Legal challenge has Rockford's Campus of Care project on hold
By Melissa Westphal
Posted May 30, 2011 @ 08:49 PM
ROCKFORD — The three-facility Campus of Care project planned for the city’s west side could still see a groundbreaking later this year, but a legal challenge has delayed progress for at least a few more months.
Campus of Care is what officials call the massive development project planned for land bounded by Springfield Avenue, School Street, Pierpont Avenue and West State Street. Once complete, the campus aims to offer services for people with traumatic brain injuries and other traumas, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and autism.
Warriors’ Gateway is the traumatic brain injury and multitrauma facility within Campus of Care and the project that’s furthest along. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board in March approved a certificate of need for the nursing care portion of Warriors’ Gateway.
But the residential portion still needs approval from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and then from Gov. Pat Quinn, a process that could stretch into next year, said Christopher Dials, a director with suburban Cary-based Revere Healthcare, the organization that intends to manage the Campus of Care facilities.
Warriors’ Gateway faced another setback recently when four Rockford-area nursing facilities — Medina Nursing Center, Alpine Fireside Nursing Center, Neighbors Rehabilitation Center and Fairview Nursing Plaza — asked for a reversal of the state board’s approval of the certificate of need.
Representatives from the nursing homes spoke out against Warriors’ Gateway during a public hearing in July, saying the facility would add nursing beds to a community that already has too many. In their review request, nursing home officials say they have existing beds to meet the needs that Warriors’ Gateway purports to serve.
Dials said Revere has a few more weeks to file its argument in the case, but the state review board is the lead defendant.
“It was a surprise and quite honestly something that doesn’t happen very often,” Dials said. “(The nursing homes) are essentially asking to be heard with this filing, so a judge will decide whether he wants to hear the case or not.”
Dials said Revere and its partner agencies are still pursuing funding options for the Campus of Care facilities. Initially, officials had identified U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money for the project, but Dials said they’re not limiting themselves to one funder.
“We’ve had presentations to investors in different parts of the country, and we’re pursuing all avenues, including equity investments,” Dials said. “We could wind up with another model of financing, but, ultimately, it’s too early to call.”
There are two other facilities besides Warriors’ Gateway planned for Campus of Care. Busara Gardens is the memory care facility. It was initially called Ara Gardens but was renamed when a new partner organization joined the team.
The Milwaukee district of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is no longer involved with the project. But Busara Living, a nonprofit agency for seniors based in Maryland Heights, Mo., is now signed on as a partner.
St. Paul Episcopal Church in McHenry is the partner agency for the campus’ Tapestry Center for Autism. And Transitional Living Services, a Woodstock-based agency that helps veterans, is still involved with Warriors’ Gateway.
Dials said various ownership models for Campus of Care are discussed during the talks with funders, so it’s possible that the partner agencies could lease the facilities if they’re built by investors.
Reach staff writer Melissa Westphal at mwestpha@rrstar.com or 815-987-1341.
Campus of Care is what officials call the massive development project planned for land bounded by Springfield Avenue, School Street, Pierpont Avenue and West State Street. Once complete, the campus aims to offer services for people with traumatic brain injuries and other traumas, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and autism.
Warriors’ Gateway is the traumatic brain injury and multitrauma facility within Campus of Care and the project that’s furthest along. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board in March approved a certificate of need for the nursing care portion of Warriors’ Gateway.
But the residential portion still needs approval from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and then from Gov. Pat Quinn, a process that could stretch into next year, said Christopher Dials, a director with suburban Cary-based Revere Healthcare, the organization that intends to manage the Campus of Care facilities.
Warriors’ Gateway faced another setback recently when four Rockford-area nursing facilities — Medina Nursing Center, Alpine Fireside Nursing Center, Neighbors Rehabilitation Center and Fairview Nursing Plaza — asked for a reversal of the state board’s approval of the certificate of need.
Representatives from the nursing homes spoke out against Warriors’ Gateway during a public hearing in July, saying the facility would add nursing beds to a community that already has too many. In their review request, nursing home officials say they have existing beds to meet the needs that Warriors’ Gateway purports to serve.
Dials said Revere has a few more weeks to file its argument in the case, but the state review board is the lead defendant.
“It was a surprise and quite honestly something that doesn’t happen very often,” Dials said. “(The nursing homes) are essentially asking to be heard with this filing, so a judge will decide whether he wants to hear the case or not.”
Dials said Revere and its partner agencies are still pursuing funding options for the Campus of Care facilities. Initially, officials had identified U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money for the project, but Dials said they’re not limiting themselves to one funder.
“We’ve had presentations to investors in different parts of the country, and we’re pursuing all avenues, including equity investments,” Dials said. “We could wind up with another model of financing, but, ultimately, it’s too early to call.”
There are two other facilities besides Warriors’ Gateway planned for Campus of Care. Busara Gardens is the memory care facility. It was initially called Ara Gardens but was renamed when a new partner organization joined the team.
The Milwaukee district of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is no longer involved with the project. But Busara Living, a nonprofit agency for seniors based in Maryland Heights, Mo., is now signed on as a partner.
St. Paul Episcopal Church in McHenry is the partner agency for the campus’ Tapestry Center for Autism. And Transitional Living Services, a Woodstock-based agency that helps veterans, is still involved with Warriors’ Gateway.
Dials said various ownership models for Campus of Care are discussed during the talks with funders, so it’s possible that the partner agencies could lease the facilities if they’re built by investors.
Reach staff writer Melissa Westphal at mwestpha@rrstar.com or 815-987-1341.
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