The ability to offer lower real estate taxes, lower energy costs, competitive wages and access to transportation are just some of the reasons businesses should expand or relocate to Northwest Indiana, prominent local economic developmental leaders said Thursday.
The Second Annual Build Indiana Conference at Merrillville's Avalon Manor networking event attracted the region's top business and political leaders, brokers and developers to discuss topics such as land availability, Northwest Indiana's work force and financial incentives.
Panel members who've made a significant investment in Northwest Indiana included Mitch Simborg, president of Simborg Development. Five years ago, the company owned little property in Northwest Indiana. Now, it owns more than 2 million square feet in the region.
Why has Simborg Development shifted its focus to Northwest Indiana? "The first thing I can tell you is that high real estate taxes make me ill," Simborg said. "Our 330,000-square-foot complex in LaPorte has a fully accessed real estate tax of under $30,000 a year. We have a 100,000-square-foot place in Harvey that has a $220,000 tax bill. That's quite a difference, folks."
Tim Healy, a partner with Holladay Properties, whose developments include the AmeriPlex at the Port Development in Portage, talked about the quality of life in Northwest Indiana.
"I'm new to Northwest Indiana; it's a great community," he said. "There are nice schools, and I could get to downtown Chicago faster than my sister, who lives in Glen Ellyn. Those are the reasons we initially made the decision to come here."
Trying to bring more business here is why Simborg said the region needs a comprehensive marketing strategy where everybody involved works together.
"It wasn't that long ago Joliet was known as a bad place to do business," he said. "And now they've flipped the switch and are known as a great place. There are a lot of companies in Illinois that have leases coming up very soon in the next five to 10 years who would like to reduce their cost of business.
"It's our mission to educate them and make sure they know where and how they can do that."
