Groundbreaking Held For UChicago Cancer Center In Hyde Park

A groundbreaking has been held for the new University of Chicago Cancer Center at 5654 S Drexel Avenue within the UChicago campus in Hyde Park. Bound by E 57th Street to the south and an existing parking garage to the west, the new building replaces one of the last vacant areas currently used as a parking lot. The university and UChicago Medicine are behind the proposal designed by local firm CannonDesign.

Site context plan of UChicago Cancer Center by CannonDesign

Rising eight-stories and 172-feet in height, the massive 575,000 gross square-foot building will be the first free-standing cancer pavilion in the city. The need for the building has been growing as cancer rates continue to rise and the existing hospital facilities require additional beds. Thus all of the cancer operations will be consolidated into the Y-shaped structure in order to free-up space for other needs.

Massing model of UChicago Cancer Center by CannonDesign

A sunken lower level will hold a 10,000 square-foot shelled radiology center connected to other surrounding buildings. The main floor above would have a multi-story lobby, innovation center, imaging rooms, wellness center, and breast cancer center, accessed by a new vehicle drop-off loop, small plaza, and green space. Floors two and three will hold over 90 exam and infusion rooms including for outpatient services, patient/family lounges, and some waiting rooms.

Floor plans of UChicago Cancer Center by CannonDesign

The remaining floors will hold 80 inpatient rooms of which 16 will be considered ICU beds, this will be supported by a pharmacy, family spaces, staff collaborative spaces, and small terraces on the structure setbacks. Other specialty areas will include an urgent care clinic with separate spaces to serve those who are immunocompromised, community rooms for educational purposes, and other clinical trial spaces.

Rendering of front entry of UChicago Cancer Center by CannonDesign

The building was also designed with the future in mind, being able to support both vertical and horizontal expansions. Clad in a curtain wall system with metal vertical fins, the project also saw an overall increase in cost from $633 to $815 million. With construction now officially underway, the work is set to be completed by the end of 2026 with an anticipated opening of early 2027.

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