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Hospital could be landmarkDaily SouthtownMarch 9, 2006By Jonathan LipmanIn another twist in the battle over the old Cook County Hospital building, Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) said Wednesday he plans to nominate the 90-year-old structure to the National Register of Historic Places. The building has been standing vacant since Stroger Hospital opened in 2002. Preservationists want the hospital preserved while County Board President John Stroger says it should be torn down for further development. The county board agreed in November to demolish parts of the hospital to make room for parking while leaving the final fate of the main building on Harrison Street up in the air. Quigley wants the building on the national register because it would make large tax breaks available to redevelopers interested in the property. "We are rapidly losing so much of our historic and cultural identity," Quigley said in a statement, referring the recent renaming of Marshall Field's and closing of the Berghoff restaurant. "We are making a statement that our heritage and history are important and are worthy of preservation." Stroger issued a statement saying he continues to support demolition of the building to better serve the poor. Quigley's nomination must go before state, city and federal officials before the hospital is placed on the register.
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