Economic Development In Southwestern Illinois

By KEITH MORAN    Tax increment financing frequently gets maligned and it’s a reputation that is underserved. Municipalities used to be able to rely on state and federal resources, but no more. It’s now left up to local government to rehabilitate problem areas and stave off decline before they reach that stage. They need the tools…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    The city of Alton is in the process of creating its third tax increment finance district. The goal of this one is to renovate the Alton Square Mall property at Homer Adams Parkway and Alby Street.    The mall, which was originally developed in 1979, was acquired by Hull Property Group, a…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    The city of Belleville is using tax increment financing to catalyze a 170-acre development on Illinois Route 15, revitalize West Main Street and bring more residents and businesses downtown.    The long-awaited Hofbrauhaus is set for its grand opening this month complete with visitors from Munich. The city used a combination of…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    The city of Collinsville is in the process of incorporating the Gateway Center into the city and will be using tax increment financing to help take it to another level. The Gateway Center already creates in excess of $36 million for the Collinsville economy and the improvements are expected to increase…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    The city of Columbia is utilizing tax increment financing and a special business district to assist the redevelopment of the Immaculate Conception Church and school into the Main Street Abbey. The church dates back to the 1860s.    The project is the brainchild of local contractor Gregg Crawford of Mid-America Contracting. Crawford…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    The city of Fairview Heights has been the “retail hub of Southern Illinois” for almost 50 years and city leaders want to keep it that way.     The typical urban development     pattern, said Paul Ellis, the city’s director of economic development, has been that an area would get hot, attract…

By ALAN J. ORTBALS    Over the last 16 years, the village of Shiloh has established four TIF districts, each of them aimed at solving problems, removing barriers to development and positioning the community for growth.    TIF A is its oldest district. Created in 2002, it was established to enable the development of the Green Mount…