Education
Northeastern Illinois University Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for $125M Education Building
Groundbreaking ceremony for Northeastern Illinois University’s new building that will be home to the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education on Aug. 18, 2025. (Courtesy of NEIU)
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday for Northeastern Illinois University’s new education building on the Northwest Side.
The nearly 190,000-square-foot, multi-use building will be home to NEIU’s Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education. The facility will include classroom space, laboratories, administrative and office space, and general campus space.
“This project has been in the works for over 20 years, and we are thrilled that it is finally coming to fruition,” Northeastern Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs R. Shayne Cofer said in a statement. “The new building will be a wonderful addition to our Main Campus and will inspire a whole new generation of education majors at Northeastern for years to come.”
The building, designed by SmithGroup, will also feature a second-floor roof deck with vegetation and seating, along with a bird-safe design with fritted glass and window film.
The total cost of the project is approximately $125.4 million, according to a news release. The Illinois Capital Development Board is absorbing the full cost and will oversee the construction, according to a spokesperson.
“We are grateful to the State of Illinois for its investment in this facility, which — when it opens in 2027 — will underscore NEIU’s dedication to preparing the next generation of educators,” NEIU President Katrina E. Bell-Jordan said in a statement.
NEIU is home to four colleges: Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Technology, and College of Graduate Studies and Research.
Last year, NEIU saw its first enrollment gain in almost 15 years, according to Crain’s Chicago Business, but also reported the university has lost nearly half of the about 11,000 students it had a decade ago. Last fall, the university had an enrollment of 5,734 students.
The public university, founded in 1867, is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution. The school’s main campus is located in North Park on the Northwest Side, with additional Chicago area locations, including the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies in Bronzeville on the South Side, El Centro on the Northwest Side along the I-90 Kennedy Expressway, and the University Center of Lake County.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
