As president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, I want to respond to John McCarron’s column “Since when do yuppies scare off factories?” (Op-Ed, Oct. 13). Simply put, it’s not residents who scare off factories but the unpredictability of land use.
For industries to succeed and grow, they must make long-term plans and investments. To do so, companies–especially heavy manufacturers–must have the confidence that they will be operating at the same site long enough to realize the benefits of their major investments.
Planned Manufacturing Districts (PMDs) are tools that the city uses sparingly and only when a strong, large and viable industrial area is threatened. The PMDs tiered zoning reserves the core of the area for manufacturing and creates a buffer layer for commercial use–separating residential properties from the heavy manufacturing area.
PMDs keep manufacturing investment and jobs in the area and, at the same time, create a harmonious relationship among the variety of residential, commercial and manufacturing interests.
Clearly, commercial and residential real estate development is good for the city. PMDs are designed not to stop this development but to guide it around industry to make sure we have a balanced economy.
As evidenced by both the Clybourn Corridor and Goose Island PMDs, planned industrial corridors work. Since planning the North River Industrial Corridor, six major expansions have occurred within the corridor, representing nearly $40 million in private investment, retention of 700 jobs and creation of approximately 400 more jobs. Federal Express Corp., Republic Aluminum Inc., General Iron Industries Inc., Lakin General Corp., A. Finkl & Sons Co. and other companies’ investments stem from the city’s commitment to reserve the land for industrial use.
More Top Picks Best Portable Handheld Fans
Our residential real estate boom is an exciting development, but we also need to make sure that we maintain a diversified and healthy economy. Manufacturing, despite the loss of jobs in the 1970s and 1980s, employs more than 171,000 people in the city of Chicago and remains the driving force of the Midwest economy.
Under Mayor Richard Daley, the city has shown a strong, consistent commitment to industry by assuring companies they can stay and grow where they are–as well as working to attract new businesses. PMDs are successful tools, used sparingly, to balance interests and maintain a strong tax base for the city–to the benefit of industry, businesses and residents alike.