As the Chicago Bears contemplate whether or not to construct a brand new stadium on the previous Arlington International Racecourse they personal, stay at Soldier Field or contemplate invites to maneuver from different municipalities, Waukegan has a number of potential lakefront websites to contemplate.
One of the parcels — the previous Johns Manville website north of Greenview Avenue — is greater than 300 acres, rivaling the onetime racetrack in measurement. Two different areas simply north of the town seashore may be mixed right into a 90-acre website.
City officers at the moment stay up for listening to proposals from potential builders, together with the Bears, on practically 400 acres north of the seashore to show the positioning of onetime Rust Belt factories into one thing appropriate for the twenty first century.
Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor wrote to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren June 12 inviting the staff to contemplate Waukegan as a location for its new stadium. She talked about it as a approach to preserve the staff taking part in its video games alongside Lake Michigan, because it does now.
In her letter to Warren, Taylor talked about Waukegan has developable land on the shores of Lake Michigan. She mentioned it’s a approach for the Bears to construct a brand new stadium and proceed to play their video games alongside the lakefront.
Bears senior vp for advertising and communications Scott Hagel mentioned in an e mail June 13 {that a} June 2 assertion issued by the staff mentioned, “It’s our responsibility to listen to other municipalities,”
Taylor mentioned the staff has not contacted the town but, however she and different officers are in search of methods to entice builders to the lakefront, downtown and different elements of Waukegan, just like the on line casino now working a brief facility close to the Lakehurst purchasing middle.
“We look at this as a partnership,” she mentioned. “We want developers to see what Waukegan has to offer, and the opportunities we have here. We are a growing city.”
Whether the Bears or another developer desires to discover growth in Waukegan, Noelle Kischer-Lepper, the town’s director of planning and financial growth, mentioned the town is able to work with them.
When a developer approaches the town, Kischer-Lepper mentioned the very first thing she does is pay attention so she understands their wants, whether or not it’s a stadium for the Bears or a unique kind of challenge. The lakefront areas are distinctive in their very own approach.
Waukegan’s pure harbor is a peninsula extending east, bounded by a bending Sea Horse Drive on the north and east. Kischer-Lepper mentioned it’s 36 acres. North of Sea Horse Drive are 63 acres. It is a former industrial website. The parcels may very well be mixed.
Kischer-Lepper mentioned a portion of the 36-acre parcel and the entire bigger one are U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund websites due to contamination left by factories as soon as there.
A soil administration plan with the EPA is in place on the smaller lot, the place Kischer-Lepper mentioned a enough quantity of soil is being positioned on high of the prevailing floor to make it appropriate for growth. A plan must be filed for the bigger tract.
Another impediment to growing the 2 parcels is an deserted Canadian National Railway observe, which ends close to Greenwood Avenue. Taylor mentioned she wouldn’t touch upon an answer to the railroad challenge right now.
North of the decommissioned coal-fired energy plant alongside the lakefront at Greenwood Avenue lies greater than 300 acres the place a Johns Manville plant as soon as operated. It is analogous in measurement to the previous Arlington racetrack.
Though the bigger parcel is a Superfund website, it’s north of the Canadian Railway tracks, eradicating them as an impediment. Kischer-Lepper mentioned the land is privately owned by an organization.
Whenever there’s a developer focused on non-public land in Waukegan, she mentioned she is keen make introductions and develop into as concerned because the events need the town to be.
“Any time we can we’ll work with the parties to try to find a solution,” Kischer-Lepper mentioned. “We’ll make an introduction, and stay as involved as they want us to be.”
Whether the Bears like the thought of touchdown on Waukegan’s lakefront, one other a part of the town or elsewhere in Lake County, Kevin Considine, the president and CEO of Lake County Partners, mentioned knowledgeable soccer stadium within the space could be enormous.
“It could be transformative for the neighborhood it lands in,” he mentioned, “It would be a massive investment, which has a big ripple through the entire economy. There would be tons of jobs at the stadium and the nearby neighborhood.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com