A St. Charles company plans to relocate its operations to a $90 million development being built on the northern outskirts of West Dundee.
“This will be the single largest private investment project of its kind in the history of West Dundee,” Village President Chris Nelson said.
The 40-acre site is part of the 160-acre Canterfield Corporate Campus, which is north of Interstate 90, east of Route 31 and owned by HLC Partners, an acronym for Haeger Land Corp.
Transwestern Development Co., based in Houston, purchased the 40 acres from HLC and plans to construct two 250,000-square-foot buildings, according to a news release issued by the village of West Dundee.
The first will be built on spec, meaning it does not have a purchaser and will be sold during or after construction, and the second will be occupied by Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, currently located in St. Charles, the release said. The latter will have the ability to expand another 50,000 square feet as needed.
Naomi Klabunde, director of communications for Reyes, said the company decided it made sense to consolidate its St. Charles operations into the new structure being built in West Dundee.
“The new facility will provide the additional space we need to support sustainable long-term growth and innovation across our business, while offering our employees a more modern work environment,” Klabunde said.
The St. Charles location will close once the West Dundee facility opens and all employees given the opportunity to relocate to the new plant, she said.
Nelson said the business’ move to West Dundee could help spur more development for the village.
“Having Reyes locate here should make things move in terms of drawing other businesses,” Nelson said.
Staff has been working on the project for two years and anticipates it should be complete sometime in 2024, he said.
In a prepared statement, Darcie Fankhauser, regional partner for the TDC Midwest team, said the company is “extremely grateful for the staff at West Dundee, who helped bring this project to fruition.”
Canterfield Parkway East will be extended to a roundabout, which will provide access to the new buildings, Nelson said. Transwestern, the village and IDOT are also discussing the addition of a traffic light at Canterfield Parkway and Route 31.
Construction is expected to cost more than $90 million, with the village providing up to $5.6 million in “pay as you go” tax increment financing as an incentive for the deal to move forward, Nelson said. Transwestern will pay for infrastructure work needed and reimbursed as incremental taxes are generated, he said.
HLC Partners managing partner Craig Zachrich said plans for the site offer a nod to the Haeger family’s West Dundee roots. The family feels strongly that any development of land that has been theirs since 1943 should maintain the beauty of the property and the riverfront, he said.
“Careful planning like this keeps the legacy intact,” Zachrich said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
