What can you do to assist in promoting economic development in the City of McHenry??????

•  Contact me with comments, questions, suggestions for new businesses or businesses you think are considering expanding or relocating into or out of the City, rumors you may hear, true or false I can seek to confirm, clarify or deny.  Do not assume the City knows…

 

• Take advantage of the City, its knowledgeable staff and access to resources:  The City has access to and knowledge of many different resources and has established relationships with many agencies (Examples:  United States Small Business Administration, McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, McHenry County, Nicor, ComEd, Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Transportation, McHenry County Workforce Network, Small Business Development Center, State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to name a few....) and many of these agencies provide free information and assistance, financing options and counseling, employee training opportunities/programs and the City has and can act as a facilitator between a business and any of these agencies…….
 
• Remember, economic development is extremely dynamic; many uses are finite; vacant buildings are a normal part of the business cycle but those vacant buildings will be filled, some quicker than others, as companies, market and economy continually evolve (Example:  Former Motorola Building (217,000 square feet was vacant for more than 13 years and purchased in 2013 by Stack-On);

 

• Economic development is a package deal:  companies are not buying a property or building,  they are buying into all the City of McHenry has to offer (Examples:  The people, sense of community, quality of life, McHenry Riverwalk, recreational opportunities, restaurants, quaint downtown areas, diverse retail, solid employment base, home to many national/international corporations, schools, proximity to Fox River, open space, expanse park system, historic fabric, community events and festivals…..)…..Sell the City of McHenry as a great community, place to live, visit, enjoy recreational opportunities, work….
 
 
• Remember-even if all buildings were occupied economic development would still remain a top priority for the City of McHenry!!!!!!!!!!

Coming in future blog posts: 

• Importance of economic diversification;
• Why doesn’t (fill in the name of a business) locate in the City of McHenry? 
• Future trends in economic development;
• What factors do businesses consider when closing, expanding and/or relocating?
• Challenges associated with economic development….

 I encourage your feedback, comments and suggestions in this community-wide endeavor!

 

 Douglas P. Martin

Director of Economic Development

City of McHenry

333 S Green Street

McHenry, IL 60050

815.363.2110 (d)

815.363.2173 (f)

815.790.4752 (c)

dmartin@ci.mchenry.il.us

www.ci.mchenry.il.us

http://www.ci.mchenry.il.us/departments/development/economic.html

McHenry Market Pulse

@McHenryIL

What is the City of McHenry doing to fill all the vacant buildings?????

A successful holistic economic development program includes: establishing and maintaining relationships; networking and engaging stakeholders; providing consistent and accurate information; facilitating a straightforward predictable development review process which promotes business attraction, retention and expansion!!!!!

 A question I am asked quite frequently is:  What is the City of McHenry doing to fill vacant retail, office and industrial buildings? 

 Following I provide a snapshot of a few of the activities the City does and has been doing for several years; many of which are on-going and others are additional actions which will be implemented in the near future…….

 

• Maintain regular contact with real estate brokers, developers and business and property owners (existing and prospective) engaged in industrial, retail and office development (Example:  I recently sat down with a very highly regarded management company which owns a shopping center in the City of McHenry as well as numerous other centers throughout the Chicagoland Region and also had a similar conversation with a prominent national commercial broker, active in the market for over two decades, to enlist their thoughts and opinions, both of whom I have great respect and known for many years…);
• Network with other professionals and continue to educate myself about trends, the market and what other communities are doing to address economic development related challenges (Example:  I attended the 7th Annual Financial Forecast Forum:  "Private Sector Views that will Impact the Public Sector” hosted by Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies);
• Provide list (updated bi-annually) of available properties including (retail, office, industrial and vacant land) throughout the City, as well as other economic-development programs the City offers (Example:  West Illinois Route 120 Corridor Enhancement Initiative, Façade Grant and Revolving Loan Fund Programs); policies, documents and useful informational resources, which can be found by clicking on the following link:  http://www.ci.mchenry.il.us/departments/development/economic.html;
• Collaborate with other taxing bodies and stakeholder groups to hold seminars and disseminate information on economic development initiatives and potential partnership opportunities (Example:  Underutilized Property Tax Abatement and Incentive Program);
• Visit businesses seeking to locate to the City of McHenry and those in the City seeking to expand, contemplating relocation, requiring assistance with employee training/recruitment, answering questions, providing assistance, referrals and resources (Example:  Recently I visited two businesses seeking to locate in the City of McHenry, one in Boone County and another in northern McHenry County);
• Provide building, floodplain, utility, property maintenance, zoning, planning (Example:  census data, socioeconomic, demographic, population, housing, location of water and sewer lines and property pins), and economic development assistance (Example:  market studies, leakage analyses, employment, and employer industry information), answer questions as well as offer suggestions.

Coming in future blog posts: 

• Importance of economic diversification;
• Why doesn’t (fill in the name of a business) locate in the City of McHenry? 
• Future trends in economic development and how has economic development changed over the past several years?
• What factors do businesses consider before they decide to locate/relocate, close, and/or expand?
• Challenges associated with economic development…

I encourage your feedback, comments and suggestions in this community-wide endeavor!

 

Douglas P. Martin

Director of Economic Development

City of McHenry

333 S Green Street

McHenry, IL 60050

815.363.2110 (d)

815.363.2173 (f)

815.790.4752 (c)

dmartin@ci.mchenry.il.us

www.ci.mchenry.il.us

http://www.ci.mchenry.il.us/departments/development/economic.html

McHenry Market Pulse

@McHenryIL

JEWEL/OSCO IS NOT CLOSING....

JUST THE FACTS....

RUMOR:  Jewel/Osco is closing.  The City was recently asked if Jewel/Osco located on Elm Street in the City of McHenry is closing their store in the near future?

FACT:  I just spoke with the landlord of Boone Creek Plaza, who I have known for many years.  Boone Creek Plaza is the center where Jewel/Osco is located and the landlord confirmed THIS RUMOR IS FALSE and that Jewel/Osco IS NOT CLOSING.  He also stated Jewel/Osco has several years left on their lease.

Doug

 

Douglas P. Martin

Director of Economic Development

City of McHenry

333 S Green Street

McHenry, IL 60050

815.363.2110 (d)

815.363.2173 (f)

815.790.4752 (c)

dmartin@ci.mchenry.il.us

www.ci.mchenry.il.us

@McHenryIL

 

 

COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The City of McHenry is committed to economic development and as Director of Economic Development for the City of McHenry my job is dedicated exclusively to pursuing economic development opportunities (business attraction, retention and tourism), increasing awareness and conducting community outreach and engagement.  As part of this effort I am launching a new blog entitled “McHenry Market Pulse”.  The purpose of “McHenry Market Pulse” is multi-fold including:

 

• Engagement and education of community members to support and take an active role in promoting economic development in the City of McHenry;
• Providing consistent and accurate information pertaining to economic development activities in the City of McHenry and stating “just the facts” on recent developments/news and dispel/confirm rumors to the extent the City is able;
• Encouraging residents, businesses and other community stakeholders to provide feedback to facilitate an ongoing dialogue relating to economic development in the City of McHenry.

The City of McHenry is pursuing numerous initiatives to augment and enhance its economic development efforts.  Some of which include:

 

• Conducting open houses to engage various stakeholder groups (the first of which was recently held with real estate brokers);
• Hosting community-wide informational/drop-in sessions to discuss issue economic development with residents and businesses;
• Providing information on new and expanding businesses in the City;
• Developing a list of frequently asked questions to assist businesses, including the creation of a small business resource guide;
• Working with the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation and other community  partners to collaborate on and pursue business attraction and retention, tourism and community events.
 

I encourage your feedback, comments and suggestions in this community-wide endeavor!

Douglas P. Martin
Director of Economic Development
City of McHenry
333 S Green Street
McHenry, IL 60050
815.363.2110 (d)
815.363.2173 (f)
815.790.4752 (c)
dmartin@ci.mchenry.il.us
www.ci.mchenry.il.us