Clarius Partners’ Lion Electric manufacturing facility: A once-in-a-lifetime project in Joliet
By DAN RAFTER NOVEMBER 21, 2022
The kind of project that doesn’t come along very often. That’s how Peter Schmidt, senior vice president with Rosemont, Illinois-based Meridian Design Build, described the Lion Electric project in Joliet, Illinois.
Meridian Design Build served as the general contractor on Clarius Park Joliet’s Building 2, a 906,517-square-foot industrial facility developed by Clarius Partners in partnership with Walton Street Capital in the Chicago suburb of Joliet. The facility will serve as a manufacturing base for Quebec-based Lion Electric, a maker of zero-emission electric vehicles.
Lion Electric will build up to 20,000 electric vehicles here each year, mostly electric school buses. The facility at 3835 Youngs Road will have a positive impact on its home of Joliet, too, employing as many as 1,400 workers.
Planning for a stronger and more financially secure transit system for Chicagoland is underway with the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders from the business, community, environmental, labor, and civic sectors along with the public.
In the newsNew Hospital Partnership Launches – Includes Bolingbrook LocationThe University of Chicago Medicine and AdventHealth have closed on a transaction to form a joint venture called UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, which will combine the expertise and resources...
The new Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership was announced this week and includes the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties across the northeastern Illinois region including Will County.
Ruth Colby, CED Board Chair, welcomed more than 250 guests and thanked members of the CED Board for their time, guidance, and leadership in making the CED and Will County the best it can be. She reflected on the CED’s forty-one years of success.
In 2022 forty-three investor organizations marked 30 years or more of investment in the CED, which was commemorated through presentations of Certificates of Appreciation recognizing their commitment to community and their partnership with the Will County Center for Economic Development.
County Executive, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant offered comments highlighting the many groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings that occurred in 2022 throughout the county. The Executive also pointed to opportunities for small businesses and non-profits to apply for ARPA funding targeted towards mitigating existing hardships from the pandemic. Finally, she invited employers to explore the services of the Will County Workforce Services Division to help fill job vacancies and upskilling opportunities and training.
Congressman Bill Foster (D-11) gave remarks and highlighted significant legislation recently passed including the American Rescue Plan Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure and Jobs Act.
“These historic investments may have been passed in the last two years of Congress, but these investments will be playing out over the next decades to the benefit of Will County and businesses around the country.”
Two factors that seemed to matter most when convincing Lion Electric to locate in the southwest suburbs, Foster said.
“Part of the pitch we made was that in this area we have a highly skilled workforce ready to go and we have a second-to-none transportation infrastructure,” Foster said.
Doug Pryor, President & CEO was the featured speaker providing an economic overview illustrating where Will County conditions are compared with the region and State.
Highlights included Will County’s strength in:
job growth
manufacturing
energy production
leading the state in single family home building permits 4 years straight!
Pryor highlighted Will County infrastructure projects including those most recently completed: I-55 at Weber Road and Route 30 at I-80. He shared that the Houbolt Road Extension bridge project is near completion and lastly provided an update on the rebuild of I-80 from Minooka to New Lenox to include new Des Plaines River bridges.
Guests heard about the many companies investing and reinvesting in Will County this year, which includes Lion Electric, who recently produced its first, all electric, “Made in America”, school bus at its City of Joliet manufacturing facility. This is an important milestone for one of the most important projects in our region. Vehicles are now being produced right here in Will County, and they are the future of transportation.
Thank you to the CED Investors who stepped up to sponsor this important annual update. We are grateful for their commitment to this event and appreciate their support.
2022 marked another year of success for Will County leading the region in development and job creation. Although not without its challenges, 2022 has been a time for change, for growth and has been filled with countless achievements.
IDOT Launches New Site to Keep Public Informed on I-80 Reconstruction
The Illinois Department of Transportation has launched a new website, I80will.org, to provide the public with the latest information on the $1.2 billion reconstruction of Interstate 80 through Will County, one of the cornerstone projects of Governor JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program.
As one of the country’s three coast-to-coast interstates, I-80 through Joliet and Will County carries approximately 80,000 vehicles a day, about 25% of which are trucks. Advance work on I-80 started last year with a $41.7 million project to replace eastbound bridges over Hickory Creek, Richards Street and Rowell Avenue/Canadian National Railroad, and westbound over Richards Street, in Joliet, Rockdale and New Lenox, while widening eastbound I-80 from Gardner Street to Rowell Avenue. Once the eastbound improvements are completed later this year, similar improvements will begin in the westbound direction.
Planning for a stronger and more financially secure transit system for Chicagoland is underway with the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders from the business, community, environmental, labor, and civic sectors along with the public.
In the newsNew Hospital Partnership Launches – Includes Bolingbrook LocationThe University of Chicago Medicine and AdventHealth have closed on a transaction to form a joint venture called UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, which will combine the expertise and resources...
The new Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership was announced this week and includes the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties across the northeastern Illinois region including Will County.
ComEd Recognized as National Utility Leader in Attracting Jobs, Investment to Region
Electric utility ranked among top 1 percent of all American utilities for reliable and clean energy infrastructure
CHICAGO (Sept. 1, 2022) – ComEd has been recognized again for its leading role in supporting economic growth and job creation across northern Illinois, according to new rankings today by Site Selection Magazine, which named ComEd as one of the Top 20 utilities in economic development. Selected from more than 3,300 electric companies across the country, ComEd is among the top 1 percent of all utilities in attracting new businesses, jobs and investments.
“Companies continue to invest in northern Illinois thanks to the unparalleled access to clean, affordable and reliable power that is essential for meeting the demands of today’s digital economy,” said Gil C. Quinones, CEO of ComEd. “With industry-leading reliability fueled by our investments in grid modernization, ComEd’s service territory is attracting investment from some of the most innovative and exciting industries in the nation. We are committed to continuing the grid investments needed to transition to a clean energy future and power growth of Illinois companies that bring jobs and opportunity into the communities we are proud to serve.”
This marks the ninth year ComEd has earned the recognition – a testament to the company’s strong record in delivering clean, reliable and affordable power for 9 million people and businesses in the region, including some of the world’s largest companies. Last year alone, ComEd helped launch 16 new commercial projects – with commitments to invest $3 billion locally and create 4,700 new jobs.
“Just as utilities’ generation and distribution portfolios turn toward renewables and smart technologies, the economic developers at Top Utilities like ComEd are helping their communities pursue sustainable growth by cultivating the flow of smart capital and talent,” said Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection.
The magazine attributes ComEd’s investments to enhance grid infrastructure and promote reliable, clean energy service as key factors that are driving jobs and new business to Illinois. This includes:
RELIABILITY: ComEd has a key role to play in powering business, as it continues to make the investments necessary to enhance resiliency in the face of climate change, improve safety, and achieve new technology needs in an increasingly clean energy economy. These investments are paying off: ComEd’s overall reliability has improved 79 percent since investments began in 2011, avoiding more than 18.6 million customer interruptions and producing more than $3 billion in savings, including avoided business losses. ComEd’s industry-leading reliability performance continues in 2022, with the company providing its highest reliability on record for the first half of the year, and record storm restoration time amid an uptick in severe storms.
CLEAN ENERGY ACCESS: In support of Illinois’ goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050, ComEd is working closely with a growing developer community to increase access to clean and affordable solar energy in the residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. Since the community solar program launched, subscribers have grown substantially – from 700 in 2016 to nearly 30,000 residential customers today.
ComEd offers C&I customers a Distributed Generation (DG) Rebate of $250 per kilowatt of installed solar energy, which helps offset the out-of-pocket costs of installing a qualified renewable energy generating system. In the past four years, ComEd has provided close to $94 million in DG rebates to expand solar projects in northern Illinois.
EV EXPANSION: ComEd has also proposed a Beneficial Electrification (BE) plan which commits $300 million over the next three years to help remove barriers to beneficial technologies, including electric vehicles (EVs). A mix of rebates and programs will help communities and customers advance toward clean transportation goals as outlined by the State of Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) law, which seeks to put 1 million vehicles on the road by 2030. The plan also includes technical assistance for businesses with customized fleet assessments, and a new rate delivery class that would help large business customers offset the upfront costs of installing EV charging infrastructure at scale.
AFFORDABILITY: ComEd continues to expand programs that help customers save on energy, while keeping monthly bills among the lowest in the nation. ComEd customer bills today are in line with the past several years, and next year’s average bills are expected to remain below those of the 10 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Recently, ComEd’s energy efficiency program hit a critical milestone, saving northern Illinois communities a total of over $7 billion on their electric bills – including nearly $3 billion in savings for businesses – since 2008.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: To prepare communities for a clean energy future, ComEd is expanding workforce training programs that prepare more diverse, local workers with clean technology skills. Last year, more than 1,700 local residents participated in job training programs sponsored by ComEd, including programs to prepare residents for overhead electrical, construction and solar careers. These programs have a strong job placement rate, with close to 75 percent or more hired upon completion.
“Access to reliable, affordable, and increasingly sustainable energy is key to companies making location decisions,” said Intersect Illinois CEO Dan Seals. “We’re pleased to see ComEd recognized for its commitment to economic development in Illinois.”
“We congratulate ComEd on news that it is recognized as a national leader in economic development by Site Selection Magazine,” said Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago, Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago. “This recognition is well deserved and testament to ComEd’s long-term commitment to the Chicagoland region, strong performance and innovative energy efficiency programs, all of which are vital to helping local businesses thrive.”
“ComEd’s track record on reliability, resiliency and affordability has been vital to the growth of our region, and will play a key role in driving economic investment and jobs here for many years to come,” said Will County Center for Economic Development CEO, Doug Pryor. “Businesses know that ComEd provides industry-leading reliability, low and stable pricing, business-focused energy efficiency programs and renewable energy solutions that are critical to businesses aiming for long term sustainability. This provides businesses confidence knowing that when they choose Will County and northern Illinois, they’ll remain competitive in an ever-changing climate.”
ComEd’s year over year investments in grid modernization continue to drive new business to the area. This includes strong growth by sectors like data centers, logistics and manufacturing, all of which depend on a high volume of clean energy to power local operations and customers served around the world.
To read the 2022 Top Utilities Ranking story by Site Selection magazine, click here.
Planning for a stronger and more financially secure transit system for Chicagoland is underway with the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders from the business, community, environmental, labor, and civic sectors along with the public.
In the newsNew Hospital Partnership Launches – Includes Bolingbrook LocationThe University of Chicago Medicine and AdventHealth have closed on a transaction to form a joint venture called UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, which will combine the expertise and resources...
The new Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership was announced this week and includes the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties across the northeastern Illinois region including Will County.
Will County Elected & Appointed Officials Come Together To Put Best Foot Forward
Community Economic Development Strategy Training
Thirty-three elected and appointed officials and municipal staff representing eleven Will County communities and two State of Illinois Representatives came together for a morning of learning on August 23rd at the CED’s Economic Development Training for Elected and Appointed Officials.
This annual program addresses the roles of elected officials in driving strategic and successful economic development within their communities. The topics covered included 10 Things You Should Know, Strategic Planning Principles to Achieve Success in Community Economic Development, and a Community SWOT exercise.
Our partners with the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity detailed business assistance resources & programs and we learned about utility programs for new business development and expansion from our ComEd and Nicor economic development expert partners.
ComEd was again the sponsor for the morning, and we were graciously hosted by Mayor Keith Ogle and the Village of Frankfort team. We appreciate the support and use of their excellent facility, which provided a great environment for learning and networking. A post-event survey revealed that all attendees’ personal learning goals were met, and respondents fully intended on implementing what they learned within their communities.
Delivering learning experiences such as the Elected & Appointed Officials Economic Development “Boot Camp” is based on the CED’s guiding principles:
Defense of the Will County and Illinois Economy
Competitiveness of Will County Businesses
Diversification of the Economic Base
Inclusive Economic Development
Infrastructure Modernization
Workforce Attraction and Development
CED Programs and services are supported by nearly 200 investors, representing more than 20 industry sectors of the region’s economy.
Planning for a stronger and more financially secure transit system for Chicagoland is underway with the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders from the business, community, environmental, labor, and civic sectors along with the public.
In the newsNew Hospital Partnership Launches – Includes Bolingbrook LocationThe University of Chicago Medicine and AdventHealth have closed on a transaction to form a joint venture called UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, which will combine the expertise and resources...
The new Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership was announced this week and includes the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties across the northeastern Illinois region including Will County.
New Community Data Released by Regional Planning Agency
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the region’s comprehensive planning agency and publishes an annual comprehensive workplan and annual report and collects comprehensive community data to help make northeastern Illinois a stronger, more resilient place to live and do business.
CMAP’s annual workplan addresses diverse factors that shape the region’s economy. The agency and its partners have developed and are now implementing ON TO 2050, a new long-range plan to help the seven counties and 284 communities of northeastern Illinois implement important strategies that address quality-of-life issues.
CMAP recently released a new set of Community Data Snapshots to help local leaders, community organizations, and others plan and make informed decisions in their communities.
Planning for a stronger and more financially secure transit system for Chicagoland is underway with the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders from the business, community, environmental, labor, and civic sectors along with the public.
In the newsNew Hospital Partnership Launches – Includes Bolingbrook LocationThe University of Chicago Medicine and AdventHealth have closed on a transaction to form a joint venture called UChicago Medicine AdventHealth, which will combine the expertise and resources...
The new Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership was announced this week and includes the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties across the northeastern Illinois region including Will County.
Recent Comments