Northwestern Medicine's $275 Million Cancer Center Expansion in Orland Park

Conceptual illustration of Northwestern Medicine's planned $275 million St. George Cancer Institute expansion in Orland Park, Illinois, showing the proposed four-story cancer treatment facility, parking garage, landscaped entrance and surrounding medical campus. AI-generated visualization based on project renderings and architectural plans; not an official depiction of the final design.

Updated October 24, 2026.

For people in the southwest suburbs dealing with cancer, getting to medical appointments can mean a lot of traveling. Depending on the treatment, some patients still have to make the trip into Chicago for specialized care.

Northwestern Medicine is working to bring more of those services closer to home.

The healthcare system has received approval for a $275 million expansion of its St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park, with plans for a new medical building, advanced cancer treatment equipment and a parking garage on its existing campus along West Avenue.

This isn't Northwestern opening a cancer center where none existed before. The St. George Cancer Institute already provides a substantial range of oncology services in Orland Park.

What's changing is the size of the operation, the technology available and the number of patients the facility will be designed to accommodate.

What's Being Built at Northwestern Medicine in Orland Park?

The expansion will take place on vacant property within Northwestern's existing medical campus near 153rd Street and West Avenue, adjacent to the current medical facilities and Centennial Park.

According to Northwestern's September 30 announcement, the project includes a four-level medical building with approximately 151,149 square feet of medical space.

A new four-level parking garage will provide 484 parking spaces, with a connecting walkway to the medical building.

Together, the medical building and garage account for approximately 315,682 square feet of construction.

The property is part of the existing Palos Community Hospital planned unit development. The new building will occupy a previously vacant parcel rather than replacing the current medical center.

The development also includes landscaping, stormwater detention areas and site improvements. Village plans show the new construction near existing wetland areas bordering Centennial Park, with an approved reduction in a portion of the required wetland buffer.

The current Northwestern medical facilities and the Orland Park Health & Fitness Center are not being replaced as part of this project.

What Cancer Treatments Will Be Available?

This is where the expansion gets particularly interesting.

Northwestern already offers chemotherapy, infusion services, radiation oncology, imaging and other cancer-related care at its Orland Park location.

The new building is intended to expand those services while bringing additional treatment capabilities and equipment together in one facility.

Expanded Infusion and Radiation Treatment

State planning documents identify a proposed increase from 19 existing infusion stations to 36 treatment spaces in the new facility.

Infusion treatments can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other medications administered directly into a patient's bloodstream.

For patients who require appointments week after week, having more treatment capacity close to home could make a meaningful difference.

The project also includes two linear accelerators used in radiation oncology. These machines deliver carefully targeted radiation to treat cancer.

Advanced Imaging and Theranostics

Another major part of the expansion involves diagnostic imaging and a treatment approach called theranostics.

Theranostics combines specialized imaging with targeted radioactive medication. Doctors use imaging to identify certain cancer cells and then deliver radiation through medication designed to target those cells.

The planned facility includes:

• Two PET/CT imaging units.
• One SPECT/CT imaging unit.
• Four dedicated theranostics treatment rooms.
• Additional clinical, laboratory and patient-support space.

One distinction worth making: Northwestern already identifies theranostics among its existing Orland Park services. The expansion is intended to provide more dedicated facilities and support broader treatment capabilities, not introduce theranostics to Orland Park for the first time.

A Cyclotron for Cancer Imaging and Treatment

One of the more unusual pieces of equipment planned for the new building is a cyclotron.

It's a specialized machine used to produce radioactive materials needed for certain medical imaging procedures and targeted cancer treatments.

Those materials are important because some have very short usable lifetimes and must be produced and delivered under carefully controlled conditions.

Northwestern says the new cyclotron will supply materials for imaging, theranostics and research across its healthcare system, not just at the Orland Park location.

That gives this project a role beyond simply adding more examination and treatment rooms.

Why This Matters to Southwest Suburban Patients

For someone living in Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox or the surrounding communities, getting cancer treatment can involve much more than the appointment itself.

There may be repeated visits, transportation arrangements, time away from work and family members who need to help with travel.

Northwestern's state application identified patients from the southwest suburbs traveling approximately 30 miles to its downtown Chicago facilities for certain oncology services.

The goal of this expansion is to make more advanced care available closer to where those patients live.

That doesn't mean every cancer treatment will be available in Orland Park or that every patient can eliminate trips to Chicago. Treatment locations will still depend on individual medical needs.

But bringing more imaging, infusion, radiation treatment and specialized oncology services together locally could reduce some of that travel and make ongoing care more convenient for patients and caregivers.

Who's Paying for the $275 Million Expansion?

A major part of the financing comes from The St. George Foundation, which has a history of supporting healthcare services in the south suburbs.

According to the project's Illinois state financing records, the funding includes:

• $225 million from a St. George Foundation grant.
• $49.55 million in cash and securities.
• $450,000 in leased equipment.

The foundation grant accounts for approximately 82% of the total project cost.

The financing plan does not list government funding, and the Village land-use records reviewed for this project do not identify a municipal development incentive package.

What Happens to the Existing Cancer Center?

Patients currently receiving treatment at Northwestern's Orland Park campus should not assume their existing facility is closing because of this expansion.

Northwestern has said the current St. George Cancer Institute will remain open during construction.

Once the new building is completed, the existing medical building is expected to continue serving outpatient healthcare needs, helping the system expand its overall capacity in the south suburbs.

The Orland Park Health & Fitness Center is also expected to remain unaffected by the development.

What About Parking, Traffic and Centennial Park?

A medical facility of this size will naturally bring additional vehicle traffic to the campus.

Village plans identify access through the existing campus roadway system, including connections involving 153rd Street and West Avenue.

Traffic improvements include plans to extend the left-turn lane at the 153rd Street entrance. Northwestern also indicated it would direct patients toward that entrance to discourage unnecessary traffic through nearby residential portions of West Avenue.

The Village's review also addressed the appearance of the parking garage facing Centennial Park, landscaping and protections around nearby wetland areas.

When Will Construction Begin?

The project cleared two important approval steps in 2026.

The Village of Orland Park approved the development plans in August 2026, following its local review process.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved the project on September 15, 2026, with a formal approval letter issued September 18.

Northwestern publicly announced the state approval on September 30.

According to Northwestern's announced schedule:

• Early 2027: Anticipated groundbreaking.
• 2027 through 2029: Expected construction period.
• Early spring 2030: Anticipated completion.

The state permit identifies March 31, 2030, as the project's completion deadline.

These are planned dates, not a confirmed groundbreaking or opening announcement. Final permitting, construction progress and other project requirements could affect the schedule.

Where to Find the Official Project Documents

Several public records are available for anyone interested in reviewing the actual development plans.

• Village of Orland Park: Case 2026-0637. Building elevations, overall site plan, landscaping documents and Village staff reports.
• Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board: Project 26-033. State approval records and project review materials.
• Northwestern Medicine: September 30 announcement. Project description, planned treatments, schedule and architectural renderings.
• Northwestern Medicine: October 8 clinical update. Additional information about advanced technologies and continued operation of the existing cancer center.

The Bottom Line

The $275 million St. George Cancer Institute expansion is a substantial addition to Northwestern Medicine's presence in Orland Park.

And while the new building and parking garage will change the appearance of the campus, the bigger story is what the facility is being designed to offer.

More infusion capacity. Advanced imaging. Dedicated space for specialized cancer treatments. And a cyclotron that will support imaging, treatment and research throughout Northwestern's system.

For patients and families around the southwest suburbs, the potential benefit is straightforward: more treatment options closer to home, and possibly fewer trips into Chicago for certain types of care.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2027. I'll update this page as the project moves from approvals into construction and eventually toward opening.