Case Study: Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

Administration Building, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

Photo: Torque

Project Profile

Historic Name: Cook County Hospital Administration Building
Current Name: Hyatt House/Hyatt Place Chicago, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall
Year Built: 1912-1914
Rehabilitation Completed: 2021
Original Use: Hospital
New Use: Hotels, office, retail
Estimated Qualified Rehabilitation Expenditures: $129,000,000
Estimated Total Project Cost: $140,000,000

Developer John T. Murphy of Murphy Development Group has a special connection to the former Cook County Administration Building—his father and grandfather did their medical residencies in the hospital, and he named the food hall in the recently-rehabilitated building after his uncle, noted Chicago surgeon John B. Murphy.

According to the City of Chicago Landmark Designation Report, “The Cook County Hospital Administration Building is one of Chicago’s grandest public buildings and exemplifies the importance of local Cook County government in the care and welfare of its citizens . . . regardless of their ability to pay.” The National Register nomination for the building suggests that it may be the only building of its kind in the nation—a monumental Beaux Arts structure built as a public charity hospital.

The Cook County Hospital served Chicago’s indigent and underserved populations until its closure in 2002. The county had constructed a new hospital nearby to replace it and planned to demolish the old structure. Several wings and connectors on the south side of the building were demolished in 2005, but the county commissioners did not approve demolition of the Administration Building. Preservationist worked for the following two decades to promote the preservation and reuse of the imposing, block-long structure. A design charette led by the Cook County Board President and a subsequent RFP process resulted in a winning bid by the Murphy Development Group to rehabilitate the building.

Highlights of the rehabilitation included the preservation and repair of the exterior masonry, including replacing 4,500 pieces of damaged terra cotta details. The interior had been changed significantly over time as medical requirements changed. Remaining historic spaces, including the main lobby, a second-floor lobby/lounge, and plaster barrel-vaulted corridors were restored. Two operating theaters were mothballed for future reuse.

The Cook County Hospital Administration Building now houses two hotels, medical offices, retail spaces, and a food hall, and it is a significant, active component of the surrounding Illinois Medical District. Landmarks Illinois awarded the project a 2020 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Adaptive Use. Local leaders hope that the important project will continue to catalyze further development of Chicago’s Near West Side.