The renovation of Altgeld Hall is making progress, but it has surpassed its budget once and may now surpass its timeline.

The project originally was estimated at $19.15 million and was expected to be completed by Oct. 2002. It is now going to cost NIU $25 million and it’s no longer certain when the work will be complete and when the building will be ready to open.

“The construction schedule may have slipped a little bit, but it shouldn’t have a significant impact on the campus,” said Patricia Perkins, assistant to the vice president of NIU Finance and Facilities. “The entire process has been more difficult and involved than any of us had envisioned.”

In September 2000, NIU’s board of trustees chose to ask the Illinois Board of Higher Education to grant $4.9 million more than the original estimate because of unforeseen problems, Perkins said. The IBHE hasn’t decided yet whether to allocate the funds for NIU to complete the project.

State Rep. David Wirsing, R-Sycamore, has been pushing for the approval of the additional funds from the IBHE and expects an answer sometime between now and the end of May.

“I am confident that NIU will receive the additional funds that have been requested,” Wirsing said.

The delays and extra costs stem primarily from unforeseen conditions regarding asbestos removal and structural issues, Perkins said.

Currently, mechanical systems such as heating and plumbing are being installed and prepared so that carpenters can begin rebuilding the demolished hallways and rooms.

New windows to replace the plywood and insulation that cover where the old windows once were are expected to be in place within the next few weeks.

Atop the center tower, all of the grotesques are once again in place. The rest of the grotesques are expected to be repaired or replaced by this summer. The grotesque that rests in the garden next to Altgeld is to remain in its position and a new grotesque will replace it in its old spot on top of the building.

The grotesque restoration project should be completed by year’s end, Perkins said.