Chicago, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – The University of Illinois Board of Trustees has approved the purchase of a three-story office building at 901 W. University Avenue in Urbana to support the expanding needs of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and other units on the Urbana-Champaign campus.

The 32,000-square-foot building, which had been leased by the university from 2009 to 2024, will now be purchased for approximately $3.6 million through the University of Illinois Foundation. The acquisition also includes an adjacent parking lot and the assumption of two tenant leases — one of them with Einstein Bros. Bagels.

“This purchase gives us room to grow and invest in academic and research excellence in a key corridor of campus,” said university officials.

In the same meeting, the board approved two major finance leadership appointments:

  • Aimee Susan Heeter will become Urbana’s Vice Chancellor for Finance beginning August 1. She currently serves as Vice Provost for Finance and Administration at Indiana University.

  • Jill Wilberg was named Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of Illinois Springfield. Wilberg had been serving in the role in a designate capacity since June and brings over 16 years of treasury experience within the U of I System and Illinois State University Foundation.

“There is no more critical time to strengthen our fiscal leadership across the system,” said Paul Ellinger, U of I System Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “Aimee Heeter and Jill Wilberg bring valuable experience and insight to their new roles.”

The U of I System, which includes campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield, is the state’s largest higher education system, serving over 97,700 students and employing about 28,000 faculty and staff.