ROGERS PARK — Howard Brown Health plans to renovate its Rogers Park clinic, adding exam rooms, dedicated behavioral health space and an expanded laboratory as the health care provider looks to increase its capacity to serve patients on the Far North Side.
The expansion will convert about 10,500 square feet of existing administrative and storage space at 6500 N. Clark St. into clinical and patient care areas, creating room for additional providers and allowing more services to be delivered under one roof.
The renovation is expected to cost more than $5 million, with a $3 million state capital grant providing the initial funding for the work. Howard Brown is still determining the full scope of the project and will need additional resources to complete the buildout and other building improvements, a spokesperson for Howard Brown said in an email to Block Club.
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027 and improvements to the building’s second floor will happen in 2028. The project will be completed in phases, with the possibility of short-term closures during construction.
Once complete, the clinic is expected to serve more than 10,000 patients annually, an increase of about 2,400 from its current capacity.
Founded in 1974, Howard Brown Health is a federally qualified health center focused on providing LGBTQ+-affirming health care, although it serves patients regardless of their sexual identity, gender identity, insurance status or ability to pay.
The organization provides primary and behavioral health care, dental services, HIV and STI testing and treatment, sexual health services and specialized care for young people and older adults.
There are seven Howard Brown health centers across Chicago, including its Clark Street location in Rogers Park, and they serve more than 43,000 adults and young people annually. Its other locations are in Uptown, Lakeview, Englewood and Hyde Park, as well as the Broadway Youth Center and a location at La Casa Norte in Humboldt Park.
The Clark Street renovation will add five primary care exam rooms and four dedicated behavioral health consultation rooms. The clinic also will relocate and expand its on-site laboratory, add two shared workspaces for medical and behavioral health teams, and create additional offices for care coordination and case management.
The changes are intended to make it easier for patients to receive multiple types of care in the same visit, including primary care, counseling, psychiatric services, substance use disorder treatment and diagnostic testing.
State Sen. Mike Simmons, who has helped secure state funding for Howard Brown Health, said the care center is an important investment in the health and well-being of city’s North Side communities.
“By expanding access to primary care and behavioral health services, this project will help more people get the comprehensive care they need, closer to home,” Simmons said in a statement. “I’m proud to support investments that strengthen Howard Brown Health, address barriers to care and ensure that our neighbors have the opportunity to live a healthier life.”
The $3 million grant comes through Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is supporting investments in 21 community health centers across the state.
“This investment is an important vote of confidence in the work our teams do every day to provide high-quality, integrated, patient-centered care to LGBTQ+ people and all who need it,” Howard Brown President and CEO Dr. Travis Gayles said in a statement.
The need for additional services is particularly acute in Rogers Park, which has been federally designated as both a Medically Underserved Area and a Low-Income Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area, according to Howard Brown.
“Access to affirming, comprehensive health care can be life-changing, particularly for people who face barriers to finding the care they need,” State Rep. Kelly Cassidy said in a statement. “Howard Brown Health’s Clark Street expansion will create more opportunities for patients to receive primary care, behavioral health services and other essential supports in one welcoming, coordinated setting.”
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