Business & Tech

Frankfort Looking to Develop Acreage on Route 30

Route 30 construction means more than wider roads for the Village of Frankfort.

For the Village of Frankfort, Route 30 construction is more than a road widening project. Along with it come state-paid infrastructure improvements. With storm water drainage systems included along Route 3 0, it's anticipated that more developers will be attracted to the community. Frankfort boasts easy access to Interstates 80 and 57 and near proximity to other major routes.

Village Administrator Jerry Ducay shared his perspective on a 150-acre parcel on the north side of Route 30 between Route 45 and Pfeiffer Road. Developers in the past tended to shy away from that stretch because the cost for necessary infrastructure would be too high. As the road project comes to fruition, Ducay said he's anticipating commercial development.

"It's prime property," he said. The ideal project would be a commercial development firm that would oversee the overall architectural design and cultivate appropriate businesses. "We're conservative," he added. Frankfort has established a standard that businesses have to meet. "We want something that's going to contribute to the community."

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Not every development is going to meet the village's standard, according to Ducay. Mariano's Fresh Market,  21001 S. LaGrange Road, is one example of a business that matches the community's desire for an upscale store that offers the goods and services that appeal to the residents.

Some development plans have to be tweaked to match the surrounding architectural integrity of an existing development. At the moment, he said, the village staff is working with corporate officials from Panda Express, a popular Chinese restaurant chain. They're looking to set up shop in one of the outlots in the Jewel Osco-anchored commercial center, 21164 S. LaGrange Road. The planning commission is scheduled to address architectural design concerns at the Thursday meeting, said Ducay.

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Representatives from Panda Express are expected to present their plans. Ducay said it's occasionally difficult to come together with a commercial chain that is rigid in its architectural branding. However, other major chain stores, including Walgreens and Jewel Osco stores, have accommodated the village's standards for design features that coordinate with surrounding development.

Industrial development welcomed

The southeast quadrant of the village around Laraway and Center Roads is a prime area for industrial development. Industrial development is not what it used to be. It's not heavy duty development. The processes have evolved. It's much more technical in nature now. The kind of development that would gain village approval includes data centers, warehouses and clean manufacturers.

Industrial development "balances the tax base," he added. 

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