Capital investment continues in Kankakee County

Companies continue to invest in Kankakee County – to the tune of $2 billion, according to the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County’s presentation Tuesday at the Kankakee County Board meeting.

Angela Morrey, president and CEO of the alliance, gave her first presentation to the board since taking over in the fall for Tim Nugent, who resigned to take a position with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.

There was $2.02 billion in capital investments in Kankakee County in 2025, and Morrey said it proved to be a good year.

“We had some pretty substantial announcements – either announcements or construction starting on different projects,” she said. “One of the largest was Heritage Prairie Solar and Wind. I know you’re all familiar with that on the western side of the county.”

That project is $1.75 billion, and it started construction on the Essex substation a few months ago. Other renovations, new construction or rehabilitations in the county include Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School ($70 million), Staybridge Hotel and Patriot Hyundai in Bradley, the Kankakee County Courthouse, Nautilus Solar in Manteno, the Herscher Intermediate School ($40 million) and QuikTrip in Kankakee, among others.

The Heritage Prairie development eventually will provide power to 265,000 homes.

“That’s pretty significant,” said Morrey, who has been with the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County for five years. “Projects like these bring in a lot of tax revenue to the taxing districts in that area.”

Three solar farms in Kankakee County constructed by Clearway Energy Group have 2 megawatts of capacity, which is enough to power approximately 350 homes. — Three solar farms in Kankakee County constructed by Clearway Energy Group have 2 megawatts of capacity, which is enough to power about 350 homes. A $500 million project by Heritage Prairie in Essex will have a 300-megawatt capacity. (Provided by Clearway Energy Grou)

This past year builds on the previous four years, as there has been $4.3 billion worth of capital investment in Kankakee County from 2021 to 2025.

“That is very significant for a county of our size,” Morrey said. “One of the things we do to attract new businesses to our area is we work closely with the state of Illinois and different site-selection companies who work with companies looking to locate here.”

Morrey added that Kankakee County submitted 37 properties for 24 projects in 2025. The Economic Alliance typically receives requests for information a couple of times a week.

“We don’t know the company,” Morrey said. “We don’t know much about them. It might say they’re a steel manufacturer based in the U.S., and we’re lucky if we get that information. But what they do say is all the requirements that they’re looking for – whether it’s a greenfield site, square footage, ceiling heights [or] different utilities that they need to locate in our area.”

Kankakee County checks a lot of the boxes that companies might be looking for, including land acreage and location, interstate highway access, building square footage, utility capacity and capability, and a ready workforce that is educated.

Project updates

Morrey also noted the ongoing $4.1 million project at the Ken Hayes Industrial Park, the former Bradley Roper site that serves as a business incubator. Six businesses call the site home, comprising more than 140 employees. Money to repair the roof, which was built in 1895, came from a federal grant secured by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson.

The groundbreaking of the indoor water park in Bradley is expected by this summer. The $90 million attraction, known as the Mattel Wonder Water Park, will be situated just off Interstate 57 at the 315 interchange near the Northfield Square mall.

Dirt was turned in early 2025 on the $5 million East Riverwalk project at the intersection of South Schuyler Avenue and River Street in Kankakee. The city also is nearing completion of the cleanup of the former Jaffe Drugs building, and design work has begun on the $6 million courthouse renovation.

Area leaders and officials gathered with community members to toss some dirt Wednesday at the official groundbreaking for Kankakee’s East Riverwalk project. The site, located on the southeast corner of East River Street and South Schuyler Avenue, has been in the works since 2017. — Area leaders and officials gather with community members to toss dirt at the official groundbreaking for Kankakee’s East Riverwalk project. The site, located on the southeast corner of East River Street and South Schuyler Avenue, has been in the works since 2017. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Health care expansion

Riverside Healthcare in Kankakee announced a $28 million expansion of the Riverside Behavioral Health and acquired the former Cigna building on North Convent Street in Bourbonnais. Saint Mary Hospital, now part of Prime Healthcare, announced $1 million in capital improvements, including radiography, technology and other projects.

The former Cigna building in Bourbonnais has been donated to Riverside Healthcare. The long-vacant building is adjacent to the healthcare system’s Health Fitness Center and expanding campus in Bourbonnais along North Convent Street. — The former Cigna building in Bourbonnais has been donated to Riverside Healthcare. The long-vacant building is adjacent to the health care system’s health fitness center and expanding campus in Bourbonnais along North Convent Street. (Tiffany Blanchette)

“Prime has met with us and told us that they are investing and committed to the Kankakee County area,” Morrey said. “... They have made it very clear to us that they are here to stay, despite any rumors that may be going around about Saint Mary’s.”

Eastern Kankakee County

Natural gas pipeline expansion work continues in the Hopkins Park/Pembroke Township area. There have been 136 residents and nine businesses that have connected to the pipeline.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in terms of what they’re contending with out there,” County Board member Steven Hunter said. “They need a lot of help. Also, the village of Hopkins Park is taking a look at the old prison site for a solar farm, and we’d like to see that come to fruition as well. That’s a revenue stream for them, job opportunities and further business development.”

Traffic travels past the former AAF Flanders site along Illinois Route 114 in Momence on Oct. 14, 2025. The business closed in April 2023 and nearly 115 jobs were lost. — Traffic travels past the former AAF Flanders site along Route 114 in Momence on Oct. 14, 2025. The business closed in April 2023, and about 115 jobs were lost. (Tiffany Blanchette)

There were three businesses that closed in Momence in 2025, resulting in the loss of 661 jobs. The Economic Alliance has collaborated with the Grundy-Livingston-Kankakee Workforce Board to help those displaced workers.

“We continue to work with the workforce board on having job fairs where we can get these people back to work,” Morrey said.

County Board member Rosemary Foster, who represents Pembroke Township, said she’s excited about the possibilities.

“The eastern part of the county has been hit hard, and I feel just as passionate about Momence, and we need to get people up and running again,” she said.