purchase of a parcel of land at 211 E. Grand which will be developed into a RMH more than quadruple the size of the existing house — making it the largest house in the world.
The move comes as Children’s Memorial Hospital, who RMHC-CNI has served for 31 years, prepares to build the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in the Streeterville neighborhood. The house will open in 2012 in conjunction with the hospital.
In addition to its proximity to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, the new house will serve families from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Prentice Women’s Hospital.
“Location in business is important but in our world it is paramount. We provide convenient, easy access for parents to be near their children during their greatest hour of need. Every second these parents spend with their children is precious,” said Doug Porter, the chief executive officer of RMHC-CNI. “The Ronald McDonald House program focuses on the families so the families can focus on what is most important – the medical needs of their children. Further, this will allow us to enhance our services and expand our capacity from 21 to 90 rooms to serve many of the families we can’t accommodate today.”
“We are extremely pleased to collaborate and help support the RMH move,” said Patrick M. Magoon, president and CEO of Children’s Memorial Medical Center. “We will also be working with the RMH to manage nine bedrooms in our new hospital for families with the most medically fragile children.”
The original RMH serving Children’s Memorial opened its doors at 622 W. Deming in April 1977 and has provided a “home away from home” for more than 25,000 families.
The new house will include:
- 90 guest rooms, all with private bathrooms, within 90,000 square feet across 13 floors
- Expansive kitchens, living areas, laundry facilities and community rooms, and
- Certain floors with specially filtered air will house suites for families of transplant patients in anticipation of extremely long stays.
“As we create the new house, we look forward to working with Alderman Brendan Reilly, the City of Chicago and community groups such as Streeterville Organization of Active Residents and Greater North Michigan Avenue Association to truly develop a world-class facility that everyone can be proud of,” said Porter.
The timetable for the project will consist of utilizing 2008 and 2009 for design, development, permitting and construction bidding. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2010 for a spring 2012 house opening.
Aristotle Kornoras, the current owner of the 211 E. Grand property, is thrilled to work with RMHC-CNI to provide the location. “I’m very proud to be able to help a great charity relocate to this neighborhood. Their compassionate mission, wonderful volunteer opportunities and desire to enhance any neighborhood they are a part of, makes RMHC-CNI a perfect fit for Streeterville.”
Mr. Kornoras will retain 5,000 square feet on the ground floor that will offer retail opportunities to future tenants.
RMHC-CNI has selected Antunovich & Associates as the architect for the project, while DACCORD will serve as the project manager. Grubb & Ellis represented RMHC-CNI during this real estate transaction.
About RMHC-CNI:
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (RMHC-CNI) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to improving the health, well-being and education of children in its area.
The charity accomplishes that through three major programs. The Ronald McDonald House® program provides housing to families whose children are in treatment at nearby hospitals. RMHC-CNI currently operates four houses near Children’s Memorial, the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center and (under construction) Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital. The RMHC-CNI scholarship program provides funds to high-achieving yet financially challenged high school seniors. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program provides medical care to children in need in the Chicago area. For more information, visit www.rmhccni.org.
Contacts:
Doug Porter, RMHC-CNI, 630.623.5307
dporter@rmhccni.org
Sam Kelly, Red Chicago for RHMC-CNI, 312,782.7922
skelly@redchicago.com
Julie Pesch, Children’s Memorial Hospital, 773.880.3055
jpesch@childrensmemorial.org