Roselle hires firm to help with business, land use

Roselle officials are poised to hire a firm that will help recruit business and identify the best use of land in the village.

Officials this week tentatively approved a $15,000, 90-day contract with Mallon and Associates, Inc., of Wheaton. Officials settled on the firm after interviewing several others and hearing their ideas for identifying, recruiting and bringing retailers to Roselle.

“They have 30 years of experience with public and private retail projects, and that’s certainly what interested us,” said Village Administrator Jeff O’Dell, who added that owner Mike Mallon is the former director of planning for Lombard. “Certainly there are national firms out there, but we like the local tie.”

Mallon appeared before the village board this week, answering questions about how his firm would help with retail development near key areas like Roselle and Nerge roads, Nerge and Plum Grove roads, Lake and Gary avenues, and Main Street downtown.

“We wanted somebody that has the resources we don’t to assist us in making those (business) connections,” O’Dell said. “The board recognized a need. And this is a process that many other communities do.”

Mallon and Associates has provided similar help to towns such as Wheaton, Lincolnshire, Glenview and Rolling Meadows.

The group’s 90-day contract with Roselle includes two phases. In the first, staff members will look at factors like reviewing current land use, analyzing demographics, economics and retail sales trends, and conducting an inventory of businesses, among other duties.

In the second, the firm will interview landlords, developers and brokers, compile occupancy and vacancy reports, determine where various businesses could thrive and target tenants.

If officials like what they hear in about three months, it could lead to an extension of the contract that would include a third phase, O’Dell said.

“We would then get someone out there on behalf of the village and try to connect with retailers, developers, brokers and private property owners.”