How Naperville mayoral candidates plan to keep economy thriving beyond downtown

Through recessions, pandemics and inflation, businesses in downtown Naperville continue to thrive.

But what about the rest of the city?

As three candidates - Tiffany Stephens, Scott Wehrli and Benny White - vie to become the city's next mayor in the April 4 election, making sure other parts of Naperville remain economically strong is a campaign priority.

White, Wehrli and Stephens aim to replace Mayor Steve Chirico, who is not running for a third term. The candidates differ on how to ensure city leaders keep their eyes on areas beyond the riverwalk.

Wehrli, a business owner and longtime liquor commission member, views the Interstate 88 technical corridor as an area where underutilized properties can be transformed into multitenant buildings.

Wehrli said he'd target underperforming assets throughout the city, especially in the southern part of Naperville where Indian Prairie Unit District 204 is hampered by having fewer commercial properties than in Naperville Unit District 203 to the north.

"When I look at these opportunities in Naperville and economic development specifically, I attack them from a business perspective," he said. "Any commercial development we have on the 204 side is going to be an absolute priority in my book to get performing at its highest and best opportunities."

White, a city councilman, has additional insight into the economic situation in southern Naperville as a former District 204 board member. A key to bringing new businesses to that region, he said, is examining census data and focusing on growing communities such as the Asian and South Asian population.

White also noted the importance of strategic tax incentives like the ones that brought Costco to the corner of Route 59 and 75th Street to become the city's biggest sales tax producer. He lauded work to create a business district at Block 59, where he said a proposed 1% sales tax increase to the Heritage Square Shopping Center would boost funding for District 204.

"Are we attracting businesses to help fit the demographics of what our community looks like?" White said. "We've got to be able to think out of the box when it comes to attracting businesses here, and, quite frankly, I think we do a pretty good job of that."

At the mayoral forum hosted last week by the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation and the Naperville Senior Task Force, Stephens said she'd look at what the community and city need when deciding how best to approach the economic situation.

"Just getting in there, talking with people," she said. "Talking to the community and talking to developers and people that can come in and help us with continuing to preserve the quality of life for families in our city of Naperville."