Study to guide Roselle in business talks
Roselle officials on Monday will begin discussing options to develop land and attract retail business to the village.
Early this year, the village board hired Mallon and Associates, Inc. of Wheaton for a $30,000 study that looked at key areas of town such as Roselle and Nerge roads, Nerge and Plum Grove roads, Lake and Gary avenues, and Main Street downtown. The study’s aim was to develop suggestions for identifying, recruiting and bringing new businesses to those spots.
For roughly three months, the Wheaton firm conducted a two-part study.
In the first, staff members reviewed current land use; analyzed demographics, economics and retail sales trends; and conducted an inventory of businesses.
In the second, the firm interviewed landlords, developers and brokers; compiled occupancy and vacancy reports; and determined where businesses could thrive and which tenants to target.
Today the study is complete and includes a list of more than 20 detailed options for what Roselle leaders could do to develop the local economy.
Suggestions include creating tax increment financing districts; updating the comprehensive plan that was created in 1995; and developing and providing marketing materials to brokers and targeted tenants.
Village Administrator Jeff O’Dell said Monday’s committee of the whole meeting will be the first time officials tackle the plan and how they might apply it to Roselle.
“This plan provides them options,” O’Dell said. “But the board needs to decide what, if anything, it wants to do.”