Another way F&S is enmeshed into the university, like stars in the sky: history. F&S is home to the university’s historic preservation officer, Dennis Craig. He’s a walking, talking history book when it comes to what has happened on campus since it was called Illinois Industrial University, dating to the late 1800s and can bring some context to almost any site, building, location, or notable … Continue reading Touring and Histories with Dennis Craig
Welcome to Campus F&S welcomes students, faculty, staff, and the larger community to campus. More students than ever—the current freshman class is the largest in U. of I. history—have more ways to recognize their time and place. One way to properly grow and foster common identity and communicate our values is rather simple: signage. In 2023, F&S led the process of completely re-doing all exterior … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: New Hellos
You see it every time you walk at night: pathway, bike lane, and street lighting is a trusted, safe way to journey campus. Big evening events for new students hit each fall, leading into sporting events, music acts and every outdoor activity… but at night. And with lighting installed in recent years, including at Illini Grove, along Kirby west of Gies Memorial Stadium, and in … Continue reading The Lit Path and the Dark Sky
Current Challenges Participants shared a desire for better Main Quad gathering spaces and made observations that some of the walkways and corridors leading into the main Quad are underutilized. Students expressed need for access to power outlets and Wi-Fi hubs to support their work. Additionally, planting new trees, filling hedge gaps, and adding ground cover can restore historic design, improve rainwater absorption, and enhance views … Continue reading CLMP: Main Quad District
Current Challenges Comprised of indoor and outdoor recreationalfacilities and set within large auto-oriented blocks,this district is largely vehicular oriented, characterized by large parking lots and open spaces with a lack of visual consistency and cohesive branding. Key entry points, like Neil Street and W. Kirby Avenue, are vital for campus events given the location of the State Farm Center, Memorial Stadium and the many athletics … Continue reading CLMP: Industrial + Athletics District
Current Challenges The South Quad District is a pedestrian-oriented area with open lawns and walkways framed by large canopy trees, historically tied to the university’s agricultural legacy. The Campus Master Plan envisions significant infill development, reducing surface parking and reinforcing the quad framework by adding a new quad south of the ACES Library. Efforts to simplify the plant palette with native species have been limited. … Continue reading CLMP: South Quad District
The Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building (MEB) completed a major transformation in 2022, including over 40,000 square feet added to instructional and research capabilities. It even got a new piece of public and interactive art. Leaders from the building and those in the mechanical science & engineering (MechSE) department, along with help from F&S, invested even more to reach WELL Platinum Certification. To accomplish WELL, … Continue reading We’re Doing WELL
At the 2025 Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference, Mike Larson, director of utility operations at Abbott Power Plant, described part of why the Urbana campus is so remarkable in utility and energy production and distribution: chilled water. Cold water, taken down to 42 degrees Fahrenheit at five chillers in Champaign and Urbana, is pumped throughout the campus in 26 miles of underground pipes to … Continue reading 2025 Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference: What’s So Cool About Chilled Water
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a world-leader in teaching, collaboration, research and workforce development – and a conference has helped position Illinois as a leader within the state and region for those who perform similar work to F&S. The Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Mangers Conference was a two-day gathering held in March, meant to spur discussion and find solutions to common issues at … Continue reading 2025 Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference: Keynote Recap
By Jalynn Bugaj, customer relations & communications intern With the construction of Steven S. Wymer Hall on the former site of parking Lot E12, nearly all parking spaces in that lot have been permanently removed as of May 8, 2023. To offset this change, a new parking structure was built at Lot E15, located at 404 E. Pennsylvania. Before construction, Lot E15 had 294 parking … Continue reading Future Ready Parking with EV Charging at Lot E15
