Des Plaines council defers decision on Class 6B tax-incentive extension for 333 Howard Avenue after solar, jobs presentation

Des Plaines — The City Council on March 2 deferred a decision on whether to support an extension of a Cook County Class 6B real-estate tax incentive for 333 Howard Avenue, asking staff to verify employment and investment figures after a lengthy presentation by the property owner and tenant.

Prologis, the property owner, and tenant C.H. Robinson told the council they have invested in a community solar project and expect the site to retain 165 full-time employees and add roughly 48–54 jobs within two years. Kevin Griffin, tax counsel for the owner, said the property made “a $4,600,000 investment in a community solar program, which is a $20 per square foot investment, which was just made in 2024.” He argued that the solar system yields community benefit by producing surplus energy credited to local participants.

Why it matters: The 6B program reduces assessed value for eligible industrial and commercial property, lowering property taxes to spur investment and keep tenants. Staff told the council the city’s policy for supporting 6B extensions typically requires either a building addition equal to at least a 25% increase in floor area, a minimum $10 per square foot new investment, or at least a 33% increase in employment. The current proposal would not meet those thresholds without waivers, although the proponents said recent and planned investments would materially benefit the community.

Council members asked whether the solar work and other recent improvements should count toward the city’s thresholds and whether the tenant’s lease contains a termination clause tied to the incentive. Ray Hurtado, C.H. Robinson’s director of warehousing and distribution, described operational reasons the company values proximity to O’Hare and said the tenant’s lease includes an option that could allow termination if an incentive is not renewed. Prologis representatives said the solar project was funded by the owner and feeds energy credits to nearby customers via a ComEd distribution partnership.

Several aldermen said they were sympathetic to keeping the employer in Des Plaines but concerned about setting a precedent that could require waiving council policy for other applicants. After discussion, Mayor Baer asked whether the council preferred to have staff re-check the employment and investment calculations. Alderman Walston moved to defer the matter to the next March meeting; Alderman Escherka seconded the motion. The roll-call vote carried (Ayes; Alderman Sayed voted No).

Next steps: Staff will return to the council with updated calculations and any additional documentation the council requests before the body takes a final position on whether to support the 6B extension.