Village ofSKOKIEEconomic Development Initiative

DD ooww nn ttooww nn SS kkoo kk ii ee DD ooww nn tt ooww nn SS kkoo kk ii ee BB uu ss ii nn ee ss ss iinn ccee nn tt ii vv ee ssBB uu ss ii nn ee ss ss ii nn cc ee nn tt ii vv ee ssCould your business benefitCould your business benefit

from up to $100,000 or morefrom up to $100,000 or morein grants for the re-use of ain grants for the re-use of aDowntown Skokie building?Downtown Skokie building?

All applicants under the Downtown Skokie Business Incentives programs will receive toppriority in their building plan reviews. For additional information on any of these incentives, please contact Tom Thompson, theVillageʼs Economic Development Coordinator, at847-933-8446 or tom.thompson@skokie.org.

The Village of SkokieCouncil/Manager Government Since 1957

MayorGeorge Van Dusen

ClerkMarlene Williams

TrusteesMichele L. Bromberg

Michael M. LorgeDonald P. Perille

Randall E. RobertsPramod C. ShahEdie Sue Sutker

ManagerAlbert J. Rigoni

CounselJ. Patrick Hanley

Village of Skokie5127 Oakton Street

Skokie, Illinois 60077

www.skokiebiz.org

Skokie has designed a spe-cial package of business re-tention and attractionincentives to increase com-mercial activity in the Down-town area. Retail andrestaurant establishments arethe primary focus of these in-centives. Available spacesawait your business, and“bonuses” are available toyour real estate broker aswell.

Eligible properties must belocated in the Downtownarea. These incentives areavailable through 2011 andare subject to available fund-ing. Skokieʼs objective is toattract and retain high-qualityretail, restaurant and enter-tainment uses to complementthe growing employmentbase at the Illinois Science +Technology Park, recenthigh-density residential de-velopments, the nearbySkokie campus of OaktonCommunity College and up-coming new CTA Yellow Linetransit station for DowntownSkokie.

SKOKIEEconomic Development Initiative

Façade AssistanceProgramAssistance is available to own-ers of existing properties (ortenants with ownersʼ approval)for rehabilitation or replacementof building façades. The prop-erty owner can receive 50% ofthe cost of a complete façaderenovation up to $50,000 perfaçade, or 15% of limited façadeimprovements such as signageand awnings. Owners of build-ings over 100 feet long or cor-ner properties with twoprominent façades can receiveup to $100,000 in assistance.Program applicants are ex-pected to retain their own archi-tects. Ground floor façadesmust include significant glassand any historical elementsshould be retained and en-hanced. Materials that comple-ment the building architectureshould be used to the extentpossible. Typical improvementsinclude tuckpointing and ma-sonry repairs, new windows anddoors, cornice/coping repair orreplacement, rebuilding frontwalls and foundations, improv-

ing display areas and lighting.The Façade Assistance Programis offered to applicants on thebasis of either a matching es-crow deposit/dispersion or as arebate following completion of allwork.

Interior Rehab ProgramAssistance is available to Down-town Skokie properties for inte-rior rehab work on the basis of50% of cost up to $50,000 perbuilding, but is limited to restau-rant and retail uses. Funding isextended through either an es-crow account or by rebate fol-lowing completion of the work.The program covers buildingmaterials, fixtures, HVAC andmajor kitchen equipment, electri-cal, plumbing, all general rehabresulting in fixed capital improve-ments and building permit fees.Eligible fixtures or equipmentmust be built in and are ex-pected to remain with the prop-erty if the business relocates orceases to exist. The program islimited to existing properties atleast five years old.

Design AssistanceIn connection with either theFaçade Assistance or InteriorRehab Programs, the Villagewill rebate 50% of the architec-tural/design service expensesincurred by a property owner ortenant up to a maximum grantof $3,000. The rebate is in ad-dition to whatever benefits arederived directly from the façadeor interior rehab grants, but onlyis extended following comple-tion of all construction activity.

Change of Use AllowanceDowntown property ownershave the unique ability tochange the use of a buildingwithout being subject to a differ-ent parking requirement. Onlyin the Downtown Core area cancommercial uses change be-tween retail, office, restaurant,beauty salon, business serv-ices, entertainment or any otherzoning-permitted land use with-out requiring alterations in theamount of required parking.

Parking RequirementWaiver Additions to existing commer-cial buildings resulting in lessthan 8,000 square feet of totalgross floor area are not subjectto any parking requirements ifused for retail or restaurant op-erations. Also, all new com-mercial buildings up to 8,000square feet also are not re-quired to provide any parkingas long as they are occupied byretail or restaurant uses. Theparking requirement for an ad-ditional 2,000 square feet (totalbuilding size of 10,000 squarefeet) also can be waived whenit is shown that appropriateshared parking or municipalparking exists in the immediatearea.

Brokerʼs Bonus ProgramThe Village of Skokie is offeringa special bonus up to $5,000 toreal estate brokers earning aprofessional commission for anarms-length lease or sale ofcommercial space in DowntownSkokie for a retail or restaurant

use. Brokers must be licensedand able to prove their role inthe lease/sale negotiations andrental/sales contract. Suchproof may involve copies of list-ing materials/ads and a letterfrom the property owner or les-see confirming the brokerʼs rolein the transaction. The bonusdoes not apply to leases orsales for any office, medical,entertainment or commercialservices such as banks orhair/nail salons. The primarypurpose of the business mustbe the sale of goods or pre-pared foods to the general pub-lic. Leases must be for aminimum of five years. Thebonus will only be paid after thepremises are occupied by theretailer or restaurant for a mini-mum of six months. The bonuscan be split between the bro-kers working on behalf of thelessor/seller and lessee/pur-chaser. The bonus can not ex-ceed 5% of the total value ofthe lease, defined as themonthly rental multiplied by thenumber of months in the term ofthe lease.

For additional information contact Tom Thompson, Economic Development

Coordinator, at 847/933-8446 or tom.thompson@skokie.org.