PROGRESS 2015: Full Steam Ahead for Carpentersville’s New Wal-Mart Supercenter
- Editor’s Note: This is the third of Kane County Connects’ PROGRESS 2015 report, a series of articles highlighting Kane County communities’ top three development projects of the coming year.
Economic development in Carpentersville is a priority for this historic community of more than 37,000 people. The village’s slogan is “building a better tomorrow … today,” and the village’s efforts are reflected in three major projects underway that are aimed at improving the local economy and building infrastructure to enhance residents’ quality of life and support community initiatives in the coming years.
Carpentersville’s “Big 3” development projects for 2015 include a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, a watermain upgrade to improve water flow from the water plant, and an upgrade to its waste water treatment plant.
(1) Wal-Mart Supercenter
A new 180,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter retail store is planned near the southeast corner of Lake Marian Road and L.W. Besinger Drive, on an approximately 27.41 acre portion of the larger area commonly known as the Meadowdale Shopping Center.
There will also be a fuel station along Lake Marian Road, directly north of the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter building and drive-through lanes along the south side of the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter building for a pharmacy. The planned Wal-mart Supercenter will include grocery sales, an optical department and other features not found in the present East Dundee location.
As part of the project, improvements will be made to the intersection of Route 25 and Lake Marion road. The proposed development anticipates relocating 79 full-time jobs to Carpentersville and creating 98 new full-time jobs at the new location. Total jobs at the facility is anticipated to be 310 — 177 full-time and 133 part-time.
(2) L.W. Besinger Watermain/Roadway Improvements
The project will complete the last segment of 16-inch watermain which will allow the village to convey a larger volume of water from the Water Treatment Facility to the far western limits of the village. The village will also see increased fire flows along LW Besinger Drive, while also replacing a 65-year-old undersized concrete pipe watermain with a new ductile iron watermain.
The road will also be reconstructed with the addition of a right turn lane at the corner of Besinger and Lake Marian Road to improve traffic movement through the area and make it safer. Project Cost is projected to be $2.16 million.
(3) Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvement
The Carpentersville wastewater facilities’ current method of processing sludge includes aerobic digestion followed by dewatering. Belt Filter Presses are used to press excess water from liquid sludge. The end result has the consistency of oatmeal.
The existing BFP’s are at the end of their useful life and are in the process of being replaced with centrifuges. This process utilizes centrifugal force from the rapid rotation of a cylindrical bowl to separate solids from the liquid sludge.
This process of dewatering produces a drier sludge than that of the BFP’s with a consistency of moist soil. The dryer the sludge the less quantity is produced reducing disposal costs. The total project cost is projected to be $2,238,000 and scheduled to be completed July 2015.
About the village of Carpentersville
Located in Kane County, the village of Carpentersville area has many historic strengths and community assets that provide a high quality of life for its residents, shoppers and employees.
Nestled on the Fox River, the village was founded in 1896 by Charles and Daniel Carpenter. The Fox River enabled early industrial companies to generate the power they needed to manufacture products by powering mechanized equipment.
The Old Town neighborhood of Carpentersville contains homes and other landmarks that are being preserved due to their historic value.
The Carpentersville Old Town Plan, which was adopted in 2012 as part of CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, recommended transportation improvements for this intersection and the village, along with Kane County, is now conducting a Health Impact Assessment for the Washington/Main Streets intersection to examine options to address traffic and safety issues at the intersection and nearby Fox River trail crossing.
The village’s slogan is “building a better tomorrow … today.”
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