Illini Hall Replacement and Altgeld Hall Renovation Project FAQs

Phase I (demolition of the old Illini Hall) was completed in Spring 2023. The roofing and masonry work for Phase II (exterior renovation of Altgeld Hall) remains on track for completion in 2024, with bell tower improvements and conservation work continuing into 2025.

Phases III (construction of a new building for statistics and data science on the site of Illini Hall) and IV (interior renovation of Altgeld Hall) are presently in the bid/award phase of the capital delivery process.

Presently, bidding documents for Phase III are being prepared. Once a bid release date is identified, that information will be shared.

This spring, the exterior renovation work at Altgeld Hall (Phase II) continues with a current focus on finishing upgrades to the 1896 front turret, the facility’s north-facing front portion. Roof installations for the 1918 (SW) and 1926 (SE) additions were recently completed.

Various masonry solutions are also ongoing in the bell tower ahead of floor and wall work that is scheduled to begin after Commencement weekend. These activities will prepare the tower for the eventual removal and conservation of the chimes, which is planned to start at the end of the year. Tower structural and roofing improvements are scheduled for 2025.

See the projected schedule through the remainder of this year below.

Those timelines are still to be determined based on the successful finalization of the bid/award process and when a notice to proceed is issued.

Yes. As the University of Illinois System noted in its capital budget request, labor and material costs have been significantly impacted, the latter due partly to global supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, costs have increased significantly for most construction materials (see this report from Gordian, for example, which found that overall costs rose an average of 19 percent for more than 80 percent of construction materials). This challenging economic environment is why the project team conducted a value engineering process earlier this year, systematically reviewing the project scope and cost estimates to retain essential features and functionality while striving to facilitate an effective bidding process once the various invitations for construction bids are reposted.

An official name is still to be determined. The facility is now referenced as “the new Illini Hall” or “the new building on the site of the former Illini Hall.” A campus policy for Naming Campus Facilities, Programs, Projects and Existing Units for Distinguished Individuals and Donors provides some background information explaining the naming processes used recently for other Urbana campus facilities that may also be under consideration.

The project team strives to update unit stakeholders and associated campus audiences at least once a semester or whenever a significant project milestone or process update occurs. The Illinois Capital Development Board, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Facilities & Services continue to respond and support media inquiries about the project work regularly. Recently published feature stories include the following:

WCIA-TV (https://www.wcia.com/news/renovation-of-u-of-is-altgeld-hall-reveals-hidden-elegance/)

News Bureau (https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/39701901?utm_medium=web&utm_term=newsbureau&utm_source=uihomepage)

F&S Insider (https://fs.web.illinois.edu/Insider/2023/06/23/altgeld-glow-up-generations-of-dirt-cleaned-from-eons-old-stone/)