University News
Groundbreaking: WIU-QC Riverfront Phase II
August 21, 2012
MOLINE, IL – Seven months ago, the first building on the Western Illinois University Riverfront Campus opened, and at the grand opening ceremony, Gov. Pat Quinn announced the release of $38 million for Phase II of the Riverfront Campus. A groundbreaking ceremony for Phase II will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, directly west of Building One, 3300 River Dr. in Moline.
"We are looking forward to celebrating yet another milestone for Western Illinois University as we break ground for Phase II of the Riverfront Campus project," said Western President Jack Thomas. "The occasion of the grand opening of our first building in January was an exciting day, and the event later this month keeps the momentum and excitement going. We are pleased to offer this region even more choices for public higher education."
Gov. Quinn has been invited to attend the Aug. 29 celebration, and federal and state government representatives, area legislators, community leaders and University officials will take part in the ceremony.
Parking permits/passes are required to park at the Riverfront Campus. Members of the general public attending the event are asked to park at the i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr. in Moline. Shuttle service will be provided to the Riverfront Campus every 15 minutes beginning at 2 p.m.
"The public is invited to attend the second groundbreaking ceremony at our Riverfront Campus site," said Joe Rives, vice president of Quad Cities and planning at WIU. "In addition to the groundbreaking, I would like to invite anyone who has not yet visited Building One to take a look around. We are truly proud of this outstanding facility, and when Phase II is complete, we look forward to offering additional public higher education academic programming and services the Quad Cities region needs."
The groundbreaking ceremony for Phase I (Building One) was held at the Riverfront Campus site March 31, 2010. Faculty and staff moved into the new facility Dec. 20, 2011, and classes began at the Riverfront Campus Jan. 17, 2012.
Building One, the former John Deere Tech Center, supports the College of Business and Technology, including the School of Engineering; academic and student services; and University administration. Phase II will allow for the continued growth of the Quad Cities campus and allow academic programs in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Services and Fine Arts and Communication to be part of the Riverfront Campus.
According to Rives, the Riverfront Campus expansion will allow WIU-QC to further its mission as a comprehensive public university for the region by serving more than 3,000 Quad Cities-area students. The WIU-QC Riverfront Campus is located on 20 acres of land donated in 2003 by Deere & Company. The City of Moline is also revitalizing the area surrounding the WIU-QC Riverfront Campus into an Urban Technology Corridor.
To view architect's renderings of the proposed WIU-QC Riverfront Campus development plan, visit wiu.edu/qc/riverfront_campus.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: