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Riverside Health System is moving to raze the vacant former Cigna office in Bourbonnais after concluding the building has deteriorated beyond economical repair. The 155,000-square-foot structure, standing on 18.8 acres along U.S. Route 45-52, will be taken down as the hospital system refocuses on redeveloping the site near its existing campus.
Why the decision now matters
Riverside took ownership of the property in June 2025 and spent months assessing whether renovation was feasible. Officials now say the cost and complexity of fixing extensive damage outweigh the benefits of keeping the existing shell.
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The property once housed a large Cigna operation from 2000 to 2015. After a decade of inactivity, inspections uncovered multiple systems failures and environmental concerns that make reuse impractical, Riverside’s finance chief explained.
What Riverside found and what will happen
Riverside has applied for a demolition permit and is aiming to clear the site this summer. The organization estimates the physical removal of the building could take about a month, though a precise start date and final demolition budget have not been announced.
Officials emphasize the move is not a retreat from the site’s potential. The parcel’s location—next to Riverside’s Bourbonnais campus and close to the interstate—remains a strategic advantage for future health-related development.
Key issues discovered during the review included extensive plumbing and electrical failures, pervasive water intrusion and mold—conditions that make phased rehabilitation impractical.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | 155,000 square feet |
| Site | 18.8 acres on U.S. Route 45-52 at St. George Road, Bourbonnais |
| Previous owner | BHCP of Bourbonnais LLC / Hager Pacific affiliate (owned since 2006) |
| Use history | Cigna campus (2000–2015); once employed about 1,200 people |
| Current status | Demolition permit applied; demolition expected this summer; final costs TBD |
| Redevelopment outlook | Riverside hopes to define the site’s future before 2027 but a new, functioning facility in 2027 is unlikely due to planning and approvals |
Near-term implications
The immediate task is removal of the derelict structure. After demolition, Riverside plans to evaluate options for the cleared acreage. Hospital leaders say they prefer to have at least a preliminary plan for reuse in place before 2027, though complex approvals for medical facilities typically extend project timelines.
- Community impact: Demolition clears blight and removes safety and environmental liabilities from a high-visibility corridor.
- Economic trade-off: Demolition and new construction carry upfront costs but may be cheaper long-term than repairing a heavily compromised building.
- Timing: Even with fast demolition, permitting and design for healthcare use make a fully operational replacement in 2027 unlikely.
Riverside leaders said they remain grateful for the donation of the land, noting its proximity to recent hospital investments. While the decision marks the end of efforts to salvage the existing office park, it opens a path for deliberate planning of new uses that align with Riverside’s service and campus goals.
