ROCKFORD, IL — A developer is asking Rockford to rezone nearly 166 acres of agricultural property for industrial use in hopes of building a business park south of the Chicago Rockford International Airport.
The property is located along Edson Road near 11th Street and is zoned for agriculture. City zoning officials said changing it to I-3, airport industrial, could pave the way for hundreds of new jobs in Rockford.
It would allow shipping, distribution, warehouse, cargo handling and similar facilities to locate on the property, taking advantage of its location near the airport.
Rosemont-based Venture One on June 16 won the recommendation for the zoning amendment from the Rockford Zoning Board of Appeals on a 7-0 vote. It now goes to the city Code & Regulation Committee and then to the full City Council for consideration.
Zoning officials say the property’s proximity to the airport, the railline and direct access to major highways make it attractive to industrial users and distributors.
Venture One Real Estate was the developer behind the Rock 39 industrial park at I-39 and Baxter Road, the Loves Park Corporate Center near I-39/90 and East Riverside Boulevard, and Park 88 in DeKalb along I-88.
Although near land being eyed by Monarch Energy for a potential hyperscale data center, Venture One has no plans to build a data center there, and its annexation agreement with the city stipulates that it will not build a data center on the property.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Proposed Rockford industrial development could mean hundreds of jobs
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star | USA TODAY Network
