Amazon warehouse drives more interest in Huntley

Adding more residents in the last decade than any other McHenry County municipality, Huntley continues to add new businesses and homes to the area with several projects ongoing or ready to get off the ground in the near future.

Huntley added 3,449 new residents since 2010, according to the 2020 census, making it McHenry County’s fourth most populous town. On top of the 14% increase in residential growth, the village is adding new employers, including Amazon.

Village Manager David Johnson said Huntley’s growth started with the vision of village officials more than three decades ago and now the village is reaping the benefits of their commitment to make Huntley an attractive place to live and work.

“There’s some vision that did it and every board from then to now carrying out those plans. That’s a feather in their cap, and that’s why I think our growth has been successful and Huntley has been one of the fastest growing communities. I’d like to continue that even further,” Johnson said.

In addition to beginning construction of an Amazon warehouse earlier this year, Huntley officials recently reviewed a proposal by Universe Carrier, a trucking company, to build a new warehouse along Freeman Road which would become the company’s corporate headquarters.

Located along Interstate 90 between Chicago and Rockford with a major intersection at Route 47, Huntley is a central location for businesses and that is helping to bring jobs and residents to the area, Johnson said.

“The Amazon announcement has probably generated more interest than what we’ve seen in a long time,” Johnson said. “The fact we were able to market ourselves for a long time as the place to do business, but then to have a player like Amazon walk in, since that time, interest has been even greater.”

Amazon’s warehouse on Freeman Road is set to open next year and could employ up to 1,000 people.

“There are a lot of contributing factors that go into our thought process on where to place a new fulfillment center,” Amazon spokeswoman Caitlin Polochak said. “We look at the workforce and found talent in abundance in Huntley. We’re also responding to customer demand and want to make sure our fulfillment centers and delivery stations are close to customers so we can offer great Prime service and fast shipping speeds.”

Huntley Mayor Tim Hoeft said part of the village’s development strategy is to bring in long-term reputable businesses like Amazon.

“We’re looking for the high-quality development, not just to throw up a building,” he said.

Polochak said Amazon strives to be a positive addition to communities they move to.

“Delivering for our customers, creating good jobs, and the generation of economic opportunity is always at the forefront of our investing strategy,” she said. “We are proud to be the number one investor and fastest job creator in America, and we know that our size and scale bring broader responsibility. Our investments can not only help revitalize cities and neighborhoods but also provide a career opportunity for those in need.”

Hoeft said residential and business growth are equally important to him.

“I think we’re very fortunate to be in a position where we have multiple avenues of growth right now where we have the option to choose,” Hoeft said. “I think there’s a lot of communities that would be happy to have one.”

The village has big plans for residential development. Plans have been approved or are in the works to build new subdivisions behind the village hall and along Dundee Road. The village also is working with developers to explore plans to make apartments at the former village fire station on Coral Street and Catty property.

Hoeft says he hopes Huntley can attract people who work at the companies in the village to live in Huntley.

“That’s been one of my goals. I want it to be the place where you don’t have to leave Huntley for anything. We can work, recreate, raise your family. We’ve got all the options you need,” Hoeft said.

The village has also been focusing on downtown development.

Apartments at the former fire station and Catty Property will add to the downtown’s population, and Huntley has been working to prepare for that. The Huntley Village Board held a meeting earlier this month discuss adding parking to the downtown area as well as recreational space through shops and a seasonal ice rink.

“We believe that based on what we hear from our residents, they like that place, that focal point in the community so we’re eager to pick that back up,” Johnson said.

To allow the growth to continue into the future, Johnson said the village must work to make Huntley an affordable place for both residents and businesses.

“The cost of doing business in this community is lower than many you see and that starts not only with our property tax rate but the tax rate of the other governmental agencies in this community,” Johnson said. “From the marketing aspect of it, we’ve done a really good job of getting out there and getting in front of the right players.”

Johnson and Hoeft said they expect the village to continue finding ways to add residents and businesses in the coming years and are continuing to look at different areas of the village to see what they can add and where new construction is possible.