Governor Rauner Wants To Sell The Thompson Center

By Kate Shepherd in News on Oct 13, 2015 5:16PM

Wikipedia

Another iconic downtown building might be going up for sale—Gov. Bruce Rauner is looking to sell the Thompson Center as part of his latest effort to save the cash-strapped state government.

He announced the plans at a late morning news conference inside the building, but the idea will need legislative approval to move forward, according to the Tribune.

The Helmut Jahn-designed building has been inefficient and too expensive for the beleaguered state to maintain since it opened in 1985. The large atrium makes it hard to heat and cool, ripped carpeting is held together by tape and a large granite panel fell off the building and crashed onto Clark Street five years ago.

It's not the first time a governor has proposed selling the prime location. Gov. Rod Blagojevich suggested selling it and leasing it back. He also proposed mortgaging it to help close a budget gap, but Attorney General Lisa Madigan deemed the idea unconstitutional.

Illinois reached the 100th day of its budget impasse last week with no signs of progress on the horizon, according to WREX.