Belvidere competes for refrigeration services, warehouse rights

BELVIDERE, Ill. (WIFR) - Following a city council meeting Monday, land has been annexed by the city of Belvidere to make way for a possible site that would see a second Midwest Refrigeration Services warehouse in the city of murals.

The property would be south of US Route 20, but west of the General Mills distribution center, with the size of the building not set at this time.

“Logistically, we are a prime candidate for a project like this that will help employ 50 or more employees, their investment will be great and north of $2 million,” said Pamela Lopez-Fettes, executive director of Growth Dimensions in Belvidere.

Belvidere city council member John Albertini says it will not be that simple, as Belvidere is competing with a city in Wisconsin for the rights to build the facility.

“Belvidere competes well. We are growing and I think they are doing a good job recruiting businesses here,” said Albertini.

In order to build the warehouse, Belvidere needed more funding, leading to the city’s application for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). This would award the city with $1 million, but those funds would not only apply to the MRS project, but also to future developments.

“The block grant is to facilitate water and sewer, to facilitate other companies that may come in in the future. We are expanding into lands that are unknown to us at this time,” said Albertini.

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