Illinois developer plans $20M industrial building in Indiana

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — An Illinois developer has planned a $20 million industrial building in northwest Indiana with nearly 250,000 square feet of space.

The Homerlee Business Park will be located in East Chicago, Indiana, less than a mile from Interstate 90 and near the Interstate 80/94 expressway, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported Sunday. The project is being marketed as “close to the Illinois border with easy access to downtown Chicago and major airports.”

Construction on 14.4-acre site is expected to start later this year. The Missner Group, based in Des Plaines, Illinois, does not yet have tenant or tenants lined up, according to the newspaper.

Lake County Economic Alliance President and CEO Karen Lauerman said the region needs more space to create jobs. Another developer plans to build up to 3 million square feet at the East Chicago Logistics Center, a project that could bring thousands of jobs.

“It’s bringing product to market right now,” Lauerman told the newspaper. “We absolutely need the inventory. This is our answer, attracting the developers to take the risk to build the building because the old adage ‘if you build it they will come’ is absolutely true right now.”

Indiana’s East Chicago is located roughly 24 miles (38.62 kilometers) from Chicago.