Developer proposes major manufacturing facility on 147 acres of 3M-owned land in DeKalb

DeKALB – A manufacturer has proposed building a new 1.3 million square-foot warehouse facility on 147 acres of land owned by 3M on DeKalb’s south side, city documents show.

The development, referred to as “Project Midwest” in documents released ahead of Monday’s DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, would be built on the northeast corner of Peace Road and Fairview Drive.

Commercial real estate firm Mohr Acquisitions LLC presented a development plan to the zoning commission at its regular meeting Monday on the second floor of the DeKalb Police Department, 700 W. Lincoln Highway.

In a preliminary review of the plans, city staff said the development proposal falls in line with city code, and would match surrounding industry progress in the area.

“The proposed development will generate significant benefits to the community’s economy in the form of investment, construction, new tax revenue and job creation,” DeKalb city staff wrote in a preliminary review of the proposal, recommending the city’s approval.

Gary Horn, chief development officer with Dallas, Texas-based Mohr Capital, sent city staff his proposal Sept. 16, documents show, and wrote that “we look forward to working with the City of DeKalb.”

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, known as 3M, owns the 147 acres of land that could be turned into a 1,322,800 square-foot building for manufacturing, packaging, distribution and warehouse use. If approved, plans also could accommodate a future expansion to add 22,480 square feet to the space.

Developers are expected to ask the city of DeKalb to approve a plan which would rezone the land for industrial purposes and annex it into DeKalb from unincorporated DeKalb County, documents show. The land is zoned for agricultural use.

Preliminary plans show the manufacturing facility development would include 380 parking spots, 731 trailer parking spaces, room to add 117 more trailer parking spaces in the future, if needed, and full truck access to the site along Peace Road from Macom Drive. Developers also would build an 8 foot black vinyl fence around the perimeter of the property for security.

Site work would include installing sanitary sewers and a water main along Peace Road. A traffic study also is planned, and final approval is contingent on completion of the traffic study, according to the city. Before work could begin, developers would need the city to vet engineering, landscaping, lighting and other building plans.

Since 2020, DeKalb’s south side near the Interstate 88 corridor has seen significant industrial growth. That includes a 700,000 square-foot Amazon distribution center, a 1.6 million-square-foot distribution facility for Ferrara Candy Co. and a 775,000 square-foot Kraft Heinz distribution center. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, also has undertaken a major build in the area, with a data center spanning 2.3 million square feet across five buildings and an investment that’s topped $1 billion.

Neighboring property owners Richard Nolan and Sharon Rote, who own an 86-acre property at the southeast corner of Illinois Route 23 and Webster Road, northwest of the Project Midwest location, emailed the city with questions about stormwater drainage, documents show.

City developer Dan Olson and city engineer Zac Gill said they met with the owners Oct. 16 to address their concerns. In an Oct. 14 email to Olson, Nolan and Rote wrote that they’re concerned about water from the proposed Project Midwest site crossing Webster Road and running into their field.

“It has happened in the past,” the property owners wrote.

The build also hinges on approval from the DeKalb City Council.

This story was updated at 4 p.m. to correct an earlier version which misstated where the public zoning meeting is taking place.