Throughout this year I have helped businesses with a variety of different economic incentives. “Each incentive is a unique tool in the economic development toolkit,” my boss, Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Council’s Director of Economic Development, Mike Holzer likes to say.

One of my favorite incentives is the City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). The fund is used in certain districts across the city to reimburse small business owners for improvements made to their properties. It’s a win-win situation: neighborhood appearances improve and businesses remain competitive or are able to expand.

Where do these funds come from? There are blighted areas across Chicago deemed Tax Incremented Financing (TIF) districts. In a nutshell, when a TIF district is created the area’s property taxes are frozen for 23 years. Additional property taxes that are gained during that period are set aside into a separate fund that forms the TIF. These funds are used on larger projects (usually exceeding $1.0 million), such as infrastructure, environmental remediation work or improving vacant land and job creation initiatives. SBIF uses a small slice of a TIF district’s funds and focuses solely on property improvements for small businesses.

A few months ago, the City of Chicago allocated $500,000 to a SBIF district in the North Branch Industrial Corridor. LEED Council hosted a public meeting to announce the allocation, and carried out extensive outreach in the area. Within 30 days, applications had been filed by seven local small businesses.

What kind of projects are these seven businesses are planning for the funds? One local company will use the money to introduce green technology into the area by installing charging stations for electric vehicles. Another applicant is a 50-year-old business that requested money to replace its roof. Resource Point of Sales, a company that has recently moved into an industrial building that sat vacant for over 10 years, will be using the funds to help make general improvements to the property.

At the end of the day, SBIF is a useful tool, not only for how impactful it is, but also for how easy it is for business owners. Compared to other incentives, the application process is painless and the project requirements are minimal. It helps small business owners, who contribute to the creation of local jobs; and makes stronger, more attractive business districts. 

- Adam Panza, Assistant Economic Development Coordinator

• Bucktown Community Organization - 9am clean up of Ehrler Playlot Park; located at 2230 W. Cortland - between Leavitt and Wilmot. Organizer Steve Jensen 773.677.6023; steve.jensen@gmail.com 
• Churchill Park Planting Project - 9am planting of flowers outside of Churchill Park located at 1825 N. Damen - between Churchill and Bloomingdale Avenue. Organizer and plant supplier Sam Marts. Bring your own gloves and shovels if you have them! This is an informal activity.
• Kendall College - clean up activity scheduled. Kendall College is located at 900 N. North Branch Trail. For more information, contact Kendall College at 312.752.2000 
• Ranch Triangle Association - 9am-12pm clean up of Adams Park, Privet Park, and Wisconsin Pocket Park. Contact Ranch Triangle Association for more information. www.ranchtriangle.org  
• Roscoe Village Neighbors - hosting a clean up in Roscoe Village; Contact Roscoe Village Neighbors for more information. www.roscoevillage.org 
• Wrightwood Neighbors Association - 10am clean up of Jonquil Park; located at 1023 W. Wrightwood, between Sheffield and Lincoln. Contact Wrightwood Neighbors Association for more information.  www.wrightwoodneighbors.org   

Elston Avenue is now going to be a little safer for bicyclists. During our last Infrastructure Task Force meeting, David Smith, Chicago Department of Transportation Bikeways Planner, informed LEED Council members that the Elston Avenue Protected Bike Lane project was launching this month (April). The design for the bike lane from North Avenue to Milwaukee Avenue is illustrated below. The design was completed with both biker’s safety and business’s concerns, regarding parking and access to loading docks and other infrastructure needs in mind. CDOT determined that several locations on the Elston Avenue were under-utilized for on-street parking, so a protected bike lane can be installed without too much disruption of parking. Some location needs, parking or access and those areas will use a more typical, painted and striped bike-lane. This project will also include improved pedestrian crosswalk striping and signage to promote safe crossings on Elston Avenue.

CDOT is still exploring the North Avenue to Cortland Street portion’s feasibility and has not yet developed a design.

Take a look at this video, made by Street Films, featuring Chicago’s first protected bike lane on Kinzie Street.

aldermanmoreno:

Now Hiring – Laborer Apprentices

for City of Chicago Department of Water Management

· Receive on the job training, classroom training, and work experience.

· Salary starts at $21.12/hour.

· Must be 18 years old at time of application.

Applicants must…

chiboulevards:

With this unseasonably warm weather, it’s been great to walk and bike through the neighborhood. However, while walking through the neighborhood, you can’t help but to notice all the garbage on the sidewalks. There’s really a lot of it. It’s certainly time for some spring cleaning. So far…

On February 29^th, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Chicago’s new “Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs,” developed by World Business Chicago, at a press conference hosted by WaterSaver Faucet, a member of the Local Economic and Employment Development [LEED] Council. 

Mayor Emanuel acknowledged that Chicago needs direction for job creation. “A global city like Chicago needs a clear set of goals, a clear framework for analysis and clear strategies for economic growth and the creation of jobs,” said Mayor Emanuel. “By establishing these, the business community can work in conjunction with labor, the public sector and the nonprofit community to execute together and achieve these objectives. This is an important step in that direction and I am looking forward to incorporating the public’s input and comment as we develop this vision for our economic future, enabling the creation of more of the jobs that our city needs.”

Crain’s Chicago Business’ March 5^th editorial – “The devil in Rahm’s plan? Lack of details”– labeled the plan the “public-policy equivalent of hitting the Facebook ‘Like’ button.”  Crain’s calls for putting “some muscle behind the message” and “some specific ideas on how to get it done.” Since World Business Chicago designed the plan as “an ongoing, living process that welcomes collaboration,” I offer a few observations to be more linked in.

Consider WaterSaver owner Steve Kersten’s perspective. He shared via email that the City of Chicago and, in particular, Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr (27^th Ward) and the Mayor’s Office have been supportive of his efforts to rebuild and expand his manufacturing plant at Erie and Halsted Streets. “The Mayor clearly understands the importance of manufacturing to the Chicago economy,” Kersten wrote. “He also appears to be committed to helping provide manufacturing companies with what they need to remain here, which is planning and zoning policies that reserve space for manufacturing companies, a well-functioning city government and a skilled and educated work force.”

Steve’s got that right. First, it’s all about zoning. Both WaterSaver’s headquarters on Erie Street and its Guardian Equipment manufacturing plant on Goose Island were available for business growth because they are located respectively in the Chicago/Halsted and the Goose Island Planned Manufacturing Districts (PMDs). Drafters of new plans sometimes forget about pre-existing tools that have not only been effective but remain relevant for the future.

Second, we do need to create demand-driven and targeted workforce development.  That’s why with City TIF-support, LEED Council has created Worklocal.org to connect employers with local job seekers; and we are now expanding it to more employers and more targeted communities.

As the plan warns, Chicago’s economic future is threatened by traffic congestion and aging infrastructure. That’s why LEED Council has been working with our aldermen and City departments for years through quarterly meetings of our North River Corridor Infrastructure Task Force to prioritize infrastructure projects that improve functionality for our local businesses. From stop lights to bridges to bike paths, traffic needs to flow better and more efficiently.

Our corridor demonstrates how Chicago can be a center for business headquarters and key facilities with Wrigley’s Global Innovation Center, two major logistics firms and additional sites available for business expansion. These locations have access to public transit without being located downtown. The map of our economic turf highlights eight current business expansions and eleven sites available for more growth.

The plan highlights energy efficiency as an example of next-generation infrastructure. Retrofitting buildings can save costs and create jobs.  With State funding, LEED Council is training a new generation of energy auditors and energy-efficiency installers. With a couple more public policy initiatives, the private demand for energy efficiency and renewable energy could be significantly increased. 

Neighborhood investment remains vital. We need to rebuild Chicago’s communities that have been devastated by Wall Street. Unemployed residents can be trained and employed to rebuild their own communities. With jobs, Chicagoans can afford housing and shop for their families.

When implementing this plan, or any future strategies that evolve, the City must focus on growing businesses so jobs are created. Delegate agencies of the Chicago Department of Housing and Economic Development, such as ours, already have local businesses engaged. Now is the time for World Business Chicago to reconnect locally.

The Local Economic and Employment Development Council looks forward to working with Mayor Emanuel and World Business Chicago to assure that, as we look globally, we continue to work locally for business expansion and attraction to deliver more jobs for Chicago residents. 

Ted Wysocki, President & CEO

Local Economic & Employment Development Council

Read the summary, full plan and submit your comments here

At the last LEED Council Infrastructure Task Force Meeting on Wednesday, some local businesses expressed flooding as an issue. Chicago Department of Water Management was on hand to address these concerns and will be putting together a meeting in the near future to look into the problems in more detail. 

aldermanmoreno:

TONIGHT— Come have a couple of drinks and learn about the exciting future of transit in our community.

I intend to make the 1st Ward a shining example of how tranist in urban-America can be like many European cities, and even better. 

We’ll be at the Fifty/50 from 6:30 p.m. 

If you consider yourself compassionate, loving, highly energetic, self-motivated, a good problem-solver and have the ability to truly recognize a child’s individual needs, then you should become the newest
member of a pre-school center’s team. The center is accepting positions for a Logan Square location, slated to open in late Spring. 

Positions available include:

Director: B.A. in ECE or related field with 24 credits in ECE. Three years experience in a professional teaching position. Prior supervisory experience is preferred.

Assistant Director: 18 ECE/60 total credits.

Lead Teacher: minimum of 30 college credits with 6 in ECE and one year experience or 60 college credits with 6 in ECE and no experience, or CDA. BA in ECE preferred.

Assistant Teacher: High School Diploma

Nurse: Part-Time. High school diploma, or equivalency. Meet federal and state requirements. Documentation of RN status or higher. Experience working with young children required.

Cook: High school diploma or equivalency. Food and Sanitation
Certificate required.

Maintenance: High school diploma/GED. Applicable vocational training and certificates are preferred. This position requires a well functioning car because you must drive to Palatine daily.

Nightly Cleaning Position: 2hrs/7 days/week.

More information about these jobs can be found at worklocal.org. You
must register on this online job board to have access to the job listings.
If you want to apply for any of the jobs listed, please send your resume
to lily@leedcouncil.org and put the job title in the subject line of the
email.