University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch, who attended Land of Lincoln Economic
Development Corporation CEO Eric Berglund’s introduction last week, said
the university is “committed to downtown,” whether it’s on the vacant
YWCA block or in another location.
As my colleague Crystal Thomas
reported July 11, Mayor Jim Langfelder is pushing back plans for the
2.35-acre Y-block until at least September to see what opportunities the
state budget might bring for universities that possibly would want to
have a presence on the block.
For UIS, the answer may be an
innovation hub as part of the Discovery Partners Institute. The
Chicago-based, University of Illinois system-led institute is partnering
with the Illinois Innovation Network and is looking to have innovation
hubs throughout the state.
Koch said UIS should receive guidelines by mid-August and will hopefully submit a proposal for a hub by the end of September.
“Not within the next two weeks, but things are absolutely moving forward relatively quickly,” Koch said.
If
the university does receive an innovation hub, it could be borne out of
an expanded Innovate Springfield. The business incubator, now housed
across the street from the Old State Capitol, has a partnership with UIS
but would likely be completely turned over to the university under that
scenario.
This article appeared in the State Journal-Register on July 22, 2018.
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