Community excitement blooms at Urban Farm Center grand opening

Nearly 1,000 people stepped inside the Urban Farm Center during its grand opening at College of Lake County’s (CLC) Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan. The event welcomed community members to explore the new center and learn more about its role in the community’s food system.

Visitors had the opportunity to experience the space firsthand and learn how the center can serve as a resource for students and the broader community.

“When we talk about rebuilding Waukegan, about revitalizing our downtown and moving our community forward, this is exactly what we mean," said Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham at the event. "We aren't just investing in bricks and asphalt. We're investing in people, in opportunity.”

The new 24,000-square-foot building is a community-driven, multipurpose space that combines hands-on learning, food production and entrepreneurial support. It will serve as a hub for community wellness, workforce development and innovative programming. Fresh produce will be grown indoors year-round, strengthening the regional food system and expanding training and learning opportunities for students and the Lake County community.

The Urban Farm Center is a mixed-use space with operations including:

• Three high-tech indoor growing spaces producing a variety of crops and training opportunities
• A shared commercial kitchen for growing food businesses
• A reimagined campus bookstore featuring locally grown and created food

The grand opening event is just the beginning. Growing has started inside of the center, and it will be open daily for the public starting January 2027.

"Programming and people matter most as we move forward," Lakeshore Campus Dean Dr. Jesus Ruiz said. "We intend to ensure the Urban Farm Center remains dynamic, responsive and deeply connected to the community it was built to serve. That means continuing to grow our circle of sustaining partners, organizations, entrepreneurs, educators and community members who see themselves in this space and in its future."

Learn more about the Urban Farm Center.