Joliet Junior College to benefit from $4.3 million in state capital plan funds

Funds come from the Rebuild Illinois Capital program passed back in 2019

JJC

Joliet Junior College will get $4.3 million in state funds for the replacement of air handler units, made possible by the Rebuild Illinois program.

The funding will help address deferred maintenance projects at JJC’s campus that have been stalled due to a lack of state funding in past years, according to a news release. Along with local matching funds, the total investment will be $5.7 million for the project.

JJC President Judy Mitchell said in a news release announcing the funding that the college has slowly and consistently invested in replacing 45-year-old HVAC systems, but with 1 million square feet on one campus, “it’s a big project.”

“Aging infrastructure across the country is a real issue,” Mitchel said in the release. “This investment by Gov. Pritzker and the state of Illinois helps us implement modern infrastructure to support our technology driven, future focused classrooms.”

The Illinois Capital Development Board will oversee the project’s renovation under the protocol for state-approved capital projects.

State Sen. John Connor, D-Lockport, added that the funding was especially needed for this project amid the ongoing pandemic.

“This state investment in sorely needed air exchangers at Joliet Junior College will positively impact students and our community’s ability to move forward in a COVID-19 world,” Connor said in the release.

The Rebuild Illinois plan passed in 2019 included $45 billion to invest in roads, bridges, railways, colleges, early childhood centers, and state facilities.