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May 16, 2024

Lagos is a “go-to” destination for casual chic ambiance and classic American fare located at Sunset Valley Golf Club. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap the dining room with outstanding views of the beautiful golf course. The stylish bar is the place to catch a game on one of the big-screen TVs or to chat with a friend. For outdoor dining or an evening drink, head out to the trellised patio and veranda offering comfy seating around cozy firepit tables – perfect for a great view of the sunset. Enjoy a classic selection of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and small bite offerings while the trendy, laid-back bar pours craft beer, wine, and timeless signature cocktails like the Old Sport and Gin Ricky. Lagos welcomes golfers, casual guests, group functions, and private parties.

1390 Sunset Road / 847.579.4163 / sunsetvalleygolfclub.org

Indus, a new progressive, fine-dining Indian restaurant has set an opening date of May 28 at 617 Central Avenue.

Diners can look forward to a menu that marries traditional flavors with contemporary flair, spanning from curries to wagyu steaks, smoked delicacies, and a thoughtfully curated wine and cocktail selection.

617 Central Ave / 847.208.4691 / facebook.com/p/Indus-Progressive-Indian

Wayfarer Theater's ribbon cutting is set for May 23 at 9 AM. Join the team at Wayfarer Theater as they will be offering tours of the newly renovated theater.

In addition to the ribbon cutting, the theater will host a grand reopening celebration on May 31, beginning at 5 PM. The opening night presentation will headline Wayfarer Studios’ and Closer Media’s new film Ezra, an American comedy-drama. The event will also feature a special preview of the venue with remarks from the Wayfarer Theater team, and concessions to celebrate the occasion. 

1850 Second Street / 872.873.1030 / wayfarertheaters.com

The City is excited to share information about updated improvements that will take place along Second Street between Central Avenue and Elm Place. As part of the City’s Capital Improvement Planning process, Second Street was considered by the City Council and City staff as an opportunity for revitalization in the Central Business District.

Improvements include:

• Widening of the sidewalk with the inclusion of brick pavers on the east side of the street
• Creation of bump-outs to allow for more outdoor dining access on the east side of the street
• New LED street/pedestrian lighting
• Storm sewer upgrades
• New asphalt pavement to include pavement markings

The Second Street Infrastructure project is slated to kick off on May 20, 2024 with saw cutting along the area to prepare for removal of the current infrastructure. On street parking will continue to be available throughout the area while this work is being completed.  

Construction will begin on the east side of the road beginning May 28, 2024, near the intersection of Second Street and Elm Place. Work will continue south through the area towards the intersection of Second Street and Central Avenue. During the construction period, on street parking on the east side of the street will not be available. One lane of traffic will continue to be available for the duration of the project. All construction will take place during normal construction hours, Monday thru Friday, 7AM – 7PM, with potential work taking place on Saturdays, 9AM – 5PM, no work on Sunday or holidays. The tentative completion date of this project is scheduled to be in late August 2024.

Access will continue to be available to all businesses located on Second Street for the duration of the project. Outdoor dining for businesses that participate will not be available during the project but will be available upon completion. Temporary 15 minute parking spaces will be made available in the Second Street Parking Lot for patrons to utilize when visiting businesses for short term pick-ups.

The City will continue to provide more updates as the work commences. Please visit the City’s Capital Improvement Program page for more information related to the Second Street Project and other projects taking place in the Central Business District. If your business has any questions specific to this project, please contact Ashley Palbitska, Assistant to the City Manager at 847.926.1034 or apalbitska@cityhpil.com. 

Phase II of the Briergate Business District Improvement Project will take place on Old Skokie Valley Road beginning 300’ north of Old Deerfield and continuing to the north end of the street where the pavement ends.

Work started on Monday, May 13, 2024 and the anticipated completion date is August 23, 2024 (weather permitting). Working hours will be per the City Ordinance: Monday-Friday 7 AM - 7 PM and Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM.  

The project scope consists of:

• Convert existing gravel parking to permeable pavers
• Clear vegetation
• Extension of sidewalk to Skokie Valley Bike Path
• Improved drainage
• Lighting improvements
• Alley improvements

Access will be maintained on Old Skokie Valley Road throughout the project with lane closures occurring during working hours. Parking stall improvements will occur in stages to limit the amount of parking disrupted throughout the project. 

For updates on this project and other capital improvement projects visit the City's Capital Improvements Program dashboard and scroll down to "Other Projects" to view Briergate.

For questions about the project, please call Rod Kovilic, City Project Manager, at 847.926.1138 or rkovilic@cityhpil.com or Mike Kowalski, Consultant Engineer for the Ciorba Group, at mkowalski@ciorba.com.

The City is excited to share information about updated improvements within the Central Business District. As part of the City’s Capital Improvement Plan, the Central Business District will see newly resurfaced streets and improved pedestrian access. Below is a list of the impacted streets that are part of this project.

• Elm Place (Green Bay Road to St Johns Avenue)
• Green Bay Road (Elm Place to Laurel Avenue
• Central Avenue (Green Bay Road to Linden Avenue)
• Laurel Avenue (Green Bay Road to St Johns Avenue)
• Second Street (Central Avenue to Laurel Avenue)
• First Street (Green Bay Road to Laurel Avenue)
• St Johns (Elm Place to Laurel Avenue)
• Sheridan Road (Elm Place to Central Avenue)

The improvement project will be completed in two phases with a majority of the work to be completed at night between the hours of 9 PM (evening) - 6 AM (morning), Monday thru Friday (into Saturday morning). 

Phase 1 work began May 13, 2024 and encompasses concrete work, to include concrete cutting, removing and replacing, as well as the pouring of concreate foundations for new pedestrian signals. Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed with a tentative date of June 28, 2024.

Phase 2 work is anticipated to begin July 8, 2024 and will encompass all asphalt work, including grinding down of the current asphalt and the installation of new asphalt. Phase 2 work is schedule to be completed with a tentative date at the beginning of September. The City requested Phase 2 work to begin July 8, 2024 to prevent overlap with Independence Day events.

For updates on this project and other capital improvement projects visit the City's Capital Improvements Program dashboard.

If your business has any questions specific to the project, please contact Ashley Palbitska, Assistant to the City Manager, at 847.926.1034 or apalbitska@cityhpil.com.

Have any promotional offers for Memorial Day, Juneteenth, or Father's Day? Feature them along with other exciting events and promotions through the months of May and June in the Highland Park Pre-Summer Digital Guide.

Contact Diane Larson, Marketing Coordinator, at dlarson@cityhpil.com to feature your business.

The City of Highland Park and the Park District of Highland Park invite all community members and businesses to participate in the 2024 Independence Day Parade. 

The parade begins at 1 PM on July 4 with a new parade route. This year’s parade theme, “Sweet Home Highland Park,” invites residents and business owners to showcase their love for Highland Park with festive decor.

To participate:

• Complete the parade application form and submit the appropriate fee
• No applications will be accepted after Friday, May 31, 2024
• Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The parade is open to Highland Park residents, Highland Park businesses, or non-profit organizations serving Highland Park residents
• No refunds of entry fees will be granted after Friday, May 31, or due to inclement weather on the day of the parade

For more information, visit the city's website.

The City's Exterior Improvement Grant Program is designed to provide both assistance and encouragement to commercial property owners and sales-tax-generating local businesses citywide to improve their storefronts’ appearance and functionality. The program has the following key features:

• The cost of eligible improvements is shared equally between the applicant and the City.
• The maximum grant is 50% of the project cost up to $20,000 per year for up to five consecutive years or a total of $100,000; however, a grant for the same improvement would not be considered within the same five-year period.
• The eligible improvements must be visible from the right-of-way. 

The annual program budget is $100,000 and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The program is an excellent opportunity for local businesses and property owners to revamp their storefronts, enhance their appeal, and lessen the financial burden. Please visit Exterior Improvement Grant Program to learn more and download the application.

If you have questions about the program, please contact Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at 847.926.1027 or via e-mail at chersch@cityhpil.com.

The Illinois General Assembly established the Innovation Voucher Program to provide grants for companies to engage in research projects in partnership with an Illinois institute of higher education. The Program (20 ILCS 605/605-1060) incentivizes R&D collaborations between early-stage companies and higher education institutions, capitalizing on Illinois’ world-class universities and research labs to boost the competitiveness of Illinois companies.

Fill out an application here.

Company eligibility

• Illinois-based companies with 500 or fewer total employees
• Commitment to maintain operations in Illinois for duration of project
• Businesses that operate in key industries, including agribusiness, energy; information technology; life sciences and healthcare; manufacturing; and transportation and logistics
• R&D leading to the creation of new products and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses
• The partnering institution must be an Illinois-based, non-profit institution of higher education
• Diverse geographic and economic areas, including urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State

This program is managed by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition in partnership with DCEO. For questions contact the program manager Jacob Barry via email at jacob@istcoalition.org.

SCORE offers in-person or virtual sessions using phone, email, or video.

All sessions are free and confidential. SCORE mentors are successful business professionals, some retired, some working, from all industries and experiences.

SCORE recently added a new YouTube channel where all previously recorded webinars are accessible.

To schedule an in-person or virtual session, visit score.org/northchicago and register to “Find a Mentor”. You will be asked to provide the nature of your business interest. Please include whether you prefer in-person or virtual mentoring (phone, email, video) and note the Highland Park Public Library even if you prefer a virtual session.

Upcoming Free Webinars:

Essentials of Small Business Lending - May 16, 6:30 PM CT

This workshop will provide participants with an overview of general lending qualification requirements for small business owners considering financing.

Reserve your spot.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are located throughout the state and provide information, confidential business guidance, training, and other free resources for start-ups and existing small businesses. If you need help with a business plan, marketing, financial bookkeeping, finding grants, starting and growing a business, click HERE.

To find a Center near you, click HERE. Please note that many SBDCs do provide assistance in Spanish. If you need help finding an SBDC that provides Spanish assistance, please contact Diana Alfaro at diana.alfaro@illinois.gov.

This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. The City encourages business owners and managers to share information regarding upcoming events, promotions or news for possible inclusion in the City's marketing modalities, including The Weekender, Enjoy Highland Park, and social media. Please send these items to the City via email to: businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. 

For general business inquiries and assistance, contact the Business Development Team:

• Manager, Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com or 847.926.1027
• Specialist, Corey Cohn at ccohn@cityhpil.com or 847.926.1046
• Specialist, Angela Shaffer at ashaffer@cityhpil.com or 847.926.1008

To learn more about the Business Development Economic Advisory Group (BEDAG), which supports community programs that promote City business and economic development, visit the City's website.