September 2, 1999 Contact: Mark Rosati (312) 996-5546 or Laurent Pernot (312) 413-4137

U OF I TRUSTEES MOVE FORWARD ON SOUTH CAMPUS PLAN

A day after reviewing an updated master plan for UIC's South Campus, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees authorized the hiring of architects and engineers to plan for student residences and infrastructure improvements for the project.

The revised master plan for UIC's South Campus development, which received strong support from the trustees, includes a school of business and conference center, student apartments, retail shops and private housing. The plan adaptively re-uses 21 buildings or facades on Maxwell and Halsted streets.

Implementation of the plan is subject to approval of the redevelopment agreement by the Chicago City Council and the U of I Board of Trustees in October.

Under the plan, which updates that approved last fall by the trustees, the west side of Halsted Street between Roosevelt Road and 14th Street would host retail shops and two student residential facilities totaling more than 750 beds. On the east side of Halsted, retail establishments would be located in eight existing buildings. A new College of Business Administration and other academic facilities would be built at the northeast portion of the development.

New retail buildings on Maxwell Street itself would feature facades relocated from Halsted Street, Maxwell Street and Roosevelt Road. The street would be paved with reclaimed bricks and granite to further restore its original character.

"Every day through hundreds of service projects, UIC helps make Chicago a better place to live," said UIC Chancellor David Broski. "This exemplifies our efforts and shows our determination to put this ideal in practice on our own campus.

"UIC is very grateful to Mayor Richard M. Daley and Alderman Madeline Haithcock for their strong support of our plan.

"The addition of academic facilities and student residences enables us to pursue our efforts to become one of the premier urban public universities in the nation. Our students and faculty will be able to live near campus and each other, in the kind of intellectual and cultural community that makes the strength of any great university.

"This cultural and intellectual community will not be reserved to those who study and work at UIC," Broski said. "It will help bridge further the university and the wider community and do so in a setting that clearly preserves the unique historical character of the area."

In addition to the 750 students who will live on the South Campus, approximately 2,000 residents are expected to move in the market-rate housing to be located between 14th and 16th streets. UIC officials hope that a substantial number of new residents will be UIC faculty and staff. In addition, 20 percent of the market-rate housing will be earmarked as affordable housing.

The board voted to retain the services of the Downers Grove firm of Wight and Company at a cost of $3.3 million for master planning, design, engineering and construction administration of all utility services and infrastructure upgrades in the South Campus area. The board also approved a fee of $2.9 million for Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates of Chicago for overseeing the design and construction of student residential apartments.

The streetscape improvement project, also reviewed by the U of I trustees yesterday, will bring trees, small parks and fountains to the area, creating several gathering spaces for members of the community. Planters and historic light fixtures will complete the overhaul of the streetscape.

"This plan is the result of months of productive discussions with the Mayor's staff and the planning department about the future of this area," said Stanton Delaney, UIC vice chancellor for administration. "With the help of the Tax Increment Financing District approved by the City Council in May, this area will once again become one of Chicago's most vibrant communities. It allows the university and the city to grow together and truly benefit from each other."

With 25,000 students, the University of Illinois at Chicago is the largest and most diverse university in the Chicago area. UIC is home to the largest medical school in the United States and is one of the 88 leading research universities in the country. Located just west of Chicago's Loop, UIC is a vital part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the entire metropolitan region.

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