Brewster Creek Business Park
Long known as a tree-lined, family-friendly community, the Village of Bartlett recognized that manufacturing, distribution facilities and office headquarters would help solidify the local economy in the late 90’s. Building up the Village’s tax base, providing good paying jobs, and building up a strong daytime population were some of the goals to help bolster Bartlett’s economy on a long-term basis. Coincidentally, the Village of Bartlett was home to Bartlett Quarry, a sand and gravel quarry owned by Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company that had been depleted of its minerals by that time.
With this in mind, Village of Bartlett officials took the proactive measure of negotiating and entering into a partnership with landowner Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company in 1999 in the form of a Redevelopment Agreement to develop Bartlett Quarry into one of the premier Chicago area business parks over the next twenty years via the creation of the village’s second Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. Village officials also worked in conjunction with both the DuPage County and Cook County Highway Departments in regard to the construction of a north-south arterial through the development.
The TIF financing mechanism is being used to reimburse the landowner’s developer notes for site reclamation and infrastructure for the 600-plus acre business park which is put into place according to a phased plan. Thirty million dollars is being invested over the life of the TIF for land reclamation, installation of off-site infrastructure and road improvements to facilitate the land development, installation of site amenities including street lighting, parkway trees, perimeter landscaped areas to buffer surrounding residential uses, landscaped entrances, and the creation of wetlands.
In addition to TIF funds reimbursing the developer for site preparation, Bartlett adopted an I-2 Economic Development Area zoning classification with specific parameters for Brewster Creek. This process gives developers clear-cut guidelines on the Village’s specifications on guidelines for site development and speeds up the approval process in comparison to other zoning districts in Bartlett. The zoning allows for office, research and industrial uses. Limited service-oriented businesses are also now moving into the business park, including Bartlett Animal Hospital, Bark Avenue Daycamp, Burseth Racing (an auto racing and accessories retailer) and the Hitting Zone, a baseball training facility. Dozens of small businesses operate out of industrial/office condominium projects developed by Elgin-based Triumph Development, the most active developer in Brewster Creek.
The overall development plan encompasses 670 total acres with 468 acres available for development, 67 acres for wetlands and open space, 78 acres of roads, and 56 acres in lakes. With industrial sites of various sizes, rail accessibility, DuPage County taxes and excellent proximity to major commercial thoroughfares, the Brewster Creek Business Park is becoming a major draw for relocating and expanding companies of all types and sizes.
The business park is serviced by city water and sanitary sewer, gas is provided by NICOR and electrical service is provided by Commonwealth Edison. The local telecommunications provider is Ameritech. O’Hare International Airport is only 21 miles from the Park and DuPage Airport is six miles away. Highway access includes: Elgin-O’Hare Expressway two miles to the east, I-355 is ten miles to the east, I-90 is six miles to the north and I-88 is ten miles to the south. The new Stearns Road Bridge spanning the Fox River in Kane County is a few miles west of the Park.
To date, interest has been strong from firms in the O’Hare market and the Northwest and West suburban markets. Companies have been relocating from inner-ring suburban locations and other older business parks due to the inability to expand at their current site and/or to take advantage of property tax rates in DuPage County. Many notable companies have set up headquarters, ancillary locations or distribution facilities in Brewster Creek. Greco & Sons (food distributors), Five Star Safety Equipment, Promark International, Midwest Molding, U.S. Wittenstein/Alpha Gear Drives, Herrmann Ultrasonics, and many others have opened in Brewster Creek.
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During 2009, new buildings were built for S&D Products, the Auto Truck Group, and Get Fresh Produce, which constructed the first LEED-certified (“green”) building in Brewster Creek Business Park and the Village of Bartlett. In 2010, the Village welcomed Dash n' Splash, Ball Corporation, ITW Brands, Mid-America Water Treatment and Interconex to Brewster Creek.
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In economic development terms, Brewster Creek is well on its way to accomplishing the Village’s goals. Where a depleted gravel pit once stood, more than 70 businesses with over 1,400 employees now work in a variety of jobs ranging from light manufacturing to high-tech research to automobile racing. A TIF District with an assessed valuation of $2.1 million in 2000 is now assessed at $47 million (2010) and will continue to expand in the foreseeable future. By the time Brewster Creek is built-out, it will be well-known as one of the most attractive and successful business parks in the Chicago area.
For more information on Brewster Creek Business Park and the Village of Bartlett, contact Tony Fradin, Economic Development Coordinator, at 630-540-5940 or tfradin@vbartlett.org.
Brewster Creek Business Park Fact Sheet
| Location | 35 miles west of downtown Chicago at the intersection of Stearns Road and Munger Road. O’Hare International Airport is 21 miles east and DuPage Airport is six miles south. |
| Access | Three miles east to the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway Six miles north to the Northwest Tollway (I-90) Route 59 is ½ mile to the east |
| Sites | Fully improved sites of various sizes are now available for purchase, build-to-suit or lease. |
| Density | 0.5 Floor Area Ratio. |
| Utilities | Municipal water system provided by seven wells and treated Fox River water. Sanitary Sewer provided by Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago. |
| Workforce | The area offers a diverse and skilled workforce. Elgin Community College provides workforce recruitment and custom training services with grant support from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Skilled and semi-skilled workers come from Bartlett and surrounding communities of Elgin, Streamwood, Hanover Park, West Chicago, Carol Stream and others. |
| Amenities | The Village of Bartlett has two challenging 18 hole golf courses, commuter and freight rail service, restaurants, banquet and conference centers, health clubs, shopping and a quality school system. The Village and the Economic Development Commission strive to create a climate for your business to succeed. |
| Sales | Land sales are handled by Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company. Contact Economic Development Coordinator Tony Fradin at 630-540-5940 for referral. Triumph Development has purchased several shovel-ready sites for build-to-suit projects. Brown Commercial Group represents numerous office condominium buildings with space available for purchase or lease. |
| Incentives | The entire business park is being developed as a result of Tax Increment Financing, which is being used to pay for infrastructure for the park. No individual TIF incentives are available for new companies. However, the Village supports the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds and State-sponsored programs for companies considering out-of-state options. |