OSF HealthCare dedicates new downtown headquarters ahead of January opening

PEORIA, Ill. – The Bible verse “This is the day the Lord has made” might apply both Friday and January 4th for OSF HealthCare.

The new downtown headquarters for OSF at Adams and Fulton is almost complete, and has now been blessed and dedicated, ahead of the start of moving in next month — the culmination of four years worth of work.

“Grant us the wisdom and the creativity to continue to reach out and serve Your people, with the greatest care and love, where they are,” said Sr. Judith Ann Duvall, OSF HealthCare Board Chair, as part of a prayer during a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremobny.

It’s a building, OSF CEO Bob Sehring says was about to meet the fate of a wrecking ball after a long history as banks and department stores.

“I believe at that point (four years ago), we all saw a downtown in need of revitalization,” said Sehring. “By partnering with Caterpillar, and the City of Peoria, we were able to rehabilitate this downtown building.”

Historic tax credits — which have only been available for about a decade — are paying for the lions share of the $135 million worth of rehabilitation work.

OSF HealthCare holds a special place in Peoria Mayor Rita Ali’s heart.

“OSF was the ministry hospital that treated me as a child with asthma, that trained and employed me as a Certified Nurse’s Aide while I was in high school, and facilitated the birth of my first child,” said Ali.

More than 500 OSF employees will move in to the facility starting January 4th. That move-in is expected to be complete by the end of January. As we’ve previously reported, two restaurants will locate on the building’s ground floor.