CHICAGO – Thanks to support from State Senator Ram Villivalam, the Village of Niles will receive a $1.8 million investment as part of the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets program.

“Local business districts are what make our area a great place to live and work,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Investing in our small business community will help to build an equitable recovery from the pandemic, create jobs and grow a stronger local economy.”

With new federal funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administered grants to 50 commercial corridors throughout the state. The Village of Niles received $1.8 million to make needed improvements at the Civic Center Plaza located at 7801 N. Waukegan Rd.

The Rebuild Illinois program is a historic $45 billion investment in Illinois’ transportation infrastructure and state facilities, passed in 2019 with support from Senator Villivalam.

DCEO originally administered $50 million for the program in 2021. Due to federal funding, the state allocated an additional $56 million to support 29 more projects. With matching funds from recipients, a total investment of $215 million was made in downtowns across Illinois.

For a full list of recipients, visit Illinois.gov.