No Images? Click here Featured StoryLake County Leads in Advanced ManufacturingLake County continues to shine as the location of choice for companies in engineering and manufacturing. Astronics, a leading provider for global aerospace and defense industries, just moved operations and manufacturing for its subsidiary, Astronics Connectivity Systems and Certifications, into a 167,000 sq. ft. Waukegan facility to meet increasing and projected demands. This announcement was on the heels of another recent win for Lake County—blanket and diagnostic equipment manufacturer Biddeford Blankets also signed a lease for nearly 100,000 sq. ft. in Green Oaks to continue growing in Lake County. Top NewsYoung Families are Flocking to the Suburbs & Business is FollowingYoung families are embracing the suburbs—and they’re one of the major factors fueling job growth and strong demand in Chicago’s suburban office market. Recent reports in Crain’s Chicago Business and Globe St. point to the strength of Chicago’s suburbs, where office vacancy has continued to inch down over the past three quarters. Jones Lang LaSalle attributes the shift to companies deciding to split their operations between downtown Chicago and the suburbs as young talent seeks suburban life for its many assets including affordable housing and strong schools. Indeed, Lake County stands out as a leader in education, with U.S. News & World Report ranking 7 schools among the top 30 in the state, and Business Insider recently honoring Adlai E. Stevenson High School as one of the top 15 high schools in the country. Tech is on the Rise in the RegionEmployers are taking an even greater interest in the Chicago market because of its deep talent pool, access to top-ranking schools and affordability, especially when compared with expensive coast markets like San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C. and Seattle. Among the evidence backing up this trend: Site Selection Group just recognized the Chicago metropolitan region among the top in the country for tech business growth, investment management firm Wealthfront’s recent survey of its Bay Area clients indicated that many are considering moves to places such as Chicago, and CoStar found that tech firm leasing activity has doubled in recent years, accounting for nearly 30% of Chicago leasing activity since 2018. Municipal Leaders Collaborate to Fuel Economic DevelopmentThis month, LCP hosted nearly 50 municipal leaders for a high-impact workshop on local real estate conditions and trends from experts at the CoStar Group. The group will use the insights and data provided by Lake County Partners to strategically attract business at the ICSC Chicago Deal Making Show in October. If you'll be at the show, swing by and see us and our partner municipalities at Booth 1520. To reach the valuable municipal leader audience, click here. Trends & TopicsTourism Hits Record Highs in State & Lake CountyIllinois has set a new tourism record for the 8th year in a row, and Lake County continues to be one of the top destinations in the state. In 2018, visitor spending brought in $1.43 billion and generated over $123 million in state and local tax revenue. It also supported over 11,000 jobs with a payroll of at least $300 million—a number that has grown 16% since 2013. Visitors flock to many destinations across the county including Six Flags Great America, which just had one of the largest attendance records among theme parks in North America. Get More out of MetraMoreCommuting back and forth to work just got easier thanks to expanded service on the Metra Milwaukee District North Line that aims to help Lake County business attract talent from Chicago. The morning and afternoon train schedule has been improved to accommodate rush hour riders at the western Lake Forest station on Telegraph Road. These changes make it convenient and fast to commute to work from Chicago neighborhoods like Fulton Market, West Loop, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Old Irving Park, Portage Park, and Edgebrook.
Investor SpotlightVan Vlissingen and Co., founded in 1879, is one of Chicago's oldest commercial real estate companies. A family owned and managed company, Van Vlissingen serves Lake County’s commercial real estate needs as a developer, broker, asset and property manager. Van Vlissingen was a founding investor in Lake County Partners, and has supported the organization since its beginning over 20 years ago. The company has long understood the importance of investing in relationships with communities and maintains long-term ownership interests in each of its developments. Through popular community events like its “Wednesdays by the Lake” summer concert series and “Food Truck Fridays,” Van Vlissingen has given both employees and local residents outlets for fun. The company also has a robust green building and landscaping initiative for the local properties it owns and manages, partnering with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) to annually host a business recycling collection event for the community at large. This civic-mindedness has helped Van Vlissingen stand out in Lake County, and contributed to a number of large office and industrial transactions in recent months including Manhard Consulting, Incredible Technologies, Exceptional Learners Collaborative, Interstate Batteries, Adversity Volleyball Club and Oil-Dri. What We Are Listening ToWorkforce Central Podcast Local business leader HydraForce, a recent winner of the Lake County Workforce Ecosystem Talent Innovator Award, has tapped into services offered through Lake County Partners and Lake County Workforce Development to give the company renewed access to a strong talent pipeline. Hear Senior HR Manager Robyn Safron discuss how Hydraforce benefits from groundbreaking events like the Engineering Internship & Job Fair. "Ref You Suck" Ref You Suck, is episode 1 of the podcast series “Against the Rules” by Michael Lewis, the well-known author of The Blindside, Moneyball and The Big Short, among others. While later episodes have a clear point of view, Ref You Suck is an interesting exploration of the state of the referee in the NBA and how data has forced huge efforts by the NBA to improve its officiating. We are fueled by our investors to drive economic development in Lake County and enhance the local business climate for the benefit of future generations. Support our efforts by sponsoring a newsletter, sponsoring a municipal meeting or becoming a new investor.Thank You To Our Outgoing Board Members For Their Years of DedicationLibby Brunsvold Amy McEwan Gina Schuyler |