$3.4Mgrant to improve industrial park
Calumet City plans to work on streets as well as water, sewer lines
A nearly $3.4 million federal grant for Calumet City will help businesses such asHBTaylor Co.
The manufacturer of food and beverage ingredients and flavorings has a factory near Chicago’s Midway Airport and has established a warehouse and distribution facility in Calumet City’s Riverside Drive Industrial Park.
Calumet City plans to use the grant money to improve streets as well as water and sewer lines in the industrial park, which will ultimately help HB Taylor’s expansion, said Martin Ives, the company’ s vice president and general manager.
The company owns eight acres in the industrial park, but much of it has poor drainage which needs to be addressed before an expansion can take place, he said.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration said its grant will be matched with $844,000 in local funds.
Work in the industrial park is projected to retain 65 jobs, create another 100 jobs and spur more than $13 million in private investment.
“We wanted to stay in Illinois,” Ives said. “Indiana was courting us.”
The company nowhas about 10 people at the warehouse, but employment could increase to more than 65, according to Richard Chambers, Calumet City’s economic development associate and grants facilitator.
The industrial park, just north of State Street and east of Burnham Avenue, has more than 50 acres and two businesses.
Plans are in theworks to extend another street, Lincoln Avenue, north throughthe park towardthe Grand Calumet River, which could make more land available for development, said William
Murray, Calumet City’s administrator.
He said Calumet City has also received $6 million in federal money to make other road improvements in the area along State Street, including widening the road, which houses dozens of manufacturing firms.
Murray said the infrastructure work could bolster the city’s already healthy manufacturing base.
“The pieces are here, but we have to keep up with the infrastructure,” he said.