Construction has officially started on the Urban Farm Center at the College of Lake County (CLC) Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan. A groundbreaking ceremony on May 2 celebrated the many funders, community partners and staff who made the construction of $20.8 million facility a reality. The Urban Farm Center is a springboard for community wellness, entrepreneurism and innovative programming and generates food growing, job creation and hope.

Located north of and adjacent to the Lakeshore Campus Student Center on Sheridan Road, the 24,000-square-foot facility is anticipated for completion by December 2026.

The Urban Farm Center will feature year-round educational gardens, including a greenhouse and hydroponic crops grown in a vertical production space and a mushroom lab. The facility also features a commercial kitchen, retail space and a multi-purpose room. Together, these growing and engagement spaces serve as a living-learning lab for students and an innovative hub of nourishment and food distribution for the broader community.

CLC President Dr. Lori Suddick said, “CLC is grateful for donors who are committed to building strong communities and educational opportunities. The Urban Farm Center is a wonderful example of partnership between the College and the community to implement solutions that lead to educational attainment, job opportunities, economic impact and community vibrancy.”

Lakeshore Campus Dean Jesus Ruiz explained, “This Urban Farm is a promise fulfilled. A promise to revitalize not only our campus but to breathe new life into downtown Waukegan. This space will provide fresh, nutritious, locally grown food right here in our city. But more than that—it will nourish the spirit of our community.”

Director of the Urban Farm Center Eliza Fournier said, “Our vision is to ensure this facility becomes a vibrant, thriving resource for everyone. A place where we not only grow food, but we grow people, opportunities and a stronger, healthier community.”

Addie Morrison of the Morrison Family Foundation and a lead donor to the capital campaign said, “I would love to have the ability for everybody to share the excitement I feel for this and want to be part of this opportunity to make such a significant difference for so many people in so many communities in Lake County.”

Leigh Ann Jacobson, CFRE, Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the CLC Foundation, said the Urban Farm Center represents the power of shared vision and collective action.

“Our donors, like Addie Morrison, have fueled a future where students thrive, neighborhoods flourish, and wellness is grown from the ground up,” said Jacobson. “With every seed planted and every skill taught, we are cultivating a more just and nourishing future for Lake County.”

There’s still time to be a part of this transformative project. Naming opportunities remain available, and the CLC Foundation continues its fundraising for the capital campaign and the remaining $1.5 million to meet its goal. New partners who share a belief in education, access to locally grown healthy food, and community wellness are welcome.

To learn more about naming opportunities or to make a gift, please contact Jacobson at ljacobson3@clcillinois.edu or (847) 543-2640.

CLC has had a presence in Waukegan for 54 years with its opening of a center in 1971 and the full campus in 1983. The Student Center at 34 N. Genesee St. opened in 2023.

Watch this short video of the Urban Farm Center groundbreaking ceremony