What's Up With Weiss? Who Knows, But It Doesn't Look Good.

Weiss Memorial Hospital (from Weiss Webpage)

Reader JL writes in:

Hey UU. Thanks for all you do. I live across the street and have seen more lights on at Weiss and more cars parked at the entrance. Have you heard anything about the hospital? Will it be reopening any time soon?

Unfortunately, we remain in the dark about Weiss and Resilience Healthcare's plans for the hospital. 

As of today, the hospital website shows the campus is only open for outpatient services, while there are no inpatient or emergency services. However, Alderwoman Clay's December 5 newsletter announced outpatient services were closed as well just after Thanksgiving.

Based on public statements, Weiss' owner was working through the process of appealing the Medicare penalty (pdf link) imposed in summer 2025. 

While increased activity on the campus might be a good sign, there is no telling whether Resilience has a plan to come up with the $27 million dollars Weiss owes the State of Illinois, part of a $69 million debt to the State. Resilience's CEO has told reporters that his company took on $81 million in debt when it acquired Weiss and West Suburban Hospital. 

To compound the situation, Resilience is now tied up in additional legal trouble, as it apparently defaulted on a loan taken to pay for the hospitals in December 2024 and has been sued by multiple companies for failure to pay for services and equipment.

We are obviously hopeful that a hospital some of us at UU have called a neighbor for more than 40 years will come back, but things definitely look grim at this point. 

If any of you know more, feel free to reach out via email. 

Plans Revealed For New Cedar Street Development at 4725 N. Clifton

4725 N. Clifton (Hirsch MPG)

The parking lot just north of the historic Uptown Broadway Building and east of The Teller House will finally be filled after being empty since at least the early 1980s. 

We have been aware of the proposal since 2022 when it was first submitted under former Alderman Cappleman. The building has continued to percolate over the last 3 years, and is now being built "by right," likely to avoid going through development-phobic Alderwoman Clay's office or the city. 

Urbanize Chicago broke the news publicly after Cedar Street's plans were presented to the city's Permit Review Committee. Plans call for a 5 story building with retail and 40 units of residential. 

While the remainder of the lot is unfilled at this point, we expect additional buildings to fill the remainder of the lot eventually. Previously, a large garage and a 3 smaller buildings occupied the space running along the tracks on Clifton from Broadway to Lawrence, both of which demoed in the early 1980s for the current parking lot. 

Buildings that filled the lot along Clifton back in the 1930s (CTA)

Another view from the late 1970s (Jonie Snake Flickr)

We hope this trend continues northward and all of the surface lots in the area are filled with housing!

Uptown's Largest Vacant Lakefront Lot to Become...Sarah's Circle

Sarah's on Sunnyside, Clarendon & Sunnyside (Perkins & Will)

From Clarendon Park resident and reader JF, news that Sarah's Circle is planning to acquire at least a portion of the empty lot located between Agatite and Sunnyside on Clarendon, located across from the Clarendon Park fieldhouse. 

This will be the 4th Sarah's Circle building in Uptown, and the first since the organization opened its "Sarah's on Lakeside" a bit over 2 years ago.

According to plans filed with the city, Sarah's Circle is planning "Sarah's on Sunnyside" on the northernmost part of the vacant lot owned by the Missionary Sisters of The Sacred Heart at 4432-58 N. Clarendon. 

The proposed building will have 54 supportive housing units for single women along with office space for Sarah's Circle and community space for residents.  The building will look virtually the same as the recently opened Sarah's on Lakeside building, but will be taller at 7 stories.

Site plan showing Sarah's on Sunnyside and 2 other possible additions to the vacant lot (city of Chicago)

The vacant lot is large and the plans mentions a potential future 11 story development directly to the south. No word on whether this would be an addition to the Sarah's on Sunnyside or completely separate. The southernmost part of the lot also has space for another "potential development" not in the project scope.

Per reader JF's email to us: 

"While I personally hate the empty parking lot and my partner and I support what Sarah's Circle does, I can't believe that they are building such a tiny building here in a prime lakefront spot. Was there no other developer available or interested in the lot? We desperately need density and housing and this is not the best way to use a lot like this. And why is every Sarah's Circle building in Uptown?"

That's a good question. There is no doubt this is a prime piece of real estate and, given there were proposals for this lot in the past that were much taller and a combination of market rate and affordable, we would have loved to see something taller, denser and more architecturally significant. 

This is already on the agenda for the city's plan commission, so it's unclear whether local block clubs or residents have had a say in the matter. Also no information has been provided on how the project is being funded. 

Although this has been percolating since October, so far nothing mentioned on Ald. Clay's website about the proposed development. We're sure people might disagree with this use of the lot, so hopefully there will be a public meeting!

The Lot and Proposed Site

Judgment Free Zone Incoming to 909 W. Montrose

UPDATE 2/23/26:

THE WEBSITE IS BACK! NO ONE PANIC! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! 

Based on a new update, the PF Montrose page is active again and they are offering presales. Hoping for a summer opening.

UPDATE 1/12/26: 

Since we ran this story, the webpage for the Montrose location (which was "coming soon" and had several subpages, including a class schedule page) is no longer active. We are not certain if the original link was posted prematurely or if Planet Fitness has changed its plans. We will update when we can.

Interesting news (first tipped in 2023, now confirmed) that Planet Fitness is opening a location at 909 W. Montrose in the former Uptown Fitness space.

As longtime readers recall, Uptown Fitness replaced World Gym at the location. 

Uptown Fitness' departure in 2020 was blamed on COVID lockdowns and many patrons were left in the lurch by the former owner. The space has been vacant ever since. 

Image Courtesy Planet Fitness Page for 909 W. Montrose

The opening appears imminent, as the location is now live on the Planet Fitness website. 

The news is welcome and credit is due to tipster JD, who first told us a new fitness provider was looking at the space in late 2023, as well as reader JH, who told us a Planet Fitness location was coming in September 2024. 

The huge chain, whose slogan is the misspelled "Judgement Free Zone," offers long hours (often 24 hours on weekdays), plenty of purple colored workout equipment, and a live "Crowd Meter" to tell you how crowded things are before you leave your house. 

This new location will be a welcome addition to the area and will compete for members with LA Fitness on Lawrence.