Buffalo Grove outlines plan to lure more business in 2011
Buffalo Grove has unveiled what the village describes as an ambitious work plan for economic development.
But at least one village board member thinks the plan doesn't go far enough in one area: retail development.
Deputy Village Manager Ghida Neukirch told trustees this week that village's goal in 2011 is to attract new business and retain existing ones.
Among their strategies are on-site visits with some of the more than 700 licensed businesses in Buffalo Grove; working with groups like the Lake County Partners and the Buffalo Grove Area Chamber of Commerce; and maintaining a booth at the International Council of Shopping Centers shows.
Neukirch outlined areas targeted for development, including the Milwaukee Avenue corridor, such as the long-awaited Berenesa Plaza development at the northwest corner of Milwaukee and Deerfield Parkway.
Another property on the corridor is the Land and Lakes landfill, which has generated a great deal of publicity for its dealings with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Neukirch said there has been some interest in the front 18 acres of the 60-acre property.
The village also will focus on the critical Dundee Road corridor, once a rich source of sales tax revenue from its car dealerships. Neukirch said the Bob Rohrman Auto Group owns three sites on the corridor and is working with its director of real estate to fill a 15.9-acre property across from Buffalo Grove High School. Negotiations are under way with two auto franchises, she added.
Trustee Jeffrey Berman said he has been pleased with the evolution of the plan over the years, but believes more needs to be done in the area of retail development. He cited Berenesa Plaza, which has been stalled for more than 20 years, as an example of retail promises unfulfilled.
”I realize that there are a lot of factors that go into that, most of which are beyond the control of the village and village government,” Berman said.
However, he added, he has been troubled over the years by the village's passive marketing when it comes to seeking retail opportunities. Too often, he said, the village manager's office has engaged in a “single-contact” strategy, making contact and then waiting for a response or sitting in a booth and waiting for someone to make an overture.
The village should do more to play matchmaker between property owners and businesses, he said.
“That isn't to say, like any matchmaker, that they are always going to consummate the marriage,” Berman added.
Trustee Eric Smith commended Neukirch for her work with local businesses, saying that she “puts a friendly face on the village.” And while there needs to be more aggressive marketing to new businesses, Smith said the village is doing a good job of retaining businesses.
Village Manager Dane Bragg said it is a difficult business environment, with nearby villages like Vernon Hills poised to offer empty buildings at a much cheaper rate.
He said the village should try to focus on sites with the highest potential for development, and suggested offering incentives that are tied to the retailer rather than the developer.