A business decision worth cheering

Reactions to this week's announcement that Navistar will, after all, keep its international headquarters in Lisle may vacillate between cries of "Attaboy!" and "Phew!" But there is one word that sums up the response without qualification: "Hurrah!"

Currently headquartered in Warrenville, Navistar International, a diverse global company primarily focused on building commercial trucks, engines and other transportation equipment, had been looking at the former Alcatel-Lucent building in Lisle to consolidate operations, but nearly abandoned its interest in remaining in Illinois after a contentious local-zoning process in which nearby residents expressed fears an engine-testing plant would seriously damage air quality in the area, a claim Navistar disputed.

Wednesday's announcement represented the culmination of a deal brokered by state politicians, including Attorney General Lisa Madigan, whose office negotiated a settlement whereby Navistar will drop plans for the engine-testing facility in exchange for $65 million in incentives.

That's the "attaboy." The attorney general's office, the state, the company, the village of Lisle and the residents - not to mention other interested parties like Naperville, which kicked in bonding authority making $12 million in stimulus money available - all deserve praise for refusing to give up and for working to find creative solutions that satisfy residents' concerns while also enabling Navistar to operate profitably in Lisle for, according to the agreement, at least the next 15 years, and perhaps longer.

At the same time, the agreement is also a relief. Local debate over the plant had grown so bitter that by late spring, Navistar had all but decided to leave Illinois altogether. The company withdrew its zoning applications, claiming that the fight was damaging its corporate reputation, and appeared to be ready to take its existing work force, its 2,000 new jobs and its millions of dollars of impact on the local economy with it.

Thankfully, cooler heads and hard work prevailed in the end. As a result, company officials say, Navistar will invest $110 million in improvements to the Lisle site alone, with a total investment in Illinois of about $205 million. For that, we must surely all be pleased.

The tech bust of this decade has hurt the economy of the entire region and especially brutalized that portion of the once-thriving DuPage County high-tech corridor. Navistar's announcement demonstrates that the suburbs continue to provide the key conditions - including a talented, productive work force, cooperative, reasonable local governments, a high quality of life for employees and a competitive tax structure - for success of major corporations as well as the smaller businesses that supply them.

Regardless of the economic conditions, that is a result we all cheer.