•Elmhurst+Hospital

Today, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital is a hospital for many communities in the Chicago land area. People from around the country also come to Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. Elmhurst Memorial Hospital is # 19 on the areas 25 largest hospitals. It must be a very big hospital. I go there a lot because my dad works in one of the labs. I was also born there.

The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in Lombard, IL is a three story clinic. They have a several physician groups, urgent care, physical therapy, radiology, laboratory, and Elmhurst Clinic Group. The builders were trying to match the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. The Frank Lloyd Wright architecture is usually made up of shapes. They are usually circular or boxy. The hospital in Lombard is a boxy design. 2001 marked the 75th anniversary of the hospital. They had 427 licensed beds, 2500 employees and 600 physicians. The mission is still the same as Dr. Marquardt, “to enhance the health of communities and customers we serve.” The hospital has maintained that goal throughout the years.

The Elmhurst Center for Health is an addition to the main hospital. It opened in June of 1999. It is a good place for physicians. The 1st floor is 178,000 square ft. It is a four story building. The building has a great ambulatory and a diagnosis testing area. They also do surgery. The upper levels contain physician offices. The Center for Health is a place for all ages. There are children, adults, and senior citizens.

The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital was made by Edward Marquardt. It was founded in 1926, and was the first hospital in DuPage county. We needed a hospital closer to us because the closest hospital was in Oak Park. Marquadt made the vision come true and he built the hospital. Website: http://www.emhc.org/locations/elmhurstmain.html

This hospital entered into a development fee by agreeing with NexCore, so they could increase market share. This was important because they needed the extra money. A development group helped with the site evaluations, and the negotiations. The urban site, just off the train line into Chicago was put together by health futures. http://www.nexcoregroup.com/portfolio/healthcare_cs.php?cs=8

In 1920, a petition was signed by more than 100 people and was given to the City Council of Elmhurst so they could build a city hospital. Until it opened, (1926) people went to the West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. The Elmhurst boosters club endorsed the hospital plan and supporters of the hospital sold shares of stock in the Elmhurst Hospital association. http://www.elmhurst.org/elmhurst/museum/historicarchives.asp#hospital

After they considered many spots, they finally settled on purchasing a property on Avon and Schiller in March, 1925. The new hospital was dedicated on October 10, 1926. After the ceremonies, Dr. Marquuardt talked to the crowd before he opened the doors to the hospital, saying that, “ The safe guarding of life is the supreme and foremost duty toward its community members, and that’s what this institution stands for.”