Vacant State Armory renamed to honor former Gov. Edgar amid $122M
remodel
[August 12, 2026]
By Sean Reed | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The Illinois Armory, which sat vacant for years
across the street from the State Capitol, was renamed Tuesday well ahead
of the completion of a redevelopment project.
The remodel of the building, now known as the Jim Edgar Executive Office
Building, will result in a new office building that will house offices
for staff of state agencies and Governor’s support staff.
The building is being renamed after former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar,
who died in September. Edgar served as a state representative beginning
in 1977 before being appointed as the state’s 35th secretary of state,
followed by a governorship from 1991 to 1999.
Pritzker noted which executive agencies would call the building home.
“At the Jim Edgar Executive Office Building, my administration will be
hard at work. [The department of Central Management Services] will
deliver the essential operations that keep state government functioning
efficiently for taxpayers. [The Governor’s office of Management and
Budget] will ensure that we continue crafting balanced state budgets,”
Pritzker.
The governor said that the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity will also be housed in the Edgar Building.
The 314,000 square foot building, which sits north of the Capitol, is
being heavily renovated as part of the State Capitol Office of the
Architect’s long-term plan to develop a coherent Capitol District in
downtown Springfield.
The redevelopment began with the building’s stabilization, which was
completed in 2024 for the price of $26 million.
Construction workers are in the process of adding a seventh floor of
offices, along with internal building renovations, projected to be
completed in 2028.
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The Illinois State Armory building in Springfield in need of
repairs. Photo: Greg Bishop / The Center Square
The $122 million Armory project was funded through the Rebuild Illinois
capital plan, an initiative of Pritzker to expand state spending on
development projects throughout the state.
It comes alongside the $243.5 million redevelopment of the north wing of
the Capitol, which displaced executive staff offices in favor of
creating a sole public entrance for visitors, reporters and lobbyists.
State Senate President Don Harmon said the dedication of the building to
Edgar was fitting.
“He made hard decisions he believed were right. And long after leaving
office, he continued investing in the people who would carry that work
forward. That legacy is worthy of a permanent place on the Capitol
complex,” Harmon said. “it will carry the name of a leader who devoted
so much of his life to exactly that.”
Following his two terms as governor, Edgar went on to establish a
fellowship with the University of Illinois dedicated to developing
leaders to govern.
Edgar fellows now in office include state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago,
State House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Congressman Darin LaHood,
R-Ill.
Also, the plan for a new state owned park and amphitheater was recently
announced.
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