The former Heart Care Centers in Blue Island will soon house the Beloved Community Family Wellness Center. (Alexandra Kukulka/Daily Southtown)
Beloved Community Family Wellness Center will move its Robbins operation to Blue Island with the goal of opening the new location before the end of the year, officials said.
The medical group leases its building and Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant told the medical group the use of the building will be changing, said Chief Executive Officer Margie Johnson. Robbins spokesman Sean Howard said village officials declined to comment.
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While looking for a new space, Johnson said Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto told her about the one-story, 8,588-square-foot building at 2338 New St., in Blue Island that used to house Heart Care Centers medical facility.
Johnson said the wellness center purchased the Blue Island building in June with a $1.5 million loan from the Illinois Facilities Fund.
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“We are excited,” Johnson said. “We’re not looking to be just another health center. We’re looking to be a part of the community. We’re looking forward to the day that we can say, ‘We’re open.’”
Margie Johnson, chief executive officer and founder of Beloved Community Family Wellness Center. (Alexandra Kukulka/Daily Southtown)
Beloved Community Family Wellness Center was established in 2005 and operated out of St. Bernard Hospital, Johnson said. In 2010, the medical group opened a facility in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood and about one year later opened its facility in Robbins, she said.
The Blue Island location will provide the same services: medical, behavioral, mental health, social work, dental and nutrition from birth through geriatric, Johnson said.
Johnson said there are a few more permits that need approval in Blue Island, and then minor renovations will begin.
City Administrator Tom Wogan said Thursday the Building Department was waiting on one piece of information from the medical group to finalize its permits.
“The work that the staff at Beloved do is vital to ensuring all of our residents have access to quality health care options,” Bilotto said in a statement. “Beloved Community Wellness will bring many positive benefits to the families in Blue Island.”
Because the building has been used a medical facility, it won’t require major renovations, Johnson said, just plumbing work for the dental area and more restrooms.
Jonson said it will take up to three months to complete plumbing work, so hopefully by the middle of December the building will be ready for patients.
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“I’m hoping it’s not any longer than that. If there’s a way that we can move it along sooner, I would like for us to do that as well,” Johnson said.
The medical group has a fleet of buses that can help patients from Robbins get to the new Blue Island facility, Johnson said, and there is better public transportation access to and from Blue Island.
“Plus, we also have a large showing from Blue Island, so we expect for patients to continue to come there,” Johnson said.
Beloved Community Family Wellness Center moving to Blue Island
