Rauner expected to tour renovated Harper College building

Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner plans to visit Harper College's Palatine campus to tour the new Career and Technical Education Center, opening for the spring semester after a two-year, $38 million renovation.

Rauner is expected for a formal unveiling 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, in what will be one of his first stops in the suburbs after the Republican is sworn into office, college officials said. A Rauner spokeswoman did not immediately confirm the visit.

About 100 people are invited to the ribbon cutting, the first of two events showing off the remodeling. Then as many as 400 people are expected for an open house at the building starting at 11 a.m.

State funding covered 75 percent of the project to transform Building H into art studios, classrooms and labs for some of Harper's fastest-growing programs in fields like advanced manufacturing, law enforcement, fire science and welding.

The center sits on the northeast side of the Palatine campus, 1200 West Algonquin Road. Spring semester classes start Monday.