By Israa Alzamli
Loyola Medicine’s recent purchase of a local hospital has left some Berwyn residents unhappy.
MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn’s largest source of property-tax revenue, will now become a non-profit hospital. That means they will no longer have to pay taxes.
Some local taxpayers fear the sale means their taxes will increase to offset the $3.3 million loss to the community.
Others hope Loyola will bring better quality healthcare to the area.
Berwyn Ald. Scott Lennon said he feels the city will ultimately benefit from having Loyola investing in its local hospital. He hopes the sale will attract more people and help improve the hospital’s infrastructure.
This purchase is just one many Loyola University made over the past few years, and their efforts towards expansion into Rogers Park have been criticised in the past. Among Loyola’s controversial purchases are the six-story Hampton Inn hotel on Sheridan road, and the local cafe called THE COFFEE SHOP.
Some believe Loyola University is negatively affecting the neighborhood by buying out local businesses and increasing busy traffic.
Nema Shareef, a junior at Loyola University, said she was upset when the University purchased and shut down the local cafe.
“I used to go there all the time as a freshman, it held a lot of memories for me so I was sad to see it go”
