 The
answer is that yesterday (Wednesday) all five projects were announced as winners
of the Economic Development in Illinois Award, known as the Edie Award. The
annual award is given jointly by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the
Illinois Development Council to recognize significant economic development
projects finished in the prior year throughout Illinois."The economy is
recovering slowly but surely, and more and more companies are out there
investing in our state and creating jobs," said Doug Whitley, president and CEO
of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. "The chamber is proud to be working with
the IDC to recognize some of the exciting developments that were completed
across the state."
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Development Council believe
it's important to showcase recent accomplishments -- especially when they
translate into more jobs, tax base and economic vitality in Illinois.
"These companies and the local economic development teams are in the trenches
across the state, creating jobs and investing in our communities," said Kim
Uhilg, chairman of the Illinois Development Council and business development
director at the Morton Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council.
"These successful projects are too often overlooked, and we wanted to take a
moment and reinforce the notion that economic development like this is central
to keeping our state vibrant and healthy."
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Development Council asked
for nominations from across the state for projects completed in 2011. An awards
committee reviewed the nominees and determined which projects were worthy of an
Edie Award. The Edies will be formally presented in Chicago on June 8 at the
annual meeting of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
The five winners of the 2012 Edie Award are as diverse as Illinois' economy.
Arch Street Artisan, Atlanta -- The Atlanta Betterment Fund was created
in July 2008 to help ensure the quality of life in Atlanta by helping the
community's businesses and services survive and thrive. The ABF initiated the
idea for the Arch Street shop in January of 2011 because it would help local
residents who were known for crafting unique products such as jewelry,
woodworking, homemade candy and stained glass, but who did not have the
resources to open their own business location from which to sell their products.
The ABF decided to fund a central commercial location that could be shared by
local artisans and out of which they could collectively market and sell their
products.
The ABF recruited the artisans and worked with them to renovate a vacant
commercial space in downtown Atlanta. The shop opened in July of 2011 and has
increased sales tax revenue for the city while providing a unique, enjoyable
shopping experience for locals and visitors alike.
Belvidere Assembly Plant -- Chrysler Group LLC, Belvidere -- In November
2009, the newly formed Fiat-managed Chrysler Group LLC announced that it could
not promise that future models would be produced at the Belvidere Assembly Plant
after 2012. That decision needed to be assessed on a competitive basis.
Growth Dimensions, Belvidere's lead economic development agency, and the
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity worked with other local
and state resources to ensure the future of the Belvidere plant. By the end of
2010, Chrysler had announced construction of a 638,000-square-foot addition to
the plant and a $600 million investment to expand the plant and prepare it for
production of future vehicles. The state committed to providing a $62.1 million
business investment package to save 1,950 permanent jobs and generate 700,000
construction hours. Gov. Quinn supported legislation he signed into law in
December 2009 to expand the EDGE tax credit to benefit the auto industry, which
was critical to Chrysler's decision to stay and expand in Illinois.
The project resulted in retaining the operation of seven parts suppliers, six
in Belvidere and one in Sycamore, representing 1,400 jobs in total. During the
project period, four additional parts suppliers made investments in Belvidere.
These four additional suppliers added another 500 jobs.
Chrysler Group recently announced that the original $600 million investment
had increased to $700 million and that the plant would add 1,800 jobs by the
third quarter of 2012, which includes nearly 500 for production of the all-new
Dodge Dart. In total, the Belvidere Assembly Plant is expected to be operating
with 4,500 employees by the third quarter this year.
Finkl Steel Plant, Chicago -- Founded in 1879, A. Finkl & Sons Co. is the
world's leading supplier of forged-die steels, plastic mold steels, die-casting
tool steels and custom open-die forgings. The company's products are used in a
variety of manufacturing applications, including automotive, mining, and air and
aerospace. Located in Chicago, Finkl produces more than 100,000 tons of steel
each year -- distributed domestically and to more than 18 countries worldwide.
Finkl decided to build a 53-acre manufacturing campus on Chicago's south side,
with five times the capacity of its current facility. The new south-side campus
would help the company employ the most advanced technologies and equipment,
create new jobs and serve as a catalyst for ancillary redevelopment in the
nearby community.
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Navistar Headquarters, Lisle -- In the fall of 2010, Navistar
announced its intention to move its corporate headquarters to a
former Lucent Technologies location in Lisle. This move entailed
moving its headquarters operations from Warrenville as well as
integrating its truck and engine product development operations from
other locations, which involved moving employees from out of state.
Now complete, the 1.2 million-square-foot global headquarters and
integrated product development center for Navistar welcomes more
than 3,000 employees and several hundred contractors every day.
During construction, more than 2,000 union workers renovated the
facility, and Navistar paid $900,000 in fees to the village of Lisle
for permits for construction and move-in. This was unplanned revenue
for the village. Relocating employees to the area has resulted in
over $50 million worth of homes, and there are more to come. As with
any project of this size, Navistar teamed up with state and local
officials on the final financial package -- including a $100 million
investment by Navistar through Illinois Finance Authority bonds,
state incentive packages worth $65 million, and Lisle and DuPage
County investments in road improvements.
Testa Produce Distribution Center, Chicago -- In 2011, Testa
expanded its operations to a restored brownfield site in the Back of
the Yards neighborhood -- previously Chicago's historic Stockyards
Corridor. Testa Produce is a 100-year-old family-owned and operated
wholesale produce distributor servicing the food service industry
throughout Chicagoland and the surrounding areas. The company's
91,000-square-foot facility is equipped with 180 photovoltaic solar
panels and a 238-foot freestanding wind turbine -- the first of its
kind in Chicago -- that will generate 30 percent of the building's
energy needs. On-site energy generation offsets the equivalent of
about 80 homes' worth of energy each year. The extensive water
management system consists of a retention pond, bio swales, an
internal rainwater-harvesting cistern and a 45,000-square-foot
barreled, vegetated roof. This system is designed to reduce the
facility's water demand by over 40 percent. Testa's building meets
the stringent requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council, and
as a result the company has been named the first LEED
Platinum-certified refrigerated food service facility in the United
States.
___
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce promotes the interests of
Illinois business by working to improve the state's business
climate. The Illinois Chamber aggressively advocates legislation and
public policies that support economic growth, and is a source of
timely and reliable information on matters important to its members,
Illinois employers and the general public. The Illinois Chamber also
provides effective programs and services to its 2,000-plus members
to meet their business needs, including immediate answers to tax and
human resources concerns and access to training and consulting
services. For more information, visit
www.ilchamber.org.
The Illinois Development Council is an association of
economic development professionals and allies that strives to build
relationships, professionalism and a positive atmosphere in which to
create jobs and wealth in Illinois. These individuals are employed
by municipalities, not-for-profit economic development councils or
community development corporations, utilities, railroads, planning
commissions, state government, and other partners interested in
retaining and growing businesses in Illinois. Members of the
organization participate in mutually beneficial public policy,
marketing and educational efforts. For more information, visit
www.ildevelopmentcouncil.org.
[Text from
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
news release received from the
Lincoln/Logan County
Chamber of Commerce]
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