Joliet Junior College officials, politicians and citizens turned out on a cold Tuesday afternoon for the groundbreaking of the new City Center facility. Because of the cold temperatures the event was moved indoors and officials dug mini shovels into a cake designed by culinary arts students to mimic an outdoor groundbreaking. The culinary arts program will be housed in the new building when it is complete. Here is the breakdown of the new building by the numbers:
6: Number of stories in the new building.
2: Number of stories in the glass-enclosed lobby of the new building
58: Number of millions of dollars it will cost to build the new building.
3: Number of programs that will be housed in the new building - the department of adult education and literacy, workforce development and culinary arts.
1980: The year Joliet Junior College purchased the existing Renaissance Center and the adjoining hotel.
1925: Year the building was debuted as the new clubhouse for the Joliet Chamber of Commerce.
1969: Year the hotel building was added.
