Brady PieperIllinois is funding site readiness projects in dozens of communities that improve the potential of industrial sector growth and expansion.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is awarding $31 million in grants to better prepare sites for future investments and new job opportunities. The grants, administered through DCEO’s Regional Site Readiness Program, will support transportation authorities, cities and development councils’ efforts to increase industrial investments in local Illinois communities.
“Readiness planning, assessments, infrastructure improvements – these things are all the fundamental work that must be done for businesses and investments to flourish and jobs to grow across the state,” Governor JB Pritzker said. “In every corner of Illinois, there are communities that are overflowing with untapped potential but do not have the resources and support they needed to fully realize it.”
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The Regional Site Readiness Program, part of Illinois’ 2024 Economic Growth Plan, is a central funding initiative designed to invest in sites where improvements are needed and have the most potential for economic development. The initiative features two competitive funding opportunities that finance separate aspects of site readiness projects, capital ready grants and planning grants.
Capital ready grants, the larger of the two, support site readiness projects’ development and construction activities. These investments are intended to consolidate development time frames and fund a range of site preparation activities, such as electric, natural gas, water and sewer infrastructure.
In this round, DCEO will award 11 capital ready grants of up to $3 million each for readiness projects. These include:
- City of Decatur – $2.92 million for a water main extension on a 190-acre site.
- City of Lockport – $3 million to improve water and sewer infrastructure at the 140-acre STAR Innovation District.
- Chicago Department of Transportation – $3 million to enhance road infrastructure at a 66-acre site on Burley Avenue.
- City of Marengo – $3 million to upgrade water and sewer infrastructure on a 138-acre site.
- City of Rockford – $2.43 million for a road and water infrastructure project on a 132-acre site.
- City of Belvidere – $2.97 million for a sewer extension on a 137-acre site.
- Jo-Carroll Depot Local Redevelopment Authority – $3 million for energy infrastructure on a 400-acre site at the Savanna Industrial Park.
- City of Mattoon – $2.35 million to upgrade a substation on a 74-acre site at Mattoon Enterprise Park.
- City of Effingham – $3 million to extend water, sewer and road services on a 150-acre site.
- City of Vandalia – $3 million for road and water improvements at a 97-acre lot at Vandalia Industrial Park.
- City of Red Bud – $929,046 to improve road infrastructure at a 50-acre site at the Red Bud Business Park.
Economic development organizations, landowners and local communities that are not yet prepared to invest into site readiness projects will also be supported under this round of funding. DCEO awards planning grants up to $150,000 for eligible entities to kickstart pre-development work, including conducting initial environmental due diligence, mapping and feasibility studies.
This round of funding will deliver 13 planning grants that identify and research potential sites for redevelopment. These selections for planning grants include:
- Springfield Airport Authority
- City of Decatur
- Champaign County Economic Development Corporation
- Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council
- Village of Coal City
- City of Harvard
- Greater Freeport Partnership
- City of Ottawa
- City of East Moline
- Crawford County Development Association
- City of Metropolis
- Jerseyville Economic Development Council, Inc.
A full list of selections for the Regional Site Readiness Program can be found on the original award announcement. In addition to these grants, DCEO plans to distribute additional funds for site developments in the future.
“Investing in site readiness is one of the smartest economic development strategies we can pursue,” Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois Executive Director Kyle Anderson said. “By investing in site readiness, we are making it easier and faster for private companies to say yes to investing in our region.”
Photo by Kawser Hamid
