WAUKEGAN – The Illinois Capital Development Board announced that construction has begun on the new Student Services/Adult Education building on the College of Lake County Lakeshore campus in Waukegan.
The $48 million project is moving forward thanks to Gov. JB Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The state is funding $35.3 million of the project with the remainder covered by local matching funds. The Illinois Capital Development Board will oversee the project’s design and construction under the protocol for state-appropriated capital projects, and has selected George Sollitt Construction Co. as the low-bid construction company for the project.
“Through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the state is investing millions of dollars into educational facilities across the state to ensure our students have access to state-of-the-art facilities needed to reach their goals,” Pritzker said in a news release. “This new center at the College of Lake County will not only be a resource where students can receive additional support and guidance but will also provide a dedicated space where adults can continue their higher education journey and achieve their full potential.”
“It is immediately clear upon visiting the Lakeshore campus of the College of Lake County how integral this institution is to the Waukegan community,” state Sen. Adriane Johnson said in the release. “The new Student Services center and additional renovations will provide educational resources that local students need to thrive both while they are in school, and in their future careers.”
The new 62,692-square-foot Student Services center will consist of support services, a library, community meeting space, Welcome and One-Stop Center, laboratories and career placement. Adult education services will be included in the Student Services center and will consist of four testing rooms, a tutoring center, four general education classrooms and a large multipurpose space that can be subdivided.
“This substantial development provides comprehensive student support services and programs in Waukegan designed to meet the regional high-demand advanced workforce needs,” CLC Board of Trustees Chairman William Griffin said in the release. “We want a first-class facility in Waukegan. Together with Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham, we anticipate this urban campus project to serve as a catalyst for future downtown development.”
The project will include 4,665 square feet of existing building renovation consisting of improvements to the Children’s Learning Center and the science laboratory plus renovation for a new classroom.
“The Capital Development Board is eager to kick off construction at the College of Lake County Lakeshore for their Student Services/Adult Education Building. The anticipated addition to the Lakeshore campus will help further establish the presence of the college in downtown Waukegan. The facility will be an impressive addition and will provide students with new spaces and opportunities to develop in their fields of interest and thrive,” CDB Executive Director Jim Underwood said in the release.
The completion of the Student Center will provide further opportunities for the college to continue program expansions in other fields of interest, including digital media, manufacturing, hospitality, horticulture, and entrepreneurship through the renovation of existing facilities.