P&Z Commission: New Women’s Recovery Center Proposed for Patterson Road Receives Support

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | December 2, 2025

Article Summary: The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval for a new inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility for women in Joliet. The project, led by the Existential Counselor Society, aims to address a critical shortage of female-specific treatment beds in Will County.

Women’s Recovery Center Key Points:

• Project Scope: A 13-bed residential treatment facility exclusively for women will be established at 111 Patterson Road by renovating an existing commercial building.

• Zoning Change: The project requires rezoning the property from C-4 (Highway Commercial) to R-5 (Multi-Family Residential) and a special use permit for a halfway house.

• Local Need: The applicant highlighted that in 2024, there were 104 drug-related deaths in Will County, and emphasized the lack of female-specific residential treatment options.

• Community Impact: The facility will operate 24/7 with approximately eight employees on-site; the commission found the use would not negatively impact neighboring properties.

JOLIET, Ill. — A plan to convert a vacant commercial building into a dedicated women’s recovery center moved forward Tuesday, December 2, 2025, after receiving a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Will County Planning and Zoning Commission.

The applicant, the Existential Counselor Society (ECS), proposes renovating the 5,346-square-foot building at 111 Patterson Road in Joliet into a 13-bed inpatient facility. To facilitate the project, the commission recommended a map amendment from commercial to residential zoning and granted a special use permit.

Dr. Bipin Sharma, founder and CEO of ECS, addressed the commission, describing a dire need for gender-specific treatment. He noted that while his organization has successfully treated men since 2016, they are frequently forced to turn away women due to a lack of appropriate facilities.

“Our hospital partners, behavioral health teams, case managers… have all come to us with the same request. We need a dedicated, safe, trauma-informed program for women,” Sharma said.

Sharma presented stark statistics to the commission: “In 2024 alone, 104 individuals lost their lives to drug-related causes in Will County.”

One concern was raised during the public hearing by Art Ziemer, representing neighboring property owners. Ziemer expressed worry that rezoning the parcel to residential might hinder future industrial development in the corridor or lead to the property becoming a standard apartment building or hotel if the treatment center closed.

However, staff noted that the special use permit ties the residential zoning specifically to the halfway house use.

The commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the rezoning, special use permit, and a variance for a street yard setback.