BY JOHN FERAK |
JOLIET, IL — Will County Congressman Bill Foster announced Thursday morning that the Joliet Area Historical Museum is getting $3 million for the Old Joliet Prison.
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Bill Foster for his leadership to bring a critical capital investment to the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site,” Joliet museum executive director Greg Peerbolte informed Joliet Patch.
The museum is run through a partnership with the city of Joliet.
The funding will be used to course correct the trajectory of the conditions of these buildings and ensure the safety of staff and guests, Foster’s news release announced. “The prison rehabilitation has labor and construction partners who are willing to stretch every dollar for maximum use.”
The Old Joliet Prison at 1125 Collins St. was built in 1858 and was featured in the iconic 1980 movie, “The Blues Brothers.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Bill Foster for his leadership to bring a critical capital investment to the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site,” Joliet museum executive director Greg Peerbolte informed Joliet Patch. “We are further grateful for dogged commitment of our staff, board of directors and partners at the City of Joliet, especially Mayor Bob O’Dekirk for his personal advocacy and belief in the viability of the project.”
Peerbolte said the $3 million will be used to stabilize and secure critically damaged structures, primarily the iconic Administration Building.
“We anticipate successfully leveraging this funding to seek out other government and private partners to secure additional financing and resources to ensure this irreplaceable Joliet treasure is fully protected and preserved,” Peerbolte added.
According to Foster, the $3 million project is “shovel ready” and in accordance with the economic recovery from the global pandemic, will help to create and sustain much-needed construction jobs, while restoring an historically and culturally significant site in an economically challenged area of the city, Foster indicated in his announcement.
The Joliet Area Historical Museum began offering walking tours of the Old Joliet Prison property in the fall of 2018. The tours take place during the spring, summer and fall.
Tours will resume on March 26.
Read the full story here: patch.com/illinois/joliet/3m-old-joliet-prison-gets-funds-congressman-foster