University News
Capital Bill Means WIU-Macomb, WIU-Quad Cities Construction, Capital Renewal
July 14, 2009
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill today (July 13) for Illinois Jobs Now!, a jobs and capital construction plan, which provides money for constructing Western Illinois University's Performing Arts Center in Macomb and for the WIU-Quad Cities Riverfront Campus in Moline. Capital renewal projects were also funded for WIU-Macomb.
"We are so pleased to have a capital budget that allows for the construction of the Performing Arts Center in Macomb and the construction of the WIU-Quad Cities Riverfront Campus. This important release of money will also allow us to address long-term deferred maintenance issues on the Macomb campus," said WIU President Al Goldfarb.
WIU-Macomb receives $67.8 million to construct the Performing Arts Center and $3.2 million for capital renewal, which includes deferred maintenance, such as classroom modernization, improving HVAC systems, enhancing plumbing and electrical distribution systems as well as campus utility infrastructure planning.
"The faculty, staff and students of the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) are elated that the governor has signed the capital bill, which now allows Pelli Clarke Pelli (New Haven, CT) to begin finalizing the construction documents, and hopefully allows us to break ground next summer. After 30 months of construction, our new Performing Arts Center will open giving our outstanding students and faculty a facility worthy of their talents," said Paul Kreider, COFAC dean. "Furthermore, this facility will be a venue available to the entire region, becoming a cultural center for the people of western Illinois. We are excited and grateful that this day has finally come."
WIU-Quad Cities receives $15.8 million for phase I of renovation and construction of Building 1 at the Riverfront Campus and $42 million for phase II. The first building will support the College of Business and Technology, academic and student services and University administration. Phase II will allow for the continued growth of the Quad Cities campus and enable existing 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 Joe Rives, vice president of the Quad Cities, planning and technology.
"The students, faculty and staff of Western Illinois University-Quad Cities are excited that the governor has signed the capital bill. We will use University funds to cover the culvert by the existing building. This will expedite construction to less than two years for Building 1 once funds are released," Rives added. "We will also simultaneously complete phase II architectural and engineering planning, so construction on that phase can begin as soon as possible."
"We are so thankful to our local and regional legislators, businesses and supporters, the General Assembly and the governor. With everyone's support our dreams are now becoming reality, and we will soon be announcing a ground breaking and other new initiatives for WIU-Quad Cities as well as WIU-Macomb," Goldfarb said.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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