Welcome to the Lake Forest Office of Economic
Development
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New
this
Winter:
The Lake Forest Story
Learn more about Lake Forest
through the new "Lake Forest Story" PDF file.
Local businesses can promote on their website or
send to customers.
Lake Forest
Story
2008 Retail Survey
Results are in!
The final market research is
complete with information about Lake Forest's retail
market, top economic development challenges, focus
group results (students, long-term residents,
short-term residents, frequent CBD shoppers, and
employees) and research-based recommended
initiatives.
2008 Survey
Results
(649k - 42 pages)
Lake Forest Voices: Real
Estate Coalition
Join the Lake Forest Real Estate
Campaign by sending in your thoughts about what you
love about Lake Forest.
Lake
Forest Love Campaign
(295k - 1 page)
The Marketing Machine
The Marketing
Machine
(48k
- 3 pages): A
worksheet to make sure your business is connected to
all the programs and activities scheduled for the
2009 year.
Lake Forest Stocking Stuffer
Check out specials in our Lake
Forest retail stores. Many items are available
from $10 to $49. You will find items for
everyone in the family!
Lake Forest Stocking Stuffer
(2.6Mb
- 1page)
"Inside
Lake Forest"
A Channel 17 cable TV production
featuring local Lake Forest businesses. Watch
every Monday evening at 6:17 pm to learn more about
the history of our businesses, the buildings they
occupy, the special products/service/dining they
offer and what their particular business is known
for. Each Monday, a new show will be
aired prior to City Council meetings. Why
don't you join us at 6:17 pm and learn where your
perfect next gift is located!
Mayor's Central Business
District (CBD) Task Force
Starting last September, the
Mayor's CBD Task Force met to conduct an assessment
of The City of Lake Forest Central Business District
and make a recommendation to the City Council on
action steps that should be implemented for the
purpose of supporting the continued and enhance
vitality of the district. The next meeting is
December 18 at 7 pm. Location: MS Building
Completed in June 2008:
Resident Retail Survey Results?
Residents and community members
recently assisted the City by completing a survey
regarding shopping in Lake Forest. Responses to the
survey will help the City create new and unique
shopping destinations in Lake Forest.
The
survey results
(240k - 9 pages)
have been compiled and can be viewed or
downloaded.
The Office of Economic Development is located in City
Hall at 220
East Deerpath Road. Office hours are Tuesday through
Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Economic
Development mission is to enhance the economic vitality
of Lake Forest and maintain its outstanding quality of
life through the retention and expansion of existing
businesses, as well as the attraction of new businesses
to the Community.
The City of Lake Forest: Overview
With a population of more than 20,000, Lake Forest is
one of the largest communities on the North Shore and in
Lake County, Illinois. Located 30 miles north of downtown Chicago,
Lake Forest business owners enjoy easy access to major
interstate highways, O'Hare International Airport and
Waukegan Executive Airports and passenger railroad
systems. Lake Forest is a major business center with
several national and multi-national corporate
headquarters located within or adjacent to the city
limits. From the quaint shops in the historic downtown
to the major corporations off of bustling I-94, Lake
Forest is home to several of Chicagoland's most popular
retailers and a wide assortment of four-star and casual
dining establishments. Major area private employers
include Abbott, Hospira, Tenneco, Trustmark, Brunswick,
Salton, TAP Pharmaceutical, AKORN Pharmaceutical,
Pactiv, Grainger, the Chicago Bears, and the Lake Forest
Graduate School of Management.
The City of Lake Forest: History and Preservation
Founded in 1861, Lake Forest is physically
distinctive because of its picturesque street plan with
streets laid out in an organic manner that takes into
account many natural features including the ravines and
lake bluffs. Lake Forest is historically significant for
the many notable families who chose
 to make their
permanent or summer homes here. By World War I, the list
of property owners in Lake Forest read like a Who's Who
of the rich and famous in Chicago. In addition, Lake
Forest is noted for the quality and character of its
architecture, residential, commercial, and institutional
structures.
Doing Business in Lake Forest
The City of Lake Forest welcomes your business and
is committed to helping your business prosper. The
following offers you information on the strengths of
Lake Forest’s diverse economic base and gives you a
complete overview of our commitment to retail and office
development. The City of Lake Forest is a member of the
International Council of
Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the
Illinois
Development Council (IDC). Our profile is
available on the State of
Illinois's
Department of Economic Commerce & Opportunity (DCEO). Please e-mail
Susan Kelsey,
Economic Development Coordinator,
or call her at 847-615-3522 should you have any
questions or comments.
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