IDOT has NOT approved Children's Memorial Hospital's (CMH) rooftop heliport application. 

IDOT recently informed SOAR that, after reviewing the material presented at the July 2009 public hearing and all materials submitted by all parties, “an additional study of the proposed heliport is prudent.”  SOAR has informed IDOT that it agrees that the application and studies submitted by CMH do not demonstrate that the heliport can be operated safely at its proposed location.  SOAR requested that the application be denied at this time.  Instead, IDOT has contracted for additional study.  IDOT anticipates that its study will be completed in early 2011.  A second public hearing will then follow.

Highly qualified aerospace engineering and aviation safety experts Dr. Thomas Corke and Dr. Patrick Veillette have commented to IDOT that the nature of the agency's proposed additional study cannot adequately address the safety issues at hand.  (Dr. Corke's Findings / Dr. Veillette's Findings) 

SOAR has requested that Dr. Corke and Dr. Veillette (as well as any CMH consultants) be allowed to communicate directly with IDOT's new consultants as it is in everyone’s best interest that any further study adequately address the safety of the proposed location of the heliport and not come to misleading or erroneous results.

SOAR continues to focus on the serious and significant safety issues and concerns raised with this proposal. 

Since the IDOT public hearing in July 2009, there have been 14 medical helicopter accidents, resulting in 19 deaths and 4 injuries.  Four of the accidents occurred at hospitals. 

Of particular note is the July 2010 accident involving CMH’s primary flight provider, Air Methods.  Air Methods’ state of the art, fully equipped medical helicopter plummeted 600 feet in 8 seconds without warning into a residential neighborhood in Tuscon, killing everyone onboard. 

http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12893603

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_a3eb1ce6-a032-11df-9aa0-001cc4c03286.html

SOAR will continue to communicate additional information as it becomes available.  Please send us your comments or questions by email.



"Northwestern Memorial Hospital has taken full ownership of a prime piece of property adjacent to its facility, a key piece in the growth plans for the city's biggest hospital.

Northwestern last month finalized a deal with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to acquire the eastern portion of the former Lakeside Veterans Affairs hospital site at 333 E. Huron St."

Read the full article in Crain's Chicago Business

View from Chestnut StreetFourth Presbyterian Church will be presenting its building expansion plans to the community on Tuesday, August 17th from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM.  The meeting will take place at Anderson Hall located at 126 E. Chestnut St.

This is an as-of-right development project that fits within the site's zoning requirement.  The maximum height of this proposed structure is five stories and scheduled to contain approximately 80,000 square feet

Plans for the structure would include the following:  a mid-sized chapel, classrooms for the church's Sunday School, Day School and Tutoring Program, a new kitchen and dining room, a computer center, library and fellowship/concert/meeting spaces that will also be available to the broader community. 

There is no RSVP required to attend.

Volunteers are needed for SOAR's Beautification Walk to determine which residential, institutional, and commercial buildings will receive the SOAR 2010 beautification awards.  The north Streeterville walk will take place on Saturday, August 7th from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM and will depart from the SOAR office at 244 E. Pearson St.  The south Streeterville walk will take place Monday, August 9th from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM and will depart from  Streeterville Properties at 432 E. Grand Avenue.  Those interested in participating should RSVP to SOAR.

There will be a public presentation to review the upcoming improvements to the Lakefront Path bike trail and pedestrian walkway located at the crossing of the Chicago River and Lake Shore Drive Bridge.

The meeting will be held July 15th at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave, from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM in room 328 of Festival Hall, located on the east end of the pier.  No RSVP is required.

The Navy Pier Flyover Project will involve substantial renovations to the existing bike trail that crosses the Chicago River at the Lake Shore Drive Bridge and result in a modern, bicycle and pedestrian friendly path for Chicago residents.

View the presentation.