BY MONIFA THOMAS Staff Reporter/mjthomas@suntimes.com January 14, 2013 5:58PM

Updated: January 15, 2013 2:24AM

Northwestern Medicine announced that it plans to raise more than $1 billion for medical research on Monday, though the linchpin for the proposed research site is not a done deal.

Northwestern says the centerpiece of the $1 billion investment will be on construction of the new proposed building at the site of the former Prentice Womens Hospital at 320 E. Huron.

In order to build a 21st-century biomedical research facility, expand our medical schools research capacity and ultimately improve patients lives, it is imperative that we have a thriving scientific research base, said Morton Schapiro, Northwestern University president, in a statement.

Northwestern plans to focus on such areas as neuroscience, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

But the necessary approvals from the city of Chicago and resolution of a lawsuit currently pending in Cook County Circuit Court for the Prentice site still need to be resolved before Northwestern can move forward with its plan.

On Friday, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Neil Cohen refused to overturn a decision by Chicago officials to withhold landmark protection from the Streeterville building. But Cohen left in place for another 30 days an order barring its destruction.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is fighting to keep the 1975 clover-leaf building designed by Chicago architect Bertrand Goldberg, has said it would consider filing an amended suit over the citys refusal to give the building landmark protection.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, meanwhile, has come out in favor of Northwesterns plan.

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Northwestern Medicine announces plan to raise $1 billion for research