Near West Side News 

  312-421-3941      June 2013

www.industrialcouncil.com 

Chicago's Department of Water Management has begun a new project to replace the aging water mains beneath parts of Carroll, Wolcott, and Wood Avenues. The work will involve street closures and no parking notices during working hours only, though the Department insists that employees will have access to their places of business at all times.

The work will begin at the intersection of Damen and Leavitt, and will continue eastward from there along the blocks in blue on this map. Work is expected to be completed by late September.

All questions and concerns will be fielded by the Department's Assistant Commissioner Tom LaPorte directly at 312-742-1021. ICNC will share project information as it becomes available.

Near West Side commuters will soon have a new way to get to work. The city plans to install a handful of bike  rental stations in the Kinzie Corridor as part of Divvy, its new bike sharing service to be rolled out this month. Customers pay a regular membership fee to check bikes out from one station and return them to another at the end of their ride. The city plans to install 300 stations this summer, with three stations near the Morgan Green Line stop due at roll out and stations on Damen and Ashland due in several weeks. See a Station Map here or Visit Divvy's website.

A reminder: if you have not yet engaged with ICNC staff regarding the CTA's proposed Bus Rapid Transit project on Ashland Avenue, we want to hear from you. The project seeks to replace one lane of traffic in each direction with a bus-only lane, and to remove left turns off of Ashland from all or most intersections. ICNC is actively lobbying for design changes from CTA, but we need data from our Members. Please call Ben at (312) 421-3941 to discuss Bus Rapid Transit.

At any given time, ICNC has access to several grant and

(Creative Commons)

subsidy opportunities for its small business Members. These programs have the potential to grow your workforce, your export opportunities, or your capital investments, and provide public benefit by creating jobs and reducing blight. All are subject to their own eligibility requirements.

Current Opportunities Available:

State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP): Reimburses 50-75% of travel and exhibition costs at foreign trade shows.

On-the-Job Training (OJT): Reimburses up to 50% of a new hire's wages for their first 6 months.

Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP): Reimburses up to 50% of qualified employee training sessions in new equipment, industry-related software, ISO and LEED, and more.

Empowerment Zone Benefits: Federal tax credits of up to $3,000 per employee for employing people from the neighborhood (business must also be located in the Empowerment Zone).

Work Opportunity Tax Credits: Federal tax credits between $1,200 and $9,600 per employee for hiring from targeted groups like veterans, ex-felons, and SNAP recipients.

For information on how to take advantage of these opportunities, call us at (312) 421-3941.

The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at ICNC is pleased to announce that seven ICNC companies have taken advantage of the state's export promotion grants this year so far. These companies have used or will be using the STEP export promotion funds to go on international sales missions to Germany, Austria, China, Brazil and Mexico. In addition, one company has used STEP funds to get their products the European Union's CE safety certification.

The State Trade Export Promotion Program (STEP), sponsored by the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment, can reimburse 50-75% of travel and exhibition costs for exporting companies at a foreign trade show.  Participants may elect to join a contingent of Illinois businesses exhibiting on one of several sanctioned trade missions, or submit their own proposal for a solo trade mission to a show of their choosing.  Eligible costs include exhibitor fees, airfare, hotel, and some matchmaking services.  STEP may also cover product certification for foreign markets, such as CE and UL Canada marks.  

For more information and to take advantage of STEP, contact ICNC International Trade Center Director Laura Flamm.

Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. 

Join us on Friday, August 23rd for food, networking, and a two-hour cruise aboard the Spirit of Chicago at Navy Pier!  View Chicago's world-famous skyline, from the Sears Tower, to the John Hancock, to the Museum Campus, Aon Center and more.

Our summer membership event is a great opportunity to network with fellow members of our business community.   Registration includes a two-hour cruise, open bar, and hot buffet.

         $40 for FCC tenants                          

For more info call 312-421-3941 or email [email protected]

320 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, IL. 60612

www.industrialcouncil.com