Tri-Cities 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.
Among them were Geneva and Sugar Grove.
Here, we share some of their responses.
Geneva
Jean Gaines, Chamber of Commerce president
Q. What new businesses are coming to town or have just opened?
A. Several new retail businesses are in the process of opening, giving shoppers even more choices. Fiora's, a new restaurant will open at 317 S. Third St. And Artemisia, offering "a fusion of styles for your home" at 101 S. Third St. Some businesses like Les Tissue Colbert are changing locations moving to a warehouse setting on First Street. Changes make our town interesting. We are, of course, seeing the same challenges as every other town with some closings as well but with interest from new businesses we are optimistic.
Q. What types of retail business are you specifically trying to attract right now?
A. Geneva has a good inventory of retail and office space and we would like to attract businesses that enhance existing shops. We now see more effort to cross promote and businesses working together to offer the consumers great choices. The Wedding Walk, First Friday's Art Gallery Walk and Geneva by Design are three groups who have been successful with this concept.
Q. What is the best kind of support your village or city can give small business in your community?
A. Geneva's Economic Development Department and Director Ellen Divita offer services to any prospective business. Guides and one-on-one assistance is available.
Q. What can a chamber do to assist its membership, particularly in this challenging economy?
A. The Chamber of Commerce offers many programs and advertising opportunities to members along with a variety of networking venues. Seminars and educational programs are also scheduled along with the four major festivals that bring tax dollars into the community and sales to local businesses. In this economy it is even more important that we work together to pool resources and advocate "community."
Sugar Grove
Sean Michels, village president
Q. How do you go about supporting business development in your community?
A. The village's community development officer and administrator, as well as the village president, will meet with a developer or end user at any time. By making ourselves available to these people, we can usually cut down on the time to make key decisions. Further, as far a direct incentives go, the village will waive building permit fees for a build-out of a storefront, or we can rebate sales tax if a project is large enough.
Q. What is currently in the works (ground has been broken or will be in the next couple months)?
A. The village will complete a $10 million road and infrastructure project at Galena Boulevard and Municipal Drive. With this work going on, we recently annexed 45 acres of retail property on the southwest corner of Galena and Route 47, which is designed for large box retail. In the retail area known as "The Landings" there is a 14,000-square-foot building that is constructed, which the owner is working on getting new tenants.
Honda Jet is to break ground this summer on a $5 million sales center that will also take advantage of the Galena/Municipal road project. In addition to a new middle school opening this fall for Kaneland, the village has extended infrastructure to a 180-acre business park called Hi-Point Center.
Q. What is in the planning stages?
A. In April, a developer presented to the village board a concept plan for an assisted living facility north of Wheeler Road along Route 47. The village has also had discussions with various fast-food restaurants to go in on both sides of Route 47.
Q. What is your town's biggest economic development wish?
A. Not to be greedy, but Sugar Grove would have two wishes. The first would be to attract some large box retail in the area recently annexed. We feel the village has taken a strong position by extending the roads and water and sewer, to get this property "shovel ready" for when the economy turns around. This project has been in the works since 2001, when we worked on getting federal funding. It has taken nearly three years to design and build this road which we feel no retailer would have waited to get this work done.
The other wish is to diversify our tax base and increase our daytime population by getting building started in the Hi-Point Business Park. The village has taken the lead by extending water and sewer to this business park. This property has been annexed for several years, but due to the approximate $2 million to extend the infrastructure, no activity has taken place. Now we hope when the economy improves, this business park will start to develop.
Q. What is your community's single greatest asset or selling point to potential developers?
A. Location. We have great access to Interstate 88, eastbound and westbound, Route 30 and Route 47. The local airport is a draw to some larger corporations as well that have a corporate jet. You can get on Route 30 and go east to Chicago without having to stop for a red light.
Q. Have the challenges presented by the current downtown forced you and your community to approach economic development differently? What are the changes and how well are they working?
A. Not in a noticeable way. Sugar Grove had an active economic development corporation. With the economy slowing down the corporation duties are being handled by the economic development committee and village staff. This change has worked very well, with the village receiving comments directly from the retail developers.