A Compass Travel Center truck stop with two restaurants, a lounge for the drivers, a convenience store and plenty of gas pumps is planning to open on Skokie Highway in North Chicago by the end of the year.
North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. said the city has worked for more than five years to bring a truck stop to the 7.7-acre parcel of vacant land approximately a quarter-mile south of Buckley Road on the west side of Skokie Highway.
“This is great for economic development along the entire Skokie Highway corridor,” Rockingham said. “It’s an economic development engine. (Compass) will make other land ready for development.”
The North Chicago City Council unanimously approved a development agreement between the city and Compass Travel without debate Monday at City Hall, bringing the dream closer to reality.
Now in the first year of his sixth term as mayor, Rockingham said he believed the land was well-suited for a truck stop with access for both northbound and southbound traffic. The city began seeking potential truck stop operators more than five years ago.
During the search process, the first potential operator opted not to proceed, and then negotiations began with Compass. Rockingham said the company agreed on a deal, and the development agreement was prepared for approval by both the city and Compass.
“This will help the entire area,” he said. “All the other businesses will benefit,” he added, referring to enterprises on both sides of Skokie Highway.
Taylor Wegrzyn, the city’s economic and community development director, said Compass first had to acquire all of the land from several owners. The city did not own any of it. It is all part of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district created to foster business development.
Once Compass prepares the land to build with additional roads and other necessary infrastructure, Wegrzyn said Compass will start construction with a goal of opening late this year.
In front of the 11,000-square-foot building, he said there will be 20 gas fueling stations. Behind the building will be five diesel pumps for large semi-trailer trucks carrying big loads.
Inside the building, Wegrzyn said there will be amenities for long-distance truckers and the everyday motorist. The truckers’ lounge will be equipped with showers and some comfortable seating.
“It will have easy access from the back,” he said. “It will give them a place to relax so they don’t have to sleep in their rig.”
Two restaurants are planned. Wegrzyn said one will be a quick-service coffee shop with a drive-through. The other restaurant will be a casual sit-down diner. The main area will have video games, ready-made foods like hot dogs and pizza, and more.
“There will be merchandise for the road,” he said. “It will have things for truckers like emergency equipment, small electronics and some clothes.”
Both the city and Compass have the potential to benefit economically from the TIF. Wegrzyn said the current equalized assessed value is $425,000. When the travel center opens, it is expected to climb to $3.25 million. The project is anticipated to generate $20 million of gas sales annually, potentially generating $400,000 in sales and motor fuel tax.
Wegrzyn said Compass can potentially receive $3.54 million from its share of the additional property, motor fuel and sales taxes generated from the development, according to the development agreement. The company receives a percentage of the increased tax revenue, not to exceed $3.54 million over time.
