Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis highlights big projects in village

Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis highlighted several new local businesses and development projects during his State of the Village address this week.

This was the first address by Argoudelis, who was elected last year. The annual speech takes place in front of the Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce.

Argoudelis pointed to several new economic and infrastructure developments in the village over the past year as evidence of a thriving village of nearly 45,000 residents with even more potential to grow.

He started with the recent announcement that one of the village’s largest employers, Diageo, will expand its footprint in Plainfield. The global alcoholic beverage company plans to open a new manufacturing site, adding to its longtime bottling operation in the village.

Argoudelis also pointed to the financial benefit that companies like Diageo provide to the community.

“It’s a great sign that one of our largest employers, and a good source of tax revenue for the village, is staying here for a long time to come,” he said.

He also mentioned several new local restaurants which opened in Plainfield, including a new Honey-Jam Cafe, Khaos Brewcade & Kitchen, and Piggy’s BBQ, all along Route 59. There was also Big Sammy’s Italian Eatery which opened earlier this year in the downtown area.

Argoudelis added that 2021 was the village’s strongest year for residential development in about a decade with over 300 new single-family home permits approved.

The luxury apartment development Sixteen30, near the downtown area, has seen its spots fill up quickly. The Village Board also recently approved a new 450-home development known as Bronk Farm by 127th Street and Van Dyke Road.

The mayor said such growth showed the demand for people to move to Plainfield is strong.

“This is a place where people want to live at,” Argoudelis said. “These developers do their homework. They don’t spend millions of dollars to develop if they don’t think they’re going to sell these homes.”

Still, Argoudelis added that he hopes to see more “reasonably priced” housing mixed in with the higher-end options coming to the village to allow younger Plainfield residents to be able to afford to stay.

The mayor also acknowledged the imbalance of property tax revenue the village receives from homeowners. High property tax bills have been among the biggest complaints of residents, and Argoudelis said a solution to that issue would be more industrial development.

He added more growth from large businesses, which also won’t burden local services, can alleviate the tax burden on residents. The village has specifically looked at the area on the western portion of 143rd Street as a prime location for light industrial buildings. Argoudelis said its already attracting businesses.

“It’s a very hot market right now,” he said.

A key part of that growth will be the extension of 143rd Street to provide another route for trucks to the highway with the help of millions of dollars in federal funding. The village has been acquiring the necessary land for the extension, though its effort has come with opposition from residents in the affected area.

Construction of the 143rd Street project is slated to start later this year.