Airline food processing plant proposed in Des Plaines
Starting next year, your in-flight meals may be coming from the kitchens of a new state-of-the-art facility in Des Plaines.
International Airport Centers Chicago LLC plans to build an $11.4 million, 130,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse building at 200 E. Touhy Ave. on the city's southwest side.
The company has named LSG Sky Chefs, the world's biggest producer of airline food, as a potential tenant with plans to sign a 20-year lease, city officials said.
LSG Sky Chefs currently has a location at 201 Eastern Ave. in Bensenville.
The 17-acre site has sat vacant since 2005, when International Airport Centers purchased the property from Dayton Superior, a concrete producer.
The downturn in the economy made it difficult to develop the land, but the property owners tell city officials that now is the time to build, while also asking for some help to make the project financially viable.
The city council this week endorsed the company's application for a Cook County Class 6b property tax incentive, which allows industrial property that is being improved to be assessed at lower levels for 12 years. Property is assessed at 10 percent of its market value for 10 years, at 15 percent in the 11th year and at 20 percent in the 12th year.
Normally, property would be assessed at 25 percent of market value.
Property taxes without the incentive are estimated to be $822,000, while taxes with the incentive would be $328,800, officials say.
The proposed building will contain about 57,800 square feet for warehousing, 43,500 square feet of manufacturing space, and 29,500 square feet of office space.
The building will take up about 10 acres, with 2.5 acres set aside for stormwater retention, and another 4.5 acres available for a future industrial building.
The facility is proposed to be LEED certified, a designation showing environmentally-friendly design and construction.
The tenant is expected to employ at least 150 people and construction is targeted for completion by September 2015.