The University of Chicago Medicine broke ground on its $815 million project to build the state’s first standalone structure dedicated to cancer care and research. The 575,000-square-foot, seven-story pavilion builds on the University of Chicago’s decades of work and leadership in cancer research and its prestigious designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The Sept. 19 event included remarks from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and University of Chicago and health system leaders. It also featured performances by the Chicago Mass Choir and a ceremonial bell ringing that evoked the long-standing patient tradition that marks the end of successful oncology treatments.
The academic health system seeks to dramatically improve the experience for patients with cancer, reduce health disparities in underserved communities and speed up scientific discoveries through the freestanding pavilion, which will be built on its flagship campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the South Side.