Huntley First! Village’s program recruits businesses large, small

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Updated: January 29, 2012 2:38AM

HUNTLEY — The village is promoting itself as a good place to do business.

The Village Board recently heard an overview of the Huntley First! economic development program, which seeks to enhance the business community’s perception of the village and entice owners to locate here.

To that end, the village launched a new economic development web portal on Thursday, which is separate from the village’s regular website. It targets development and details the reasons a site developed in Huntley would be advantageous to businesses both large and small.

The website allows users to search available properties in the village to find immediate square footage for their businesses. There is information on the demographics, traffic counts and logistics, as well as housing information and wage comparisons with other communities in the state. The site can be accessed at www.huntleyfirst.com.

“The village of Huntley maintains many distinct advantages for business,” Village Manager David Johnson said.

“In addition to the recent widening of Route 47 and construction of a full-access interchange at Interstate 90 in 2012, Huntley maintains all the benefits of being located in the largest Midwestern metropolitan area, but with all the lower cost benefits of other cities.”

Cost benefits outlined in the plan include competitive wage rates, efficient permit approvals and fiber-optic availability.

Victor Narusis, business recruitment coordinator for the village, outlined several factors that would attract new companies to Huntley, including $100 million in infrastructure improvements, a central location between Chicago and Rockford, being within 30 miles of two international airports and six interstate highways, and access to a Class I railroad.

Margo Griffin, business retention and expansion coordinator, said the lower costs for Huntley include a more-affordable tax base than in Chicago, less-expensive housing and lower-cost land.

“Implementation of the economic development plan will include going out and meeting with site selectors to build relationships with them,” Griffin said.

They also plan to work with local business owners.

“We will develop retention and expansion programs in the village by increasing lines of communication to find out the needs of existing businesses,” Griffin said. “We want to let our businesses know we are there for them and their issues are real to us.”