After years of promises from two governors, the budding Discovery Partners Institute in the South Loop finally is getting the first installment of the state help needed for a project considered key to Chicago’s growth as a tech center.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that he has released $142 million for various university research projects, including $23.5 million for design of DPI’s 500,000-square-foot headquarters in the 78 development at Roosevelt Road and the Chicago River.