GODFREY - Due to aging infrastructure deeming portions of the historic Main Complex  unsafe for operations, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) partnered with Lewis and Clark Community College to secure a $37.5 million state grant to fund an extensive renovation project of the five-building complex that dates back to 1890.

“Lewis and Clark Community College provides quality educational opportunities to students throughout the region, and this investment is critical to ensure operations can continue safely,” Crowe said. “As a historic building from the mid-19th Century, the Main Complex is the heart of campus for students, faculty and visitors. Repairs and renovations are much needed.”

The announcement was made Monday at the Lewis and Clark Community College campus in Godfrey. Last August, LCCC officials were forced to close sections of the Main Complex due to safety concerns stemming from failing HVAC systems that created mold issues.

Dr. Ken Trzaska, president of Lewis and Clark Community College, said Lewis and Clark has made numerous updates and repairs to the Main Complex over the last three decades, but due to the age of the facility and the need to integrate modern mechanical and electrical systems, a complete renovation is the only path forward to return the historic complex to full operations.

“This project represents Lewis and Clark’s future while honoring its history,” Trzaska said. “We are thankful to the state’s investment and confidence in our region. Investing in the next generation of students through this critical project is exciting and inspiring for our community and our campus team.”

Trzaska said the college has been working over the past 10 years to secure the funding needed to bring the symbolic complex to current code and modernization.

“We are extremely grateful for the work of our local and state legislators including Senator Crowe, the Illinois Community College Board and our college’s board of trustees for helping us champion this project, ensuring that the college and its students will have a safe and modern space to learn,” he said. 

The $37.5 million grant was appropriated by the state in the Rebuild Illinois Capital Program in 2019. To accelerate the funding process, the LCCC Board of Trustees voted at a special meeting in September to commit $12.5 million in match funding.

“This project represents not only an educational impact for our region, but it also represents an incredible economic impact to the region through the jobs a project of this size will bring to the region,” Trzaska said.