State legislators have secured an additional $500,000 in funding for the new Robert Crown Community Center.

The funds come from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital bill, according to a news release. The Robert Crown Center capital campaign has raised $14 million, just $1 million short of its goal.

“We can’t thank Sen. Laura Fine and Reps. Robyn Gabel and Jennifer Gong- Gershowitz enough for their dogged determination in getting Evanston it’s fair share of Gov. Pritzker’s state capital bill,” said Daniel Stein, president of Friends of the Robert Crown Center.

The $45 billion Rebuild Illinois bill was signed in June 2019 and allocated $1 million to the center. The bill had a clerical error, which omitted Sen. Laura Fine’s request for an additional $250,000, the release said.

Fine has since won even more funding for the center at a May emergency legislative session for the state budget. An amendment to House Bill 64 tacks on $500,000 to the state’s initial commitment. The bill was signed by Pritzker on June 12 and commits a total of $1.5 million to the center.

Interim City Manager Erika Storlie said the state commitment assisted the city, which could face up to $20 million loss in revenue. On May 26, Friends of Robert Crown announced plans to advance $637,500 in contributions to help ease the budget stress.

“Senator Fine and Representatives Gabel and Gong-Gershowitz are great allies to the City of Evanston, and we thank them for keeping their eyes on the prize,” said Storlie.

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