North Aurora considering industrial park addition

Developers looking to add a large industrial park to North Aurora heard encouraging words from the committee of the whole last week.

The McShane Corporation is looking to add two large industrial buildings - one 153,000 square feet and the other 243,000 square feet - on 24 acres fronting Route 31 just north of Airport Road, near the site of the new police station, said William Trumbull, vice president of the Rosemont-based company.

As part of the project, McShane would use money generated from the property taxes to improve about 800 feet of Route 31 where it fronts the property. Improvements include widening the street and adding a traffic signal, Trumbull said. The land is now zoned agricultural.

The prospect of improving Route 31 was important to many trustees, who said they would like the project to improve the often-rough street to Airport Road.

The increased property tax revenue would go into a special tax district used to provide physical improvements to Route 31. The 24-acre parcel would generate about $330,000 per year to that district.

"I feel this could be a great kick-start to improving Route 31," Trustee Max Herwig said.

"This is a project that was not anticipated," Trustee Mike Herlihy said. "It really has a chance to become a powerful vehicle for Route 31. If it makes (improvements) happen, we're ahead."

After village staff and the board offered input last month to McShane's initial plan, the company reworked the plan to include rearranging buildings, adding landscaping buffers and agreeing to improve Route 31, Trumbull said.

Trumbull said he was encouraged by the board's reaction to the modified plan.

The project could also be expanded if McShane pursues a second phase, Trumbull said. Plans call for McShane to purchase the 60-acre Valley Green golf course and convert it as an extension to the industrial park. Trumbull said phase two would not happen before 2012.

Trumbull said before he comes back to the board this month he expects to hear from the Illinois Department of Transportation whether the project can include an added traffic signal on Route 31.

McShane has built about 1,000 industrial buildings in the Chicago area the past 23 years, Trumbull said.