By Neil Doyle
NORMAL – After a decade, Illinois State University will finally get an update to its fine arts complex.
Gov. JB Pritzker visited ISU Thursday and announced the state has released $52.3 million to renovate the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts. The school can now move forward with the project, which costs $62 million.
The project includes demolition of the Centennial West building, multiple building additions within the fine arts complex for music, theater, dance, visual arts and classroom space totaling 67,000 square feet.
“We celebrate not just moving forward with a new fine arts complex, but the fact that we’ve invested in your future in a bipartisan way,” said Pritzker. “For too long, basic maintenance needs at our state’s colleges were neglected, and new facilities like this fine art complex were put on the back burner.”
“The fine arts complex renovation has been high on the university’s priority list for the past decade,” said ISU President Larry Dietz.
Dietz said an exact construction timeline has not been finalized.
The governor also announced ISU’s Milner Library will receive $90 million for a multi-phased rehabilitation project, as well as $40 million for general repairs and renewal projects.
Money for the projects comes from the “Rebuild Illinois” capital plan, which is funded by doubling the state’s gas tax, raising vehicle registration fees and expanded gambling.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
