Building for new Huntley business gets initial approval

Huntley officials gave preliminary approval Thursday night to an addition for the Huntley Corporate Park that would house an engineering firm that has its eye on relocating to the village.

Wauconda-based Reiche Construction hopes to build a 22,500-square-foot building that would serve as an office for Lionheart Engineering. The plan is to move Lionheart’s Woodstock office to Huntley.

“We are pleased to become part of the growing Huntley business community,” Don Ritter, Lionheart’s president, said in a statement. “Our decision to select Huntley is based on several factors, most important of which were proximity to I-90, location within a newer business park, and assistance from an experienced commercial builder.”

As part of the proposal, Lionheart — which is expected to bring at least 40 new jobs to Huntley — is asking that the village waive $13,000 in permit fees.

The building would be located within the corporate park on Jim Dahmer Road, just west of Route 47.

Huntley Trustee Pam Fender questioned whether the one entrance planned for the building would be large enough for fire trucks to negotiate.

Brad Reiche, a managing partner responded that the entrance is in fact big enough.

“They’ll be fine with one entrance,” said Brad Reiche, of Reiche Construction and a managing partner of the Huntley Corporate Park.

Huntley leaders have been working to bring Lionheart into the village since last fall, said Village Manager Dave Johnson.

“Ultimately, I think we were able to form a partnership with them to show the desire to continue to add business to our community,” Johnson said. “We’ve worked hard at attracting development this year, attracting business. I think we’re certainly excited that we’re seeing investment in our community, still during difficult economic times.”

Construction is expected to start within the next two weeks, if the village board approves the project later on this month, Reiche said.

It is estimated to last six months and the building would likely open in April, Reiche said.