CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois officials are putting $2.5 million into expanding a downtown Chicago center for startup companies called 1871, Gov. Pat Quinn announced Tuesday.

The money will be used to add 25,000 square feet to the technology center, located in the Merchandise Mart, and is expected to be completed by the middle of October. 1871 has become an entrepreneurial hub and is central to the city’s efforts to promote Chicago as a center of innovation. The center has drawn high-profile visits from the likes of Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and investor Mark Cuban.