CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
title
Adopt the resolution expressing the City of Naperville's intent to consider a Business District designation and impose appropriate Business District sales taxes on portions of the Westridge Court Shopping Center and Heritage Square properties
body
DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J. Novack, Director/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
Business District Law
Illinois law, namely the Business District Development and Redevelopment Law, 65 ILCS 5/11-74.3-1 et seq., (Business District Law) allows municipalities to designate business districts to encourage opportunities for development or redevelopment of property and to attract sound and stable commercial growth by establishing a levy for additional sales and/or hotel tax.
Big-box Retailers
These two shopping plazas, at the corner of Route 59 and Aurora Avenue, were built during the big-box era of the 1980's. With the growth of online shopping over the last decade, the number of big-box retailers has diminished considerably. Nearly all retail centers, including Fox Valley Mall across from this site, have struggled and are looking for new ways to drive traffic to their locations. Research has shown that unless the anchor is a grocer with a large footprint, the 1980's model of a large anchor with smaller in-line retailers is no longer working.
Brixmor owns both Westridge Court and Heritage Square have been assessing major changes to the sites. Their current plan seeks to capitalize on their location by removing many of the existing buildings and re-orienting the site with a central core surrounded by outlots along the roadways. This will require complete removal and relocation of the infrastructure that serves these centers, including the water, wastewater, electric, private utilities, parking lots and drives.
Brixmor Request
Brixmor is seeking City Council approval for the formation of a Busine...
Click here for full text