Aurora hopes new businesses spark economy

Aurora officials aren't saying the economic recovery is in full swing or its budget challenges are a thing of the past.

But with the recent announcement that two major corporations will rent space in the city, officials now say their economic base is developing in positive ways.

And they're working to complete an economic development plan by the end of the year that could guide progress in the business arena.

The two corporations — textbook company Follett Corp. and Caterpillar Logistics Services, a subsidiary of machine manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. — will rent more than 1.1 million square feet total and create between 250 and 450 jobs in the city.

According to the Aurora Economic Development Commission, Follett and Caterpillar Logistics Services are the most recent of several national and international businesses to choose Aurora for manufacturing centers, corporate hubs or office spaces since 2009, including Freudenberg Household Products and electronics retailer hhgregg.

“All these things are beginning to aggregate and create a very positive atmosphere that, in turn, really gets the attention of other companies and attracts them as well,” Mayor Tom Weisner said.

A business round-table Weisner created in January is working on an economic development plan in hopes of finishing it by the end of the year and implementing it in 2012.

“We are pushing ahead to try to establish that strategic plan for economic development that is in fact complete, that looks at every possible thing from the city's brand to workforce development to our own city processes,” Weisner said.

Collaborating as part of the business round-table has been beneficial for the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President Rene Cruz said, because it's taught the group about services other business organizations offer.

It's also helping its members — about 15 business leaders, chamber of commerce representatives and city staff — learn to convey the same message to entrepreneurs who may want to set up shop in Aurora.

“The idea is everyone should be working from the same script,” Cruz said.

Aurora's Development Director Bill Wiet said businesses seem to be noticing improvements the city made to the development process at the beginning of the year.

The city added a development facilitator to assist companies with getting permits and inspections, and created more types of partial occupancy permits so businesses can begin using parts of their new spaces sooner.

The changes came with higher permit fees, but Weisner said companies are willing to pay a bit more for efficiency and a shorter time frame.

“A lot of times, that commitment gets the job done and really spreads the word that we're definitely business-friendly,” Wiet said.

In the cases of Caterpillar Logistics Services and Follett, the “effort to bring their project to market sooner and quicker and within budget” was enough to draw them to the city without other tax incentives, said Sherman Jenkins, executive director of Aurora's economic development commission.

Having more manufacturers in town also may increase interest in available commercial properties, Wiet said. The economic development commission's website, investinaurora.org, lists 178 buildings and 76 possible building sites as available in Aurora.

“When you come in as a manufacturing facility, some of the suppliers want to be close by,” Wiet said. “You might see smaller companies come to be by the bigger manufacturer.”

Weisner said his city is “hungry” to recruit businesses.

“Despite the economy, we're feeling pretty good about the number of companies and businesses that we're bringing in,” Weisner said.