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Mayor McLeod cites $10 billion data-center investment and housing growth in State of the Village
Summary
Mayor Bill McLeod told residents that 2025 was "transformational," highlighting Compass Data Centers's more-than-$10 billion redevelopment of the former Sears headquarters, a $500 million Microsoft expansion, and multiple housing and infrastructure projects aimed at diversifying the village's tax base and supporting growth.
Mayor Bill McLeod told residents the village had a "transformational" year in 2025, citing demolition of the former Sears headquarters and the start of construction by Compass Data Centers.
"Compass Data Centers is giving new purpose to the west side of our community by investing over $10,000,000,000 to transform a legacy site into a modern data center campus," McLeod said, saying the redevelopment will help diversify the village's tax base and strengthen long-term financial stability.
The mayor also reported that Microsoft has entered phase 2 construction on its Lakewood Boulevard data center campus. "Phase 1 and phase 2 represents a $500,000,000 investment," McLeod said, with additional data center buildings under review.
Why it matters: Large-scale commercial investment and new data-center campuses can materially change local tax revenue projections, employment patterns and land use. McLeod framed the projects as central to the village's economic strategy and pointed to accompanying residential and retail activity as complementary developments.
Details and developments: McLeod said renovations at Bell Works Chicagoland continue after a successful East Wing build-out that is 97% occupied, and developers expect demand for roughly 500,000 square feet of additional office space. He listed new and returning tenants at Bell Works and described concurrent retail and hospitality activity across the village, including a remodel at the Marriott Chicago Northwest and new dining and service businesses.
On housing, McLeod said Kensington Fields townhomes near Village Hall and work at the former CDK Global property are underway. He said a 335-unit Grama Reserve apartment development was approved in December and is expected to begin construction this spring; a proposed 298-unit luxury apartment project on the east side of Bell Works is under review, and Pulte Homes has received land-development permits for townhomes connected to the Bell Works Metroburb concept.
Infrastructure and planning: The village completed Fire Station 21 and plans to start Fire Station 22 construction this summer. McLeod noted expansion work at the Village Green to support festivals and concerts, the recent adoption of a multimodal transportation plan, and the new ACTO Transportation Advisory Committee charged with implementation and monitoring. He also described the "Hello Hoffman" comprehensive planning process, which reached more than 2,000 residents in phase 1 and solicited additional input via hellohoffman.com.
McLeod closed by noting community initiatives such as dementia-friendly certification and a regional "fully involved" fire academy offered in partnership with the Northwest Special Recreation Association as part of broader efforts to expand services and outreach.
The mayor's address did not include firm timelines for all projects; McLeod said certain projects remain under review and that planning and permitting processes will continue.
