UChicago Medicine completes construction phase of AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, bringing new era of cancer care closer to reality

The 575,000-square-foot facility, the state's first and only of its kind dedicated to cancer, will quickly move to operational and clinical readiness ahead of April 2027 opening

CHICAGO, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Chicago Medicine today completed the construction phase of the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, a defining milestone in its effort to transform cancer care, research and access on Chicago's South Side and beyond.

Scheduled to open in April 2027 on UChicago Medicine's main campus in Hyde Park on the South Side, the 575,000-square-foot facility is among the largest and most ambitious projects in the academic health system's history. It also represents a major investment for the region, expanding access to advanced cancer care and creating new opportunities to improve health outcomes in the communities UChicago Medicine serves.

Members from UChicago Medicine's Community Advisory Council and construction partners joined leaders from the health system and the AbbVie Foundation for a ceremonial transfer of the building from Turner Construction and the unveiling of the monument bearing the pavilion's new name.

The project builds on UChicago Medicine's longstanding commitment to advancing cancer care and improving health in its service areas. The construction is supported in part by a $75 million donation from the AbbVie Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing health inequities and accelerating innovative solutions in underserved communities.

Cancer remains one of the most significant health challenges facing society, even as advances in science and medicine are creating new possibilities for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. However, the burden of cancer is not shared equally. On Chicago's South Side, cancer death rates are nearly twice the national average, and cancer incidence is projected to rise 19% by 2035 — more than twice the projected rate for the rest of the Chicago area.

The AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion is designed to meet both imperatives — advancing the future of cancer medicine while expanding access for patients and the community. The seven-story facility brings cancer specialists, advanced diagnostics, treatment, clinical trials, navigation, supportive services and survivorship care together in one dedicated environment designed around patients and families.

This integrated model is designed to strengthen coordination among multidisciplinary teams and create a more connected patient experience. Once fully operational, the pavilion is expected to serve approximately 200,000 outpatient visits and 5,000 inpatient admissions annually, with 80 private inpatient beds.

UChicago Medicine is home to a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — one of only a select number in the nation and among only two in Illinois. For more than 17 years, UChicago Medicine has been nationally recognized for cancer care, with particular expertise in treating patients with the most complex and challenging conditions.

With construction complete, UChicago Medicine will enter the final phase preparing the building to welcome patients, including outfitting clinical spaces, testing systems and workflows, and training teams to operate in the new environment.

About the University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences

The University of Chicago Medicine, with a history dating to 1927, is a not-for-profit academic health system based on the campus of the University of Chicago on the city's South Side. It has hospitals, outpatient clinics and physician practices throughout Chicago, its suburbs and Northwest Indiana. UChicago Medicine unites five organizations to fulfill its tripartite mission of research, medical education and patient care: Biological Sciences Division, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center (flagship for the health system), Community Health and Hospital Division and UChicago Medicine Physicians. For more information about UChicago Medicine, visit uchicagomedicine.org/about-us or visit the health system's health and science news blog at www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront. 

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SOURCE University of Chicago Medicine