Joliet Votes For NorthPoint Once Again: 2022 Construction Nears

JOLIET, IL — NorthPoint Vice President of Acquisitions Tom George issued a statement Thursday night praising the city of Joliet plan commission for voting 6 to 2, following a four-hour meeting, to recommend approval for NorthPoint's latest proposal before Joliet.

The Joliet City Council will take up the recommendation at its Dec. 21 meeting.

"The Plan Commission’s vote is reflective of Compass’ commitment to designing a responsible, community-focused plan that balances safety, controls truck traffic and maintains quality of life for Southland residents," George said in his statement. "Compass represents a holistic approach that delivers a transportation solution, which incorporates community feedback and provides for a more efficient flow of commerce that will reduce future congestion on local roads and decrease truck miles on nearby highways."

The city of Joliet's approval of a closed-loop bridge will allow NorthPoint to begin construction of the Compass Business Park next year.

Last December, the Joliet City Council approved plans for the NorthPoint Development to come to Joliet in a 6-2 vote. Councilman Patrick Mudron was one of the key proponents of the Compass Business Park that will be built along Joliet's southern border near Route 53. In addition to Mudron, Jan Quillman, Larry Hug, Sherri Reardon, Terry Morris and newly appointed Herb Lande voted for NorthPoint.

Only Bettye Gavin and Mike Turk voted against it. NorthPoint Joliet has also been endorsed by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Congressman Bobby Rush, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

According to a news release issued Thursday, NorthPoint Development's amended annexation agreement with Joliet would allow for the construction of Compass Global Logistics Hub – a $2.6 billion logistics and light manufacturing park that will create thousands of jobs and bring economic opportunity to the Southland.

Amending the agreement to annex and rezone new property that NorthPoint has acquired would enable the construction of a bridge over Route 53 at Breen Road, NorthPoint announced.

The bridge would create a direct route between Compass and the BNSF and UP intermodal facilities, which comprise North America’s largest inland port. Compass was approved by the Joliet City Council in December 2020 and has been working to create a closed-loop connection over Route 53 via a bridge, which is a condition of the project that NorthPoint proposed with feedback from the community, a spokesman for NorthPoint indicated.

The goal of the closed loop, according to NorthPoint, is to keep trucks off local roads and to route them onto I-55 through Arsenal Road and to I-80 through the new Houbolt Road bridge, which is currently under construction. Finalizing the bridge to create the closed loop will enable construction, which could begin in early 2022.

Joliet's vote on the new agreement covers an additional 810 acres of land that NorthPoint owns between the UP Railroad tracks and Rowell Avenue, approximately 500 acres west of Route 53 and 300 acres east of Route 53. The Joliet Plan Commission considered the additional land for the project Thursday's meeting. The additions will bring the project to 2,180 acres and 21 million square feet of space in Joliet.