North Central College secures $10 million for new parking garage
Plans to build a $20 million parking facility on North Central College's Naperville campus received a significant boost.
College officials announced Thursday that $10 million in state funding has been secured to build a four-story parking pavilion on what was previously the site of the Merner Fieldhouse surface parking lot. The 530-space garage will represent a net gain of 427 parking spots.
With the bulk of construction planned for July through December, the parking pavilion, located southeast of the corner of Chicago Avenue and South Washington Street near Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, is expected to open in January 2024.
"This project is a win-win for the college and the community," Donna M. Carroll, North Central College's interim president, said in a statement.
"Parking has been a growing need on and around our campus, and the new parking pavilion will be constructed in a manner and at a location to maximize student impact and minimize neighborhood disruption."
The $10 million will be funded through the Illinois Board of Higher Education as part of the state's $45 billion Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan signed into law in 2019 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The facility, designed by Holabird & Root, will be constructed to blend with the existing campus facilities south of Chicago Avenue.
While the first floor of the pavilion will be open to visitor parking, the top three floors will be reserved for resident-students. Officials said the proximity to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium and the Wentz Concert Hall will improve parking capacity and efficiency during large campus events.
In addition to the facility's electric vehicle charging stations and ADA-accessible parking, a new four-way stop will be placed at the intersection of Brainard Street and Highland Avenue.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. July 26 on the south lawn of the Edward Everett Rall House, 329 S. Brainard St.
"Our latest $10 million investment to build a new parking pavilion at North Central College won't just provide students with greater access to campus," Pritzker said in a statement. "It will also free up space downtown, allowing Naperville residents to rely on available street parking."