Fox Valley leaders address plans for growth in difficult times

Growth. How can it be achieved in today's economy?

It's an important issue, especially as it relates to new business development in area communities.

The Daily Herald recently spoke with decision makers in several local villages and cities to get an idea of their plans for growth and progress.

Two Fox Valley communities that still have a lot of potential for growth are Huntley and Pingree Grove.

Here, we share some of their responses.

Huntley

Rita Slawek, Chamber of Commerce president

Q. What new businesses are coming to town or have just opened?

A. New chamber members include: Wal-Mart Supercenter, The UPS Store, Chiro One Wellness, Heritage Woods of Huntley.

Q. What types of retail business are you specifically trying to attract right now?

A. Any business that supports a community is a good business. We have had several requests for a hotel and a coin-operated laundry.

Q. What is the best kind of support your village or city can give small business in your community?

A. I think a village gives a business support by answering the questions they need to make the decision to open their business in Huntley. Help them to be informed of the options of relocation into an existing building or new construction. The village of Huntley attends our ribbon cutting ceremony and presents the business with a plaque. I think it has meant a great deal to these businesses, and I am very thankful that our village makes this effort. Sometimes in trying times there is not a lot you can do but be supportive and help them weather it.

Q. What can a chamber do to assist its membership, particularly in this challenging economy?

A. A chamber can give the business opportunities to network and promote their businesses. We have a Web site for them to promote themselves, Hot Deals, and even job postings. They can utilize our display wall for new residents, or businesses to get information on them. We do new resident packets to get their names out into the community. We are creating workshops to give them more information and help sharpen their skills. My goal is to try to keep them motivated and focused. I am fortunate I have a strong and warm group of representation from our chamber businesses. We welcome all the ideas our members give. In the long run, it will be up to the member to reach out to the chamber for ideas and suggestions. Our success is based on their success. I believe in the concept of a chamber, and even more I see it work within the Huntley chamber family.

Pingree Grove

Wyman 'Clint' Carey, village president

Q. How do you go about supporting business development in your community?

A. The village of Pingree Grove prides itself on its efficiency and streamlined approach to working with potential business. The village board and staff are committed to promoting a business friendly culture that fosters prompt, responsive attention to opportunities and accelerated review processes. Recent annexation agreements have been designed to provide a certain amount of flexibility in the desired commercial uses and incorporate clear design guidelines to help potential end users know upfront what the village desires.

The village actively reaches out to the property owners and makes itself available as a resource in the event there is interest or a potential opportunity. Finally, the village would be willing to negotiate incentives in order to help attract what are deemed to be the right users or opportunities that will have a long-term benefit to the village.

Q. What is currently in the works?

A. We are pleased to report that west of the BP gas station at Routes 47 and 20 the Lazar Brothers have started construction on "Starks Crossing," which will be a six-unit strip commercial building. This commercial development will create space for retail, office and service-oriented businesses. In addition, the village has approved the following developments which have not broken ground: Old Oaks Square - a mixed-use commercial development that will provide 68,000 square feet of commercial/retail/office use including a sit-down restaurant, drive through restaurant, retail shops, offices and services. Also, Pingree Grove Business Park - approximately 40-acre business park along Route 20 and east of Route 47 that has been approved for commercial and light industrial uses.

Q. What is in the planning stages?

A. There are several other parcels in the village that are commercially zoned but have not moved forward with the subdivision or preliminary development phases at this time. These properties are at the north and south intersections of Route 47/Route 72/Route 20 and along the Route 47 corridor.

Q. What is your town's biggest economic development wish?

A. Pingree Grove does not have much of a commercial base at this time, so the biggest wish would be to foster the development of a diversified commercial and retail base along the prime corridors to support the newly emerged residential community and help fund the services we now provide. Ideally, this development would occur in a unique, attractive manner in which commercial places are created rather than having square footage and parking lots constructed.

Q. What is your community's single greatest asset or selling point to potential developers?

A. Pingree Grove is a strategically located along three state routes and in close proximity to the I-90 access, which gives us location, location, location. In addition, the village has annexed and zoned several large undeveloped commercial properties that are ready and available along the prime Route 47/Route 20 corridor. Finally, we tout our expeditious and business friendly approach.

Q. Have the challenges presented by the current downturn forced you and your community to approach economic development differently? What are the changes and how well are they working?

A. The economic landscape has certainly changed and, unfortunately for Pingree Grove, this change occurred just as we were getting started. The strategy of efficient and expeditious processes has not changed. In fact, it has been enhanced in light of the current conditions. The village believes there has been a paradigm shift in the realistic development that may occur. While the big box heyday is not necessarily over, the village recognizes that those opportunities will not be as prevalent as they once were - at least for the next few years. This has prompted a shift to encourage mixed use residential/commercial developments that are sustainable on the community level and approach commercial development in terms of creating places and not square footage. It is too early to tell if this is what new commercial and consumer interest will desire.