New building designed to meet the current and future needs of the organization's 66,000 pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists.
The American Academy of Pediatrics today moved into a new headquarters that is designed to support current and future generations of pediatricians in their work on behalf of children.
The new five-story, 183,000-square-foot office building features a reflective roof, extensive daylighting, and a colorful, light-filled design with transparent fins radiating from each façade. In addition to work space for the Academy's 455 professional staff, the building includes an expansive conference center to host meetings for the Academy's physician members.
"Our vision for this project has always been quite simple: to create a place that enables our child health mission," said AAP CEO and Executive Vice President Karen Remley, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., FAAP. "This new headquarters is designed to support the work of our staff and our 66,000 members at the highest level. Our new headquarters is more than just an office building. It is designed to be the new home for the profession of pediatrics and through state-of-the-art surroundings and communications. It is where we can pursue the AAP's mission together."
Conveniently located 10 miles from O'Hare International Airport at 345 Park Blvd., Itasca, IL., the new pediatric home is designed to support the Academy's growth and members' evolving needs. The building's 81 meeting rooms reflect the need for collaboration in all areas of the Academy's work, with state-of-the-art audiovisual and connectivity technology to enable physicians to participate no matter where they are located. The building includes a member's lounge, fully equipped lactation room for nursing mothers, fitness center, video studio and focus group space, outdoor meeting area, cafeteria and catering facility, and two-story atrium lobby.
The new building reflects the Academy's commitment to a healthier world for children and was designed with a reduced carbon footprint to ensure sustainability. Environmentally friendly features of the building include the reflective roof, LED lighting, a high-efficiency HVAC system, and native plantings and bioswales. It was designed by Stantec with construction managed by The Opus Group.
The Itasca headquarters will be the Academy's third home since it was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to serve as an independent forum to address children's health needs. At that time, the idea that children had unique developmental and health needs was new. Practices that are now standard preventive care, including immunizations and regular health exams, were only just beginning to change the custom of treating children as "miniature adults."
Today, the AAP publishes recommendations and guidelines for children's health care in the U.S. and abroad. The Academy offers continuing medical education courses for its members, conducts and supports original research in children's health, and advocates at the federal level for public policy that supports the needs of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
The AAP also houses the largest pediatric publishing program in the world, with more than 300 consumer titles and over 500 titles for health care professionals. These include HealthyChildren.org, the website for parents, the peer-reviewed journal, Pediatrics, and a membership news magazine, AAP News.
The AAP moved from its original offices in Evanston to a building in Elk Grove Village in 1984, when the Academy numbered 26,000 members and 125 employees. The 110,000-square-foot Elk Grove Village building is being sold to help finance the purchase of the new headquarters. A grand opening ceremony will be held in January in Itasca.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.