Kane County Reporter

Issued the following announcement on Aug. 27

The City was formally notified by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that $2 million from the Build Illinois Bond Fund has been earmarked for the City of Elgin for costs associated with the infrastructure improvements at the Civic Center Plaza.

 

“I’d like to thank Senator Castro for helping secure this funding for the City of Elgin,” said Mayor David Kaptain. “The deteriorated plaza had not been updated since its original construction, and it is now a beautiful and functional public amenity in our downtown to be enjoyed by residents and visitors for generations to come.”

 

Senator Cristina Castro advocated on behalf of the City to allocate state infrastructure funds to the plaza reconstruction project. The reconstruction project began in the summer of 2020 and was completed earlier this month.

 

 “The new renovations to Civic Center Plaza couldn’t have come at a better time,” State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) said. “Seeing the space come together this summer is a reminder of how important funding for our community spaces can be, and I commend the City of Elgin on making this project happen.”

The plaza was built in the 1960s in conjunction with Elgin's Civic Center (now known as the Robert Gilliam Municipal Complex), and it consisted primarily of a concrete slab connecting the buildings. Elgin City Council approved a concept for the plaza's reconstruction in late 2019 that would result in a more passive green space with native plantings, public art and outdoor gathering space.

 

“Thanks to this grant funding, we were able to include creative elements that were developed by many stakeholders involved in the design process," said Assistant to the City Manager Amanda Harris, who worked on the the project management team. “Completion of this highly anticipated project brings a significant improvement to the entire municipal complex, and it is truly a public space the community can be proud of."

For more information, please contact Communications Manager Molly Gillespie at 847-931-5613 (O) or 224-762-0516 (C).