In one of Bruce Rauner’s final acts as governor, his office announced Friday it has released $9.6 million to pay for deferred maintenance for Illinois State University’s fine arts center complex.
The funds will pay for maintenance and repairs and the 60-year-old facility.
Rauner toured the facility in June as he called for a boost in funding for higher education and for a new capital bill which he failed to pass in his administration. J.B. Prtizker, who was sworn in as governor on Monday, said he plans to work with the legislature on getting a capital bill passed.
ISU President Larry Dietz said the university’s long-term goal remains to build a new fine arts center. He said the university has poured millions into fixing problems at the aging facility.
Illinois lawmakers approved $62 million to renovate and rebuild the complex and previously approved funding for facility renovations in 2009, but the state never released the money and the project stalled.
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