Another gift today for the Quad Cities from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. One week after announcing low interest state loans for water and sewer projects, he came to town to announce help for the next phase of Western Illinois University's riverfront campus in Moline.
He says the state will pay 5 million dollars for the design of phase 3, an 85,000 square foot building with classrooms, laboratories, and offices.
The governor helped dedicate phase one, two years ago - it cost 18 million dollars, and he returned for the dedication of phase two last month (sept) - the cost was 42 million dollars.
WIU president Jack Thomas thanked Quinn for being such a good friend of the university.
University architect Bill Brewer says, thanks to the state help, the phase 3 building will be designed next year, and construction could start early in 2016.