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THE BUGLE/SENTINEL MARCH 14, 2012
Development, infrastructure forefront of Crest Hill plans Sherri Dauskurdas Staff Reporter
Apology to Crest Hill
Business development and infrastructure continue to be the focus for Crest Hill Mayor Ray Soliman and economic development manager Bryan Gay, a commitment Soliman reiterated to business leaders and community members during the annual State of the City address on February 15 at Prairie Bluff Golf Course in Lockport. Road work, city sewage and ongoing development have been the course stayed by Soliman since he took office two years ago, when he hired Gay and began his quest to build up the small Will County community. Since then, business has taken shape throughout Crest Hill, from emerging small ventures, restaurants and shops for consumers, to larger manufacturing facilities,rounding out the city’s economic profile. Some twenty-four new
It has come to the attention of the Bugle Newspaper that an article published on February 22 headlined “Mayor of Crest Hill addresses businesses at State of the City” contained erroneous and out-of-date information, and referenced Crest Hill activities and developments that occurred not in 2011, but in years prior. The Bugle staff regrets the errors, and apologizes to its Crest Hill readers.The correct news story covering Mayor Soliman’s address to the chamber of commerce on Feb. 15, 2012, is printed here. businesses have come to town in the last year, due in no small part to the efforts of both Soliman and Gay to commit to infrastructure improvements through grant funding and fiscal discipline. Last year’s reconstruction of Cedarwood Drive received about $500,000 in federal support, covering about 80 percent of the expenses for the project. A $6 million low-interest loan is funding the re-engineering of the city’s sewer system, which is ongoing. Family Fun Zone opened on Cedarwood at Theodore St. late last year on the
site of the defunct Skate West Roller Rink. The 24,000-squarefoot facility includes the roller rink but added a restaurant, laser tag, and arcade to the mix. Goglonian Bakeries, a Southern California-based company with operations across the United States, will open in Crest Hill this spring, employing 200. Another 200 positions are expected through 2015. The company produces breads and pizza dough. Pockets of retail development continue to rise in Crest Hill. The corner of Plainfield Road
and Larkin Avenue will see the addition of a convenience store and gas station. A former Eagle Foods, left empty since 2000 on Theodore Street, is being redeveloped into a space that will house both a grocer and restaurant. And should a one percent sales tax increase get approval at referendum in March, these businesses will continue to funnel both revenue and jobs into the city. Soliman has said the influx could be used to fund more infrastructure improvement, hire city workers and cut the city’s share of property taxes. Other projects continue to struggle through stages of redevelopment. In 2011, White Oak Library District put its plans on hold for a Crest Hill facility, when bids for the project came in higher than anticipated. The Library district purchased the land near Weber and Caton Farm Roads in August of 2011, with the hopes of breaking ground
by November. Six million in building bonds had been slated for the project. Additionally, Gay and Soliman are hard at work on a shuttered Weber Crossings East, at the corner of Weber Road and Division Street. Soliman told chamber members they are working closely with Bank of America to find an agent to market and sell the property, which has been in foreclosure for two years, a stark reminder of the harsh blows the area economy has felt. “Bank of America has appointed a new receiver and they have engaged the city to help remedy the issues with the property. Bank of America is now well aware of the access issues at Longmeadow Drive and with the new receiver for the property they are currently looking for a real estate group to market and sell the property,” Soliman said. sdauskurdas@buglenewspapers.com