Crusader Community Health breaks ground on sixth clinic, which will serve south Rockford and beyond

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Crusader Community Health on Thursday celebrated the start of construction for a new primary care center on the city’s south end.

The nonprofit health care provider is building a 28,390-square-foot facility at the northeast corner of Alpine and Linden roads. The $12.7 million project is expected to open in summer 2026.

Previous coverage: Crusader Community Health buys land for new primary care facility in south Rockford

The property is just off the U.S. 20 Bypass, providing access for south-side residents and clients coming from places such as Pecatonica, Rochelle, Winnebago and rural areas.

“If you look at the map and you plot where primary care is provided in the city, you’ll find that there’s nothing really south of the Broadway/Newburg area,” said Sam Miller, president and CEO of Crusader Community Health. “This is a part of the community that is really in need of convenient access and primary care. Not only do we hope it’s going to serve south Rockford, but the surrounding rural areas.”

This will be Crusader’s sixth clinic, in addition to three school-based health centers. Last year, it served 64,300 individuals making approximately 245,000 visits. The number of patients represents a nearly 9% increase from 59,000 in 2022 when the land was purchased.

“The need is in our community,” Miller said, “and we want to be the ones meeting that need for primary care for folks who are in need.”

More news: New group home serving adults with serious mental illness under construction in south Rockford

The future facility will have 34 exam rooms and four behavioral health rooms. The nonprofit received $490,000 from the Winnebago County mental health sales tax to support the behavioral health components of the new clinic.

It will provide adult and family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health and eventually add a CrusaderNOW! immediate care service. There will be approximately four to six health care providers when it opens next summer and grow to up to 15 providers.

Crusader celebrated the start of construction Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony, digging gold-painted shovels into the dirt with Mayor Tom McNamara, Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli as well as the construction team, staff and other supporters.

The groundbreaking has been more than two years in the making. Crusader purchased the 6-acre site for $500,000 from Oreo LLC in November 2022, according to records from the Winnebago County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. The board was then planning for the right time to move forward.

“We had plenty of board meetings where we’re going, not yet but soon,” Miller said. “Now is the time to start.”

The facility was designed by Hagney Architects of Rockford and construction will be led by Rockford-based Schmeling Construction Co.

“We know this clinic will not just be another building in this community, but it will bring hope and be a lifeline to so many people on this side of town and in this greater community,” said Peter Schmeling, project manager and the fifth generation of the Schmeling family in the business. “We also want this building to reflect the resilience and the unity of this community moving forward and from the ground up as we break ground today.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas