ROCKFORD, Ill. (WREX) — The new owners of a former Rockford hospital are in the early stages of planning a community hub at the former Mercyhealth Rockton Ave. hospital building.

Kingdom Authority Church Pastor Melvin Brown and his wife, Sheila Brown, have announced plans to transform the building into "Unity in the Community Development Center," a hub for accessible healthcare, affordable housing, and community resources.

“Bringing jobs and bringing the community together as one people as we can, a hospital itself serves everybody. It served everybody, every nationality of people, and that's what we want to see. It does what we do in the community, serve everybody,” said Melvin Brown, President.

The project is in its early stages, as developers are working to raise an estimated $1

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