As As the Executive Director of the Berwyn Development Corporation (BDC), I would like to welcome you to our 3rd Quarter Report for 2024. Within this report you will find valuable information on how the BDC has contributed to economic development in the City of Berwyn.
First, I am excited to highlight the growth and impact of special events in Q3. For example, Berwyn residents, business owners, and visitors welcomed back the Route 66 Car Show for its 32nd year. With 30,000+ people and 750+ registered vehicles, the 2024 car show broke attendance records! In addition, the one-day event was featured 26 times across radio and TV outlets, reaching over 1.8 million viewers! The media coverage helped to bolster foot traffic, increase sales, and boost name recognition for local businesses.
Beyond events, the BDC continued to connect small business owners to available resources, including educational webinars, financial opportunities, and networking events. Specifically, the BDC facilitated 705 one-on-one advising sessions, hosted 2 business roundtables, and facilitated 7 informational sessions in Q3. These sessions covered timely topics, such as the Finish Line Grant, LeadCare Program, Canva, and Sanitation Certification. A big thank you goes to the Cook County Small Business Source and the Illinois Restaurant Association for partnering with us in Q3!
In short, Q3 was marked by community-wide events and tailored business sessions. Thankfully, these initiatives have helped to both support our local businesses as well as put Berwyn on the map. In fact, we saw an increase of more than 1,300 social media followers and over 33,000 website users across our platforms. This is a 46% increase in website users when compared to Q2!
Once again, thank you to everyone who attended events, supported our projects, and shared our posts! We look forward to celebrating the holiday season with you!
Sincerely,
David Hulseberg
BDC RECEIVED TWO INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
We’re thrilled to announce that the BDC won TWO 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The IEDC awards honor economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the profession.
Specifically, the BDC received the Silver Entrepreneurial & Small Business Development Award for the Berwyn Shops AND the Bronze Magazine & Newsletter Award for the 2024 Berwyn Magazine.
Overall, we are proud of these accomplishments – none of which would be possible without the continued support of our board, partners, and the Berwyn community!
Check out the full press release here: www.berwyn.net/bdc-updates OR Scan the QR code!
CONTRACT
A. Business Attraction (New Business Prospects)
a. The BDC provided information 121 times to new business prospects on land, buildings, demographics, labor force, housing, education, infrastructure, and other relevant information.
b. The BDC agreed to perform the following business attraction services to aid prospective businesses and developers:
i. BDC staff reviewed existing incentive programs to make recommendations and provide feedback from the development community. The BDC continued tracking feedback by way of commercial transfer stamps, business licenses, and building permit touches. This information is provided to the City of Berwyn by way of the Vacant Properties Report and Building Permit Report on a semi-annual basis.
ii. The BDC continued to market the Finish Line Grant Program in Berwyn’s Roosevelt, Harlem, and Depot TIF Districts. In 2024, the BDC set aside $250,000 in the Roosevelt TIF, $250,000 in the Harlem TIF, and $125,000 to the Depot TIF.
a. The BDC committed $133,488.45 in Finish Line Grants to 6 projects throughout 2024 thus far. The BDC submitted the mid-year TIF reports to the city, highlighting the program’s progress thus far.
b. The BDC, with the support of the City, also coordinated the Roosevelt Improvement Project. In Q3, bids were secured to upgrade the fixtures, street furniture, and landscaping along Roosevelt Rd.
B. Business Retention and Expansion (Existing Business Prospects)
a. The BDC retention program identified the needs of existing businesses in the following ways:
i. The BDC provided information over 27,244 times via email and phone to existing businesses on economic, demographic, or commercial real estate. Some businesses were contacted with multiple touches, hence the large amount of retention information shared. The primary focus in Q3 was connecting businesses to educational opportunities and sharing financial resources, such as the LeadCare Program, Commercial Corridor Renovation Grant, and Finish Line Grant.
ii. The BDC updated information on Berwyn’s economic profile, including the available properties map, vacancy information to aldermen, and sales tax data in our annual and quarterly reports. The BDC website was also updated to reflect change in resources and policies from national, state, and local guidance.
iii. The BDC continued to maintain a database of all Berwyn businesses and work with the Permit Administrator to collect business licenses.
iv. The BDC conducted 6 corridor walks, 7 informational sessions, and 2 business corridor roundtables. The roundtables focused on Ogden Ave and Central Berwyn, which includes Ridgeland Ave, 16th St, and 26th St.
C. Miscellaneous
a. The BDC operates the Commercial Loan pool to assist community businesses with financing options. The BDC also partners with the IL DCEO and the US EDA to offer the Advantage IL Loan Program and the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), respectively. In Q3, the BDC team worked to renew Lines of Credit with banking partners, rebrand loan marketing materials, and update loan applications.
b. The BDC celebrated incredible milestones with Project Homegrown in Q3. For example, community partners, shoppers, and residents celebrated the grand re-opening of the Berwyn Boutique in July with 2 NEW vendors. August also marked the 1-year anniversary of Berwyn Sprout, as well as the 3-month anniversary of the Berwyn Shops 2024 season.
c. The BDC continued its contract as a Community Navigator with the Cook County Small Business Source. As part of the contract, the BDC connects businesses to resources and provides free one-on-one advising sessions to business owners. In Q3, the BDC team facilitated over 705 advising sessions and will receive about $83,000 for our efforts.
d. In collaboration with the City of Berwyn, the BDC continued implementing the Vacancy Program. As of Q3, all vacant properties have been inspected, 48 have appealed, 24 have registered and paid, and over 75 are occupied. Tickets were issued to unresponsive owners.
e. With the support of the city, the BDC launched the Commercial Corridor Renovation Grant (CCRG) in Q2. As of Q3, over $21,000 have been committed to property and business owners along 16th St and 26th St to assist them with exterior renovation projects.
f. In general, the BDC leadership encourages professional growth. As such, the economic development team participated in conferences, summits, seminars, and more in Q3. Of note, the team attended the ILCMA, IEDC, and ITIA conferences.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Breaking Records!
This quarter, the BDC hosted a total of 5 special events. In July, we hosted the second Cruise Nites of the year, which saw around 70 cars and was proudly sponsored by Buddy Bear Car Wash. We also held the Taste of Cermak which had 16 participating businesses and attracted 120 community members who enjoyed delicious bites or freebies from local Cermak Road businesses.
August brought the final Cruise Nites of the summer with over 60 cars in attendance. Weeks later, we held the 32nd Annual Realty of Chicago Berwyn Rt.66 Car Show, which set a record with over 750 vehicles and sold-out preregistration.
CHAMBER
TOTAL MEMBERS
In September, the 23rd Annual Berwyn Oktoberfest, presented by S.B.C. Waste Solutions, featured 13 food vendors, seven bands, two beer tents, and a carnival, drawing a large crowd. Throughout Q3, we had 33 sponsors, filled 40 vendor slots, and significantly increased attendance across all events.
Interested in volunteering at an event?!
Sign up to join our volunteer email list by scanning the QR code!
Q3 +2 RETENTION
As we finish Quarter 2, the BDC is excited to share some positive updates. Our membership has grown steadily, and retention rates remain strong, thanks to our members' dedication. Event participation has also increased, with an increase of 41% in attendance this quarter—a great sign of our business community coming together.
Looking ahead, we’re eager to keep this momentum going. We have several upcoming community events, including networking mixers, workshops, and outreach programs. These events will help businesses grow while building meaningful connections with residents and entrepreneurs.
For more information, scan the QR code!
Q3 EVEN THANK YOU!
EVENT ATTENDANCE
192 Q3 +41%
By staying engaged, we can continue building a strong business environment and thriving community. We're excited for what's to come and look forward to more participation. When businesses and the community support each other, everyone benefits, and we’re here to make that happen.
BERWYN AFTER HOURS
We are proud to have organized the Business After Hours events this quarter and to see such a strong turnout from our local business community. It has been rewarding to watch so many businesses reconnect, engage, and actively participate in these gatherings. Professionals coming together to exchange ideas and build relationships highlights the importance of these events for our collective growth. Business After Hours creates valuable opportunities for sharing resources and exploring new partnerships.
E-BLAST MARKETING RESULTS
The BDC’s email campaigns are split up into 4 major categories, Economic Development, Chamber, Why Berwyn, and Project Homegrown. By curating specific audiences we are able to make sure that the correct information is being delivered to correct people. Along with designing specific emails for defined audiences the emails are designed to improve engagement with our social media, website, and in person communication.
