On Thursday, February 8th, Mayor Gina Cunningham delivered the 2018 State of the Village Address. Hosted by the Village and Chamber630, the record-breaking attended event provided a summary of the previous year’s economic trends and development, along with a snapshot of what is to come in 2018.
Mayor Cunningham announced the addition of AMITA Health to the community. AMITA Health will occupy the long vacant space previously occupied by Dominick’s who left the community in 2013. AMITA Health will be investing nearly $10 million in the building to accommodate immediate care, physical therapy services, and various medical offices. It was also announced that the dining options in Seven Bridges will grow with the addition of Legends Grill and Bar and Woodridge’s second brewery, Ike and Oak Brewing Company. These business will join the new Starbucks relocation that will be moving north in the development and will have new building with a drive thru. All new development will contribute to the transformation of Seven Bridges, which started with Uptown at Seven Bridges, an 80 unit townhome development that commenced construction in 2017. All businesses are expected be open the second half of 2018.
Last year also marked the completion of the Union Pointe Business Park, which welcomed the relocated corporate headquarters for AMS Mechanical Systems and the winery for Coopers Hawk Winery and restaurants. They join the corporate headquarters for Edward Don and Company and Orbus Exhibit and Design Group in the 1.1 million square foot business park. Union Pointe has helped bring $70 million in investment, and nearly 1,100 hundred jobs to the Village!
At the event Mayor Cunningham stated “businesses are choosing to locate or expand in Woodridge –not by luck, but because of the Village Board’s commitment to expanding local commerce in our community. The Village, every year proactively undertakes actions that strengthen our relationships with the local business community and attracts new businesses who want to make Woodridge home”
These action include the elimination of a 5% water utility tax last year, maintaining no increase in the Village property tax rate for the fourth year in a row and the continuation of the successful shopping center and small business grant programs that started in 2017. It was stated at the event that the Village granted nearly $350,000 in grant funds for shopping center improvements that will equate to over $700,000 that will be spent by property owners to reinvest in aging shopping centers.
Lastly, the Mayor promoted the Village’s business retention program. The longstanding program has been used by the Village to meet with a variety of businesses over the last several years to hear from local businesses and to better understand business needs and how the Village can support them.
Check out the video that highlights these and other topics, and features interviews with the local business community.
