Warehouse plan for Algonquin Corporate Campus gets good reviews

More space for businesses and warehousing soon could be coming to Algonquin's Corporate Campus.

On Tuesday, the village board's preliminarily approved the construction of a 56,500-square-foot warehouse and office building, its zoning and an annexation agreement.

The measure now moves to a final vote of the village board next Tuesday.

Algonquin-based developer RSR Associates LLC is the group behind the new project. The main tenant will be Advantage Moving.

"This is a great opportunity for them to have additional space to lease out and also for the village because it's providing options for people either looking to start a business or to locate in Algonquin," acting Planning Director Katie Parkhurst said.

Under the annexation agreement, the developer would help cover pending improvements on Boyer Road and add $30,000 to the village's coffers, said Scott Swanson, a partner with RSR and Advantage Moving.

The building will have room for between eight and 10 businesses, and Swanson is currently in talks with "several interested parties" to fill the other spaces, he said.

In addition to offices, each tenant also would have access to storage space in the warehouse.

Trustees universally praised the plans.

Included in the blueprints is a detention pond with plants at the bottom that will filter stormwater before returning it to the water system.

Six trees now on the property would be removed and, if possible, reused on other parts of the land, said Kirk Halma, the developer's consultant from Centerville Properties.

To encourage bike use, the developer also intends to install bike racks around the building.

"I like what they've done here," Trustee Jim Steigert said.

If trustees approve the proposal next week, the developer plans to complete construction in the fall, Halma said.