The construction is part of the Metra Electric Community Initiative to modernize 13 stations on the line stretching from the Loop to the far south suburbs.
The two escalators in the Searle Center are the only set in Hillsdale County — a tidbit of unexpected and memorable trivia that prospective students and families can take home and marvel about.
The six-story apartment building in downtown Springfield has been without working elevators. It serves low-income residents, many of whom are elderly and/or disabled.