As mayor of the city of Crystal Lake, business owner and neighbor, I want to thank our residents and businesses for their continued creativity and perseverance during this challenging time. Our community joined together and continued to grow during this past year.
Crystal Lake’s sales tax revenue increased, signifying an improved retail environment. The city invested in infrastructure with multiple capital improvement projects and provided businesses with more than $600,000 in pandemic financial assistance. This year, several capital projects are occurring, including the reconstruction of a water treatment plant, intersection improvements with a traffic signal at North Main Street and Route 176, and roundabouts on Congress Parkway at Exchange Drive and Federal Drive.
Crystal Lake has quickly translated demand into substantial growth – filling commercial corridors, encouraging reinvestment in multiple shopping centers, and developing new sites with retail, residential, industrial and health care facilities. Crystal Lake continues to be a healthy market for national and regional restaurants and retailers. Last year, residents and visitors spent more than $90 million at restaurants in Crystal Lake, and according to the Illinois Department of Revenue, Crystal Lake had more than $1.2 billion in retail sales. In 2021, the city welcomed 86 new small businesses, including office, industrial, retail and restaurant uses.
Mercyhealth selected Crystal Lake as the home of a new $105 million hospital and multi-specialty medical campus, which is on schedule to open in spring 2023.
Housing is booming with a new array of modern living options. Adjacent to The Springs of Three Oaks, Redwood of Crystal Lake is developing a 305 townhome-style apartment complex. Hamilton Partners has also teamed up with Harlem Irving Companies to construct 48 apartments and 51 townhomes at the corner of Main Street and Crystal Lake Avenue near downtown.
Crystal Lake also continues to see growth and development of industrial and distribution facilities. Amazon will break ground on a 186,000-square-foot facility later this spring, setting the stage for increased services to the region. The addition of Amazon and Mercyhealth will bring more than 650 new jobs to support housing, retail and restaurant development.
Crystal Lake continues to be a safe place to live, work and play, with the reported crime index continuing to decrease. Residents enjoy exemplary city services, adding to Crystal Lake’s high quality of life.
We are proud of our accomplishments. Even through adversity, Crystal Lake has experienced strong, steady and balanced growth. We will continue with innovative ideas and concepts and at the same time be true to our values as the community to live, work and play. It’s a place we are so proud to call home. Today is only the beginning of an inspiring time.
We invite you to learn more about the good things happening in the city of Crystal Lake by viewing a video highlighting accomplishments from the last year and providing an overview of projects and developments planned for 2022. To view the video, go to www.crystallake.org/your-government/city-council/state-of-the-community-video
• Haig Haleblian is mayor of Crystal Lake.