The Committee approved two ordinances renewing Class 6(b) tax incentives for the MRC Polymers INC warehouse on 3535 W. 31st Street (22nd Ward) and the Berkshire Refrigerated Warehouse on 4550 S. Packers Ave (20th Ward).

Committee Members Present: Chairman Howard Brookins Jr. (21), Leslie Hairston (5), Gregory Mitchell (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), David Moore (17), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Milly Santiago (31), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Ameya Pawar (47)

Edward Lewis, with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of MRC Polymer’s request to renew a 2003 designation set to expire. The 65,000 square-foot warehouse sits on three acres of land and is part of the Little Village TIF.

Essie Banks, a project manager with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of the Berkshire’s application to renew a Class 6(b) designation from 2005. The property is located in the Stockyards Industrial Corridor, Planned Manufacturing District 8, 47th Ashland TIF, and the new Community Area in the 21st Ward. According to Banks, the family-owned business focuses on cold storage warehousing and has been in business at the current location since the 1950s. The company has already invested $11M in two additional expansions.