DuPage Airport Authority Welcomes Three New Companies To DuPage Business Center

WEST CHICAGO, Ill., Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Officials from the DuPage Airport Authority (DAA), along with NAI Hiffman, DuPage County and the City of West Chicago, hosted a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday to mark three new developments at the 800-acre DuPage Business Center in West Chicago, bringing jobs and impactful economic development to the area.  

The new developments for Suncast Corporation, Norix Group, Inc. and Greco and Sons, Inc., coupled with two other currently pending transactions, amount to more than $24 million in purchased land, encompassing 170-plus acres.

Estimates show that the Suncast and Norix projects will jointly provide nearly 400 permanent and more than 600 construction jobs, generating a combined $94 million in economic impact. Employment estimates from Greco are still under evaluation.

All three deals bring high-quality and reputable brands to the Business Center.

• Suncast Corporation, a market leader in custom wood structures and high-quality resin products, signed a long-term agreement with developer Pritzker Realty Group to lease a 782,000 square-foot facility. The $4.9 million land deal will pave the way to consolidate Suncast's Batavia and Montgomery locations into a new warehouse spanning 40 acres.
• Norix Group, Inc., a leading manufacturer of contract furniture specifically engineered and designed for continuous-use environments, signed a $2.7 million agreement to build a new 200,000 square-foot LEED-certified global headquarters on 22 acres.
• Greco and Sons, Inc., an Italian foods distribution company based in Bartlett, signed a $6.2 million agreement to build a new food processing and warehouse center spanning 46 acres.

Along with DuPage Flight Center and Prairie Landing Golf Club, the DuPage Business Center is one of three entities owned and operated by the DAA. According to a recent economic development study, DAA will have created more than 1,200 jobs across all airport activities and business units (once the Suncast and Norix facilities are complete), generating a total economic impact of $279 million. All revenue stemming from the deals will be allocated toward FAA-mandated upgrades at the airport.

"In the Business Center's 17 year history, activity has never been more robust than in 2018," said DAA Chairman Stephen Davis. "We are thrilled to welcome Suncast, Norix and Greco and Sons here and look forward to securing future developments in the months and years ahead."

DuPage Business Center is an 800-acre parcel on DAA property that was originally developed with the assistance of a grant from the State of Illinois. The Business Center will become an employment hub, ultimately providing thousands of jobs and generating significant economic impacts for the region. The recent flurry of activity can be attributed primarily to a strong partnership between the DAA, the City of West Chicago and commercial real estate firm NAI Hiffman, which DAA recently commissioned to market the Business Center.

"This impactful venture was truly a team effort between School Districts 33 and 94, our local Library District, Fire Protection District, the DAA, NAI Hiffman and the City of West Chicago," said Mayor Ruben Pineda. "We were able to work together to offer a strong package that attracted high-quality developers and outstanding companies. The package, which includes many tax incentives, made perfect economic sense in the long run due to the enhanced revenue streams that will be realized for our community."

"DuPage County continues to strive to create a business-friendly environment that stimulates economic growth. The influx of new jobs and new revenue will be a benefit to West Chicago and our county.  These companies understand the many advantages of locating in DuPage and we look forward to finding unique opportunities to bring more businesses and additional jobs here," added DuPage County Board Chairman, Dan Cronin.

Currently, the Business Center is on track for 70 percent occupancy in 2019. DAA, the City of West Chicago and NAI Hiffman will continue working together to market the remaining 250 developable acres.

SOURCE DuPage Airport Authority