ISU Board approves farm expansion

Posted on December 16, 2018
ISU Board of Trustees
Illinois State University’s Board of Trustees, meeting in special session Saturday, approved the purchase of a parcel of farmland, an acoustical improvement project for Braden Auditorium, and emergency roofing and infrastructure repairs to several campus buildings. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Neil Doyle

NORMAL – The governing board at Illinois State University has decided to expand the university farm in northern McLean County.

In a special meeting Saturday morning, the Board of Trustees approved the purchase of Mifflin farm in rural Chenoa for $810,000. The 80 acres is adjacent to the northern border of the University’s farm in Lexington. The University plans to add to its farming operations and agricultural research.

The land purchase is part of $6.7 million in spending on various projects, including three million dollars for emergency mechanical, plumbing, and infrastructure repairs for the Center for Visual Arts, Centennial East, and Centennial West.

Trustees also approved new roofs for Turner Hall, the Science Lab, and Ropp Agriculture buildings at a cost of $2.253 million.

Braden Auditorium will receive acoustical upgrades and a paint job at a cost of $625,000. The university said the auditorium hasn’t been painted in 20 years.

The final phase of a project to the College of Fine Arts building was approved, as the project will cost $3 million to repair bathroom plumbing, air handler units, water pump and grease trap replacements, and isolation valve installations.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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