Governor JB Pritzker announced that Illinois will be demolishing Stateville Correctional Center and a second prison and rebuilding them as part of a more than $800 million project.
Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) announced this week plans to dedicate capital funds to rebuild Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln and Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, which they say will address critical infrastructure needs at both facilities.
The funding is included in the capital proposal the governor presented to the General Assembly as part of his FY25 budget proposal.
The capital investments will begin to address years of disinvestment in facilities built almost a century ago, saving the state hundreds of millions in deferred maintenance and annual upkeep costs, according to the governor’s office.
The plan will initially focus on rebuilding the two facilities, which have been identified as having the most significant deferred maintenance costs, as the administration continues to assess the IDOC infrastructure and where additional investments might be needed.
“The capital funds dedicated to Stateville and Logan further demonstrate our commitment to continuing to rebuild and strengthen our state’s infrastructure,” Pritzker said.
“These investments will allow staff to work in modern and safe facilities, ensure those who are incarcerated can safely serve out their sentences, and save taxpayers hundreds of millions in deferred maintenance costs from years of neglect,” Pritzker said.
IDOC will work with the Capital Development Board and stakeholders on a timeline and next steps. Work will begin pending capital appropriations in the FY25 budget.
It is anticipated that Stateville will be temporarily closed and demolished before a new facility is built on its grounds.
The status of Logan in the interim is still to be determined and the location of the new facility is still being finalized.
The plan estimates construction costs will total between $805 to $935 million.
The projects are expected to save the state an average of $34 million in annual operations savings over the long term by lowering overtime, maintenance and utility costs on the facilities, the governor’s office said.
Rebuilding the facilities is also projected to save the state hundreds of millions in deferred maintenance costs that have accrued after decades of neglect.