Doris Kelley Christopher Illinois Extension Center

University of Illinois Extension is poised to have its first central facility in its 100+ year history by Spring of 2027. The high-impact, geographically dispersed organization serves the state as the outward-facing public good unit housed in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. 

On Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, campus and Extension leaders, advocates, and members of the project team gathered for a symbolic beam signing event to celebrate the ongoing progress of the Doris Kelley Christopher Illinois Extension Center, which was first announced in Fall 2021.

The inception of the sleek and innovative 39,500 square-foot facility, nestled on a 7.8-acre site in the scenic environment of campus’ arboretum, will create a collaborative, sustainable hub for innovation.

This state-of-the-art facility, designed by Bailey Edward with construction management by Broeren Russo Builders, Inc., will include:

• Flexible classrooms and event space for community education
• Technology-enabled meeting rooms to support hybrid and remote engagement
• A demonstration kitchen and teaching garden to promote healthy living and food access
• Collaborative workspaces for Extension staff and partners
• Status as a LEED silver and WELL silver building

Christopher Extension Center will become a flagship site for University of Illinois Extension, serving as a launchpad statewide for new ideas, pilot programs, and community-based solutions. In 2021, Christopher committed a transformational gift of $45M to the future of Illinois Extension, an organization close to her heart from her own 4-H membership; her gift includes a separate “endowment for maintenance.” F&S Senior Project Manager Joe Villanti said this type of gift is “very unique. This endowment should allow Extension to do those things that are more than just day to day operational updates.