>> PARIS, BACK TO YOU.

>>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, BRANDIS.

THE COVID PANDEMIC LAID INEQUITIES IN HEALTHCARE.

ADVOCATES FOR A NEW PROJECT ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE SAY ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT CLOSING A GAP.

AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US WITH MORE ON EFFORTS TO BUILD A NEW HOSPITAL.

AMANDA?

>> Reporter: PARIS, ST. ANTHONY HOSPITAL HAS BEEN A CHICAGO FIXTURE FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

RESIDENTS AND LOCAL LEADERS SAY IT IS TIME TO UPGRADE THE HOSPITAL FACILITY, BUT THEY KEEP GETTING OVERLOOKED.

ST. ANTHONY'S IS KNOWN AS THE SAFETY NET HOSPITAL.

SO CEO GUY MODALIA PREFERS TO CALL IT A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.

>> WE FORMED THE HOSPITAL BASED ON THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

SO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS LABOR AND DELIVERY, PEDIATRICS, MENTAL HEALTH, VERY IMPORTANT.

AND OF COURSE, ICU, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

>> THE BUILDING MAY LOOK BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE, BUT HE SAYS IT IS SURELY IN NEED OF UPDATES, IF NOT BUILT LIKE A MODERN HOSPITAL.

WHICH IS WHY HE HAS SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE WORKING TO BUILD A NEW ONE.

IT WOULD BE AN ALDER PERSON MIKE RODRIGUEZ'S WORDS.

RODRIGUEZ SAYS RESIDENTS DESERVE A MODERN HEALTHCARE FACILITY.

>> COMMUNITIES LIKE LITTLE VILLAGE NORTH LAWNDALE THAT ST. ANTHONY SERVES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS.

WE KNOW THAT FOLKS THAT ARE MORE IMMIGRANTS, THAT ARE MORE WORKING CLASS HAVE LESS ACCESS TO EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE AND EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES.

>> Reporter: THE PLAN IS FOR ST. ANTHONY TO RELOCATE ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF AWAY TO SERVE AS THE ANCHOR FOR A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.

THE HOSPITAL BOUGHT THE LAND AND HAS LOCAL ZONING APPROVAL.

THE FOCAL POINT COMMUNITY CAMPUS WOULD OFFER RETAIL, HOUSING, SCHOOL, WHICH IS NOW A VACANT ROD.

RODRIGUEZ CALLS IT A CRITICAL CORNER.

>> YOU KNOW, 31st AND KEDZIE IS IN THE HEART OF LITTLE VILLAGE, THE CAPITAL OF MEXICAN MIDWEST.

BUT IT'S BLOCKS FROM NORTH LAWNDALE, ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO.

JUST ACROSS THE BRIDGE ON THE I-55 EXPRESS WAY FROM BRIGHTON PARK AND MCKINLEY PARK AND ARCHER HEIGHTS, AREAS THAT ARE ALL WORKING CLASS.

>> WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW?

>> Reporter: WELL PARIS, THE CEO OF THE HOSPITAL SAYS IT HAS SPENT $62 MILLION SO FAR ON THIS PROJECT.

COMMITTED TO SEEING THAT THROUGH.

BUT HE SAYS IN ORDER TO DO SO, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IS NEEDED.

INSTEAD HE SAYS HE HAS WATCHED AS THE CITY, "WASTED MONEY" ON HOSPITAL BEDS AT MCCORMICK PLACE CONVENTION CENTER THAT NEVER GOT USED EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC.

AND AS THE STATE FUNNELS INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS TO PROJECTS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED WORK.

>> THEY'RE BURIED IN THERE, WHETHER IT IS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, REMODEL A UNIVERSITY OR A SCHOOL OR A THEATRE.

IT'S JUST THERE.

>> HE DOES NOT DEGRUDGE THAT SPENDING, BUT HE SAYS IT IS A PITY THAT WITH A STATE BUDGET OF OVER $40 BILLION, ST. ANTHONY'S HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CLAIM A PERCENTAGE.

ITS FAIR SHARE HE SAYS.

HE WON'T GIVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF WHAT HE'S ASKING FOR, BUT RODRIGUEZ SAYS THE WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS FROM THE AREA ARE WORTH TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT.

>> FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU KNOW, ST. ANTHONY'S GETS IGNORED.

>> Reporter: ST. ANTHONY BUSSED SEVERAL HUNDRED ADVOCATES TO SPRINGFIELD LAST WEEK TO PRESS LAWMAKERS TO STOP IGNORING THE PROJECT.

I'M TOLD THOSE MEETINGS WENT WELL, BUT THEY DID NOT GET ANY FUNDING GUARANTEES.

THAT MAKES SENSE, OF COURSE, PARIS.

STATE BUDGET DEBATES GOT HEATED.

JUST OVER A WEEK TO GO.

NO PROMISES WERE MADE.

>> IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE.

WE