Judson University celebrated a milestone Thursday with the opening of Glunz Hall, a residence hall and design studio in downtown Elgin for students working on master’s degrees in architecture.

“It’s hard to imagine a more fitting place to immerse oneself in the study of architecture than this historic building at the heart of an architecturally-rich city like Elgin,” said Benjamin Glunz, founder of the Future Architect Fund and the building’s namesake.

“Our vision is to provide graduate students with a bridge from the study of architecture to full immersion in real-world practice within their local community.”

Glunz was among those who attended of the building’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by Judson University students, alumni, business leaders and city officials. The Rev. Ian Simkins blessed and dedicated the newest addition to Judson, a Christian-based university with its main Elgin campus at 1151 N. State St.

“This is emblematic of what the city of Elgin does,” Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain said at the event. “We work together as a community. We come up with a vision and we come up with projects that fit for everybody. And everybody benefits. Congratulations to Judson University and Ben on the completion of this vision.”

Judson partnered with the Future Architect Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the next generation of architects, in building the new hall at North Grove Avenue and Highland Avenue, a vision Glunz worked on for eight years.

The university purchased the 20,860-square-foot building in 2019. Built in 1960, it was last used as a PNC Bank branch.

Now it’s a residential and work space with 13 apartments for about 40 students and their families. The Glunz Studio for Architecture and Urbanism, located on the main level, is a student design space.

Benjamin Glunz, a Judson University alum and Elgin business owner, speaks Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Judson’s new Glunz Hall in downtown Elgin. Glunz was the driving force behind the new residence hall/academic building for graduate students studying architecture. (Gloria Casas/for The Courier-News)

Judson’s new hall is like a “living lab” for architecture students — designed “for architects, by architects,” officials said.

Because Judson received funds to buy the building and then received about $500,000 in Tax Increment Financing district (TIF) funds from the city, the project did not cost the school anything to build, Glunz said.

“Thank you to the city of Elgin for investing in Judson and this project.” Judson President Gene Crume said.

The city often gets scrutinized for its investments and must make sure each one benefits the community, he said. Judson contributes $40 million to the local economy, Crume said, citing Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities data, and Glunz Hall will bring more economic activity to downtown.

“Your return on investment in Judson will pay off,” Crume said.

Among the businesses thanked by the school for giving in-kind donations were Behr Paint Co., DuPont Corian, Delta Faucet, FreeAxez, Homasote, Kräus, Trim-Tex, Visual Comfort & Co., Studio Vertex and Anguleris Technologies.

The project had its ups and downs, said Glunz, who moved to Elgin in 2006 for graduate school and now owns Angulieris in downtown Elgin. It felt like at every turn, something new would came up, he said.

“We pushed through it,” he said of the team who helped bring the vision together.

Glunz’s determination to fulfill his vision came from his family, he said. His grandfather ran the family farm and worked three jobs to support his family of 11 children. “He did whatever it took,” supported by his religious faith, Glunz said.

“It’s surreal to be standing in this place in front of you,” he said. “It’s surreal to see this place full with life.”

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/24/judson-glunz-hall-elgin-architecture/