Rolling Meadows' development situation improving, mayor says

The maker of Blackberry phones - Research in Motion - is a bright spot in the business climate of Rolling Meadows.

Patrick Marry, vice president of product development for RIM, joined Mayor Ken Nelson and his annual economic development update before the Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce Friday.

Good news from Nelson included the fact that Northwest Community Hospital will use the vacant Sears Hardware store on Kirchoff Road near the Jewel, and that the grocery store will have a facelift.

Nelson added that developers are interested in a mixed use development of the Dominick's site on the south side of Kirchoff as soon as the housing market improves.

The River Walk development west of there was to have a fourth building for seniors, said Nelson. Instead, $20,000 in city funds per apartment is available for senior citizens to buy condominiums in the existing buildings.

Nelson described road improvements, including $4 million of federal stimulus funds to resurface and repave frontage roads along Route 53 from Kirchoff to Algonquin.

Businesses are moving into Rolling Meadows, said Nelson. Valerie Dehner, city community development director, gave examples, but said they are more office and industrial rather than showy retail.

The Unilever building on Golf Road has been sold to speculators who will fix it up for sale or for tenants, she said.

Meanwhile, the Rolling Meadows division of RIM houses design and development people - under security Marry described as "paranoid" - as well as patent attorneys in what was once the Gould complex at 2550 W. Golf Road.

The company's growth has been impressive. It had 33 employees here in 2008 and now has just under 250. It has room on five floors for 500 people, and is still doing at least some hiring, Marry said.

The company is based in Ontario, Can. and in 2009 was named Fortune Magazine's fastest growing company in the world.

Proximity to O'Hare drew the company to Rolling Meadows, he said.

Blackberry, which started as a business phone, wants to expand into the consumer market as well as China and India, he said.

He predicts that cell phones will develop game controls, security access to buildings and garage door openers.