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Archive for the ‘Property Taxes’ Category

Done deal: Texas data center firm closes on deal for Sears campus in Hoffman Estates

Posted in Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Property Taxes, Sears, Topics Of Interest on September 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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Dallas-based Compass Datacenters closed on its purchase of the 273-acre former Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates on Tuesday. The village has not yet seen a detailed plan for the property. (Joe Lewnard | Staff Photographer, 2019)

The former Sears campus in Hoffman Estates may now have a promising future to go with its storied past, as Dallas-based Compass Datacenters closed on its purchase of the 273-acre site Tuesday.

The move turns a page for Hoffman Estates and closes the book on Sears’ presence in the Chicago area, from where it helped shape the national retail industry for decades.

“We are very pleased to welcome Compass Datacenters to Hoffman Estates,” Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod said in a statement. “The redevelopment of the former Sears headquarters into a data center campus begins a new chapter for this high-profile property and continues the technology diversification of our tax base. Although still preliminary, the investment by Compass will be in the billions of dollars and will have positive effects for our community for years to come.”

Representatives of Compass have not responded to requests for comment in recent weeks.

The company is in the process of being acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, according to a news release in June.

But CEO Chris Crosby’s statement at the time alludes to the ambitions demonstrated by Tuesday’s land purchase.

“The industry is at a critical inflection point today with AI and cloud demand continuing to fuel significant growth,” he wrote. “With Brookfield Infrastructure and Ontario Teachers’ strategic expertise and deep financial resources, Compass is ideally positioned to meet growing demand for hyperscale data centers and campuses.”

Hoffman Estates officials haven’t yet received a detailed proposal for the property, but the 2.4 million square feet of office space there seems destined for the wrecking ball.

Read more here.

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Equestrian Commission meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, Audio recordings, Barrington Hills Park District, Big Red, Conflict of interest, Deception, Entertainment, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Massbach Hounds, Organizations, Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, Topics Of Interest, Unions, Village Director of Administration on September 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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The Equestrian Commission will hold a meeting this evening at 6:30 PM.  Though scheduled to meet quarterly, this will be their first meeting in a year.

Topics on this evening’s agenda are:

  • Equestrian Trail Subdivision Easements, and
  • Equestrian Trail Licenses

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.

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Special Plan Commission meeting this evening

Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington High School, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Plan Commission, Property Taxes, School Districts, Topics Of Interest, Village Government on September 11, 2023| 1 Comment »

780 County Line Road

780 County Line Road

The Plan Commission is scheduled to have a special meeting this evening starting at 6:30 PM.  Topics on their agenda are:

  • [Vote] Plan Commission Vice Chair Nominee: Curt Crouse, and
  • [Discussion] Developer Proposal for Property Outside of Village: 780 County Line Road

A copy of the agenda can be found here.

Editorial note: It is recommended that those interested in the discussion regarding the property at 780 County Line Road consider attending this meeting. The poor audio quality of remotely accessed meetings continues to be a problem (and has been for years now).  Clearly, this is not a priority for the Cecola administration.

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Education officials respond to concerns of ‘radical’ ideology in classrooms

Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Deception, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, TRAC, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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At Fairfield Elementary in Springfield Wednesday U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker meet. Greg Bishop / The Center Square

Education officials are reacting to concerns over political activism, rather than education, being in the classroom.

With the new school year in full swing for most of the state, national and state education officials made visits to Illinois schools.

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At Fairfield Elementary in Springfield Wednesday U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and talk with education officials. Greg Bishop / The Center Square

Before a visit to Fairfield Elementary in Springfield featuring Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Illinois U.S. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, released a statement saying Pritzker and Cardona oppose parental rights “and believe young children should be indoctrinated with radical ‘gender ideology’ politics in the classroom behind their parents’ backs.”

“Parents should be in charge of their child’s education, not radical politicians like Pritzker and Cardona who believe teachers should be discussing chemical castration and gender reassignment with your child,” Miller said.

Shannon Adcock, founder of the parents’ rights group Awake Illinois, said educators must focus on education.

“I would hope they would start talking about literacy, about proficiency and how they’re actually going to focus on academic outcomes in the classroom, not political activism, not waging continued war on parental rights,” Adcock told The Center Square.

Pritzker said despite state data showing some areas with low proficiencies in math and reading, the state is educating children.

“We always want to do better. We want our kids to do better, and in fact we’ve invested in that in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said as he praised federal taxpayer resources for public education.

Read more here.

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220 Board approves priorities for 2023-24 school year

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, District 220 referendum, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cow, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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“Every fall the Board of Education selects its priorities for the upcoming school year. At the Sept. 5 meeting, Board members approved six priorities for the 2023-24 school year. Each priority aligns with the district’s six strategic priorities that were developed as part of Barrington 220’s strategic plan, Framework 220.

The priorities include:

  • Personalized Learning
  • Future Readiness
  • Inclusive Education
  • Health & Well-being
  • Community Partnerships & Communication
  • Stewardship

Within each priority, there are measurable objectives. This school year the district is focusing on one or two objectives in each priority. “

Click here to learn more about each priority and objective.

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Attorneys for South Barrington Park District, church tell judge they want to complete land sale

Posted in Barrington United Methodist Church, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Property Taxes, South Barrington, Topics Of Interest on September 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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Attorneys for the South Barrington Park District and a church trying to buy 34 acres of park district land said Tuesday they want to move ahead with that deal despite legal action being taken by local residents.

But the lawyer for the residents trying to stop the deal gave no indication during a brief discussion before Cook County Judge Claire J. Quish that his clients are willing to relent.

Rather, plaintiffs’ attorney Mohit Khare requested — and got — more time to amend the complaint and a request for a temporary restraining order that aims to quash the sale. Changes could include dropping the village of South Barrington from the complaint, attorneys indicated.

The Plymouth Bible Baptist Church wants to buy the land, which is south of where Bartlett Road and Route 59 meet and sometimes is called “Area N,” for about $1.7 million.

Church representatives have said they intend to erect a house of worship and a school on the property, which is just north of the Woods of South Barrington neighborhood.

However, during Tuesday morning’s virtual court appearance, attorneys revealed the actual prospective buyer is a Maywood nonprofit called the Fourth Avenue Gospel Building.

Read more here.

Related: “Opponents of the South Barrington Park District land sale to Plymouth Brother Christian Church protest outside meeting, confront commissioners,” “Proposed sale of South Barrington Park District land to church is headed to court,” “Why the South Barrington Park District has halted land sale to church, (Part 2),” “Why South Barrington Park District has halted land sale to church,” “South Barrington Park District proposed property sale updates include request for support,” “Hearing on controversial church plan canceled in South Barrington, but opponents still have their say,” “Why some South Barrington residents oppose plan for new church, school,”  “Nearby South Barrington Park District property sale concerns neighbors”

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Survey shows Illinois leads nation in declining revenues for small businesses

Posted in Politics, Property Taxes, Taxes, Topics Of Interest on September 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Bton 2018

Revenues are drying up for small businesses in Illinois.

According to a survey by the small business network Allignable, Illinois is the hardest hit state in the country, with 61% of local businesses earning half or less of their monthly pre-pandemic revenues in August. That is a 24% increase from July.

The only other states with a percentage higher than 60% are Massachusetts and Minnesota. Four states that experienced a drop in the percentage of small businesses with falling revenues included Georgia, Colorado, Ohio and Michigan.

The nationwide number is up to 50%, the most significant surge in revenue problems all year.

Head researcher Chuck Casto said interest rates may be partly to blame.

“Fifty-two percent of all small business owners say that the rate hikes over the last 17 months have started to really affect them in a lot of different ways,” said Casto.

Small business owners also listed inflation and a drop in consumer spending as reasons for the drop in revenues.

Read more here.

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District 220 Board of Education meets tonight

Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Deception, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

220 Admin

The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 7:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Topics on their agenda include:

  • Approve Settlement (Abeyance) Agreement with Student A.
  • Consideration to Approve 2023-24 Board Priorities
  • First Reading of Board Policy, and
  • Additional Uses of Mobile Board Meeting System

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live-streamed on the district YouTube channel.

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Park District Advisory Committee meets tomorrow tonight

Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Countryside Elementary School, Don't Change Barrington Hills, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Mad Cow, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on September 4, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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The Barrington Hills Park District Advisory Committee meets tomorrow evening at 7 PM.  Some of the topics on their agenda include:

  • Grounds / Landscaping Committee
  • Motorized vehicles in Forest Preserve
  • Additional clear-view windows to be added to the indoor arena for winter
  • Dust-free driveway and parking lot solution

A copy of their agenda can be viewed here.

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A data center firm is expected to close on the Sears campus this month. Then what happens?

Posted in Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Property Taxes, Real Estate, Sears, Topics Of Interest on September 3, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Sears

Texas-based Compass Datacenters is expected to close on its purchase of the 273-acre former Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates this month, according to sources familiar with marketing of the property.

Sources familiar with efforts to market the former Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates say Dallas-based Compass Datacenters is expected to close on its purchase of the 273-acre property this month.

Such a move would solve the 20-month mystery over the fate of the sprawling office campus, as well as erase the last visible presence of a 20th-century retail giant from the state it long called home.

Hoffman Estates village officials said they could not comment on the status of any pending real estate transaction, but they indicated they are prepared for a redevelopment of the Sears site.

“Whatever it is that ends up happening, we’re ready for it,” Director of Development Services Peter Gugliotta said. “We can get through the review process fairly quickly.”

A data center campus would present a much simpler approval process for the village and other entities than Sears’ plan for the previously undeveloped land in the early 1990s.

Much of the effort back then concerned bringing infrastructure to the site — including sewer, water, roads and tollway interchanges — and the taxation mechanisms to enable it, Gugliotta said.

Read more here.

Related: “Texas data-center developer under contract to buy Sears headquarters, sources say,” “Unnamed group under contract for potential purchase of Sears campus in Hoffman Estates”

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