Naperville mayor: New Costco, boutique grocery store to open this year amid flurry of economic activity
If Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico had to summarize 2020 using one word, it would be “pivot.”
As in, the way businesses and residents were forced to pivot to virtual environments when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Or how the city pivoted to provide local economic assistance, exercise financial flexibility and issue executive orders — all without cutting services.
“Pivoting is what keeps us moving forward,” Chirico said Monday while reflecting on the community's recent challenges, changes and triumphs during his sixth State of the City address.
With a strong foundation in place, he said, Naperville was able to successfully weather the economic storm of the last 14 months.
The city ended 2020 with a $2 million surplus — partially thanks to federal relief funding — compared to early estimates of an $18 million shortfall. And though city leaders decided early to lower expenses, such as cutting capital costs by nearly $25 million, they still were able to support struggling businesses through grants and partnerships, Chirico said in the address hosted virtually by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It's that solid track record of responsible finances and abundant opportunities that gave developers the confidence to continue investing in Naperville even during a pandemic,” he said.
The ongoing revitalization of East Ogden Avenue is a prime example, the mayor said, pointing to the “halo effect” of the city's second Costco warehouse under construction at the Ogden Mall property. Slated to open this fall, the store has served as a catalyst for nearby economic activity, he said.
Last month, residents began moving into the Vantage Naperville Apartments on the former Regency Inn site next door — a previously “problematic” property that now helps to balance Naperville's housing needs with affordable options, Chirico said. And on the shuttered Fair Oaks Ford site at Naper Boulevard and Ogden Avenue, a new boutique grocery store, the name of which has not been disclosed, is expected to open soon.
New developments and businesses of various categories have been popping up citywide, with some large-scale projects in the works, such as the Lincoln at CityGate apartment complex and the recently approved Naper Commons.
In 2020, city officials managed 75 concept meetings for potential economic opportunities, which is more than in either of the two years prior, Chirico said.
Looking ahead, Naperville is launching a strategic planning process to “identify our city's vision for the future and then take action,” the mayor said. Not only will the plan help with next year's budget, but it also could help elected officials make decisions regarding sustainability, programming, cultural amenities and infrastructure, he said.
The city recently hired a diversity, equity and inclusion manager, Geneace Williams, to push new programs and policies related to those topics, Chirico said. And officials are looking to create a sustainability coordinator position to implement initiatives aimed at reducing the community's environmental footprint — the goal of a task force's proposed Sustainable Naperville 2036 plan.
A slew of other projects are on the horizon, Chirico said. A Riverwalk 2031 master plan offers ideas for enhancing one of the city's most treasured downtown amenities. A section of North Aurora Road is slated to be widened and improved over the next two years.
“If anything, the last year has reminded us all that uncertainty is certain. But when we lean into the foundations that supported us in the good times, we'll have the stability we need in uncertain times,” Chirico said. “A community like Naperville doesn't just settle for what was. It shows the region and the nation what we can become. We're not going back.”