Lockport Adopts Star Innovation District Master Plan

LOCKPORT, IL — The Lockport City Council adopted the Star Innovation District master plan at its June 15 meeting.

According to the city, the vision of the district is to transform the property originally used by Texaco and then Chevron, into one of the "region’s premier locations for sustainable manufacturing, food production, maker activities, research and education as well as host the community’s largest festivals – all within the context of a sweeping native prairie landscape and Lockport’s history as an I&M Canal Town."

Permitted uses for the property include retail, makerspace, industrial, hotels, data center, business park, and solar farm, among others.

According to the plan, because of EPA rules, industrial-type uses will still be a part of the property, but "we can turn the narrative of a former oil industry site into one that is clean, green and makes Lockport a leader in future product and energy production."