Lockport Industrial Parks

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Since first posting this site, Lockport has hired Houseal Lavigne & Associates to conduct a corridor study of this area.  Their recommendations were presented to the city council on 6/24/08.  Lockport City Council as well as their planning commission voted in favor to approve the recommendations presented by Houseal Lavigne. 

For a more detailed overview, feel free to read the post:  7/27/08 - Lockport Revises Plans Along Tollway. 

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GROWTH IS GREAT...BUT WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT!!! 

The purpose of this Blog is to keep members of the community informed about the proposed industrial parks being considered by Lockport City Council. 

Residents need to understand that they need to speak up about what is going to be put in their community.  Right now, Lockport city council has approved or is considering 5 different industrial parks:

 1)  over 200 acres between 143rd and 151st and Gougar (this is approved)

 2) 38 acres just east of Panduit on 163rd.  This is directly across from Karen Springs (this is pretty much a done deal)

 3) McNaughton Realty owns and/or has rights to approximately 300 acres between 159th and 167th and Gougar and Cedar.  They have repeatedly proposed "business campus" for this area with many truck dock bays.  In 2007, they had 2 different developers back out on them for various reasons:  First Industrial (backed out in August 2007) and AMB (backed out in December 2007).  Most recently, McNaughton has presented a 65-acre "business campus" just west of Victoria Crossings subdivision.  There are no planned tennants for this property and as of 7/2/08, McNaughton has requested his concept plan be tabled by the Lockport City Council.

 4) The old Texaco site.  The government just spent millions of dollars cleaning up this site and now they want to put warehouses there.

 5)  Bruce & Oak.  Don't have much information on this site at this time.

The biggest problem with these proposed industrial parks is that the county has already told Lockport that there are already too many warehouses...not just in Lockport, but in the county. 

Lockport would like to see these passed so they can get the tax revenue and relieve some of the burden put on the tax payers.  While this is a great concept, if these buildings are sitting empty, the government will not receive the full tax benefit.  Where's the relief then?

Lockport has not adequately addressed the issue of increased traffic and road maintenance.  Right now, if these sites are passed, it will be up to the taxpayers to shoulder the cost of road repairs.  Many of these roads are not equipped to handle the truck traffic these parks would bring. 

Lockport has chosen to amend their policies so people that do not reside within the Lockport city limits cannot speak at city council meetings until the very end and city council members are not required to stay.  Considering the impact these types of developments will have to the entire community, not just Lockport. 

The newly opened 355 is considered the "Golden Corridor".  There is so much potential for growth and tax revenue. 

These are only a few of the concerns surrounding these developments.  Please become educated....learn what your city council wants to do to your community.  Speak up.  Write your council members...attend meetings....tell all your friends and neighbors!!  If enough people talk, the city council will listen.

Feel free to contact your Lockport Alderman to express your concerns about the direction they are going: