The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted on Nov. 5 to grant the hospital's certificate of need application, a required step for major health care construction projects in the state. The decision paves the way for Lurie's first inpatient hospital outside its Chicago location.

The proposed 298,000-square-foot facility will include 48 inpatient beds, an emergency department, operating rooms, diagnostic imaging and outpatient services. It is also expected to offer specialty care in oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology and orthopedics.

Hospital officials say the project is designed to bring specialized pediatric treatment closer to families in the western suburbs, many of whom currently travel outside their communities for care.

"Every child deserves access to the specialized care they need, as close to home as possible," Tom Shanley, the hospital's president and CEO, said in a statement.

Lurie Children's plans to begin site excavation in December, pending the release of permits by the village of Downers Grove. The hospital expects to welcome its first patients in spring 2029.

The approval marks a significant expansion for the health system, which has long been a regional hub for complex pediatric cases. For families in DuPage County and surrounding communities, the new facility could reduce travel times and ease access to specialty providers.

The project also comes as health systems nationwide increasingly look to ambulatory and suburban sites to meet patient demand outside urban cores. Lurie's move follows a broader trend of pediatric providers extending their reach into fast-growing suburban markets.

Downers Grove officials have not yet commented on the timeline for permit approvals. The village will review construction plans in the coming weeks before excavation can begin.