Lisle, Naperville chambers endorse Navistar move

Navistar's proposal to locate its international headquarters in Lisle received endorsements from its brethren in the business community.

Both Lisle and Naperville chambers of commerce announced their support of the plan after a presentation from the engine and truck building giant currently headquartered in Warrenville. Navistar is looking to move to the former Alcatel-Lucent building at 2600 Warrenville Road in Lisle.

"A (chamber) member remarked that this relocation is a once-in-a-decade opportunity for our business community," said Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce President John Schmitt. "His comment was spot on. This proposal fills a corporate campus that has been vacant since the collapse of the telecommunications industry at the early part of the last decade. We cannot afford the lost opportunity as the ... campus sits vacant for another decade."

Navistar officials outlined the proposal to the chamber membership last week. Leaders from the chambers voiced their support at Tuesday's DuPage County Forest Preserve board meeting.

But opponents of the proposal argue the support from the business community shouldn't outweigh the concerns of residents.

"The chamber (meeting) was one heck of a pep rally for Navistar, and I am certain their presentation won the day with that audience," said Rich Wilkie, a resident who lives near the proposed site. "They've recruited a whole army from the business community."

The chambers contend the proposal is a boon for the area with Navistar committing to adding 1,600 jobs in the county and investing $100 million to upgrade the facilities at their new home.

The deal is contingent on several factors, including creation of a special taxing district, selling a 3-acre ring road currently owned by the forest preserve district and commitment by the company to retain the site as its international headquarters for a lengthy period of time.

In April, Lisle will hold the first of several likely meetings to discuss the creation of a Tax Increment Financing District at the site to help fund infrastructure improvements.

But that taxing district is contingent on the donation by the forest preserve of the ring road. The forest preserve can't sell property to a private entity, but it can sell it to another unit of government. So plans call for the county and Lisle to pay $1.5 million for the road so it can be given to Navistar. The three taxing bodies agreed to the deal months ago, but a deadline to finalize the agreement is March 31. Navistar officials asked for an extension Tuesday.

Forest preserve officials don't have another meeting scheduled this month to grant the extension, but they announced plans to hire a consultant to analyze Navistar's environmental impact report. Forest preserve officials said the hiring doesn't mean the commission will automatically grant an extension for the agreement on the road deal.