Ziegler: Gurnee supports its businesses

As part of an ongoing project, the Daily Herald asked local business and village leaders about what kind of economic development projects were on the way in their communities. Here are the answers from Gurnee Community Development Director David Ziegler.

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

A. The village of Gurnee has levied no property taxes since 2000. Gurnee has also offered fee waivers and/or sales tax reimbursement agreements on an individual basis for high-impact projects in our community. The community development department offers full services in-house, from building, zoning and engineering divisions, to expedite the permitting process and provide business resources for development and redevelopment.

Q. What is currently in the works (ground has been broken or will be in the next couple months)?

A. The village has issued permits for a new medical office building at the intersection of Washington Street and Tri-State Parkway, as well as permits for remodeling at Jewel Osco at Hunt Club and Grand Avenue. The Wal-Mart is progressing with their conversion to a Supercenter, with work being completed before the holiday shopping season.

Q. What is in the planning stages?

A. We are working on 75,000-square-foot medical office building at the corner of Rollins Road and Grand Avenue for North Shore University Health System. We are also working on an annexation and zoning for about 180,000 square feet in three multiuse office buildings at the north intersection of Dilleys Road and Nations Drive.

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

A. Our immediate concern is to fill a couple of big box retail buildings that have been vacated due to corporate closings (Circuit City and Linens 'N Things). We are fortunate that our retail base is diversified and we have not been hit as hard as other communities with the economic downturn. We are attempting to maintain Gurnee as a regional destination for shopping and entertainment.

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

A. Gurnee is fortunate to have a desirable location, being midway between Chicago and Milwaukee with a full interchange off I-94. We have also been fortunate to obtain and retain several regional developments, such as Gurnee Mills, Six Flags Great America and the new Key Lime Cove Waterpark Resort that feed off each other and create a draw to the community.

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. We are definitely being more proactive and aggressive in tracking down businesses to add to our community. We have developed a database for industrial, office and retail spaces in our community to assist businesses in finding appropriate sites for their business. We have achieved a few small successes with our new process and will be ready when the business climate turns up.