SEED’s Mission: Providing Leadership, Pursuing Long-Term Success
SEED provides leadership in establishing and maintaining an economic development plan. SEED seeks to recognize needs and pursue solutions related to the long-term success of the business community and the Village.
Our Goals and Objectives
- Provide proactive recruitment support for new retail and commercial businesses
- Identify, communicate and support future economic development needs to local government
- Support retention and expansion of existing South Elgin businesses
- Facilitate Village Center commercial district marketing and development
- Support, when practical, quality of life issues for South Elgin residents
- Maintain the highest level of confidence and trust on all inquiries
- Treat the needs and opinions of those the organization serves with respect
How We Are Redeveloping South Elgin
Although South Elgin has been very successful in attracting commercial development, further commercial and industrial development is needed to better balance the tax base and to provide the services that are needed to accommodate continuing growth. SEED works to attract revenue producing commercial enterprises that will reduce South Elgin’s reliance on residential property taxes.
SEED is working to maximize the potential of the Village Center and the LaFox Corridor TIF District so that they deliver the greatest economic benefit to the community.
The attention of developers and community builders has turned toward redeveloping downtown and river districts, where plans call to redevelop the existing Village Center into the dynamic civic, cultural and entertainment center of the community.
The Village comprehensive downtown redevelopment and revitalization plan will guide the evolution of the downtown district into a mixture of parks, upscale residential and mixed-used commercial and retail buildings. The plan emphasizes a mixture of multi-family housing with shops, offices and restaurants co-existing, often as “live/work” units.
The centerpiece of the plan features:
- A river-walk attraction with new pedestrian and bicycle access over the Fox River
- A new pedestrian level under the State Street bridge and expanded bicycle paths
- A new community center is planned for the area north of Village Hall
- Water and Center Streets will be upgraded to facilitate local traffic flow
Plans also call for the area to be included in a new Village Center Planned Development District, which would include guidelines for the redevelopment of existing buildings. The LaFox Street Corridor is part of the district and is also covered by a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District that will encourage productive development.
River Crossings, a mixed-use development at the intersection of State and Woodbury Streets is leading the area’s redevelopment effort. The age-restricted condominium building features 45 residential units and includes attractive commercial space at street level. The project met all Village Center design guidelines and is expected to attract services and other retail ventures to support the growing downtown population.
An eclectic offering of nearby residential properties will ensure the district’s vitality in the years ahead. Among the projects planned for the area are Springs at South Elgin which features luxury apartments, Sagebrook new housing at the corner of Silver Glen and Randall Road. Trails of Silver Glen is located at the Silver Glen and Randall Road intersection which are new exciting projects in the Village