U of Illinois board approves $263M in construction projects

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The University of Illinois is moving forward with more than $263 million in construction projects at its campuses in Urbana-Champaign and Chicago.

The Board of Trustees voted Thursday to approve funding for 10 projects, including new or renovated residential, research and classroom buildings.

The projects are financed without state funding, using donations, borrowing and institutional funds. They are part of $1.2 billion in construction improvements the University of Illinois system has made over the past five years.

Eight of the projects are at the Urbana-Champaign campus. They include an addition to expand small animal surgery at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the replacement of track and field facilities.

The Chicago projects include new research facilities at the Medical Sciences Building.