Austin Celebrates Beam-Raising for $22 Million Pediatric Health Center

Residents and leaders in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago gathered on Monday to celebrate the beam-raising for the Austin HOPE Center, a significant development projected to cost $22 million. This new facility aims to provide essential pediatric health care services that are currently scarce on Chicago’s West Side. The 25,000-square-foot, three-story building, located at 5036 W. Chicago Ave., is set to open by late summer 2026.

The Austin HOPE Center is the result of years of community efforts to address critical health care needs in an area where life expectancy is notably lower than in wealthier neighborhoods. According to the Chicago Department of Public Health, residents in Austin have a life expectancy that is seven years lower than the citywide average and nearly 16 years less than in the Loop.

Rev. Contrell Jenkins, CEO of Stone Community Development Corp. and pastor of Lively Stone M.B. Church, highlighted the pressing issues faced by local youth. He noted an alarming rise in trauma and mental health crises during the pandemic, expressing concern over the impact of violence and substance abuse on young people in the community. “I began to feel overwhelmed and underequipped,” he said, reflecting on his role as a spiritual leader during these challenging times.

To tackle these issues, Jenkins partnered with Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Together, they conducted surveys with local health care providers and community members to identify gaps in available services. Dr. Tom Shanley, president and CEO of Lurie Children’s Hospital, emphasized the importance of community input in shaping the center. “The fine-tuning of the clinical programming was dictated by the community,” he stated, explaining how even the building’s design was influenced by local residents.

The Austin HOPE Center will focus on providing much-needed pediatric specialty services, particularly in mental health care, behavioral health, and management of chronic conditions like asthma and high blood pressure. Jenkins noted that the involvement of young residents in the design process was crucial, allowing them to take ownership of the space. “That’s what happened,” he said, regarding the center’s development.

Ald. Emma Mitts, representing the 37th ward, remarked on the long-standing inequities in health care access for Austin residents. “For too long, Austin residents have paid more — financially and emotionally — for the same basic health services others take for granted,” she said.

The facility will also house a full-service Wintrust Bank branch, educational program spaces, and administrative offices for Thresholds’ community-based mental health services for adults. Stone CDC will own the property and lease space to Lurie and Thresholds, marking a collaborative effort to enhance health care access in the area.

David Doig, president of Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, expressed optimism about the investment in Austin. “This is one of the single largest investments into the community in decades,” he remarked, recalling his two-decade residency in the neighborhood. The organization facilitated financing for the Austin HOPE Center, which includes a $5 million grant from the city and private funding through New Market Tax Credits.

In addition to the Austin HOPE Center, recent investments in the neighborhood include the opening of Forty Acres Fresh Market, a Black-owned grocery store, and the transformation of a former school into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation. These initiatives aim to spur job creation and combat the long-standing population decline in Austin.

As the community looks forward to the completion of the Austin HOPE Center, the hope is that it will not only address immediate health care needs but also foster long-term improvements in the overall well-being of Austin residents.