SOUTH SUBURBAN Retail Investment Study Village of Matteson | Village of Olympia Fields | Village of Park Forest | Village of Richton Park May 2012 PREPARED BY: Teska Associates, Inc. | UIC Nathalie P. Voorhees Center | Business Districts, Inc. | Clark Hill PLC Acknowledgements & Disclaimer The South Suburban Retail Investment Steering Committee Jessica Patryce Study was funded under two awards from Leslie Page-Piper the 2009 and 2010 Congressional Earmark Randy Alexander, Budmar Group LLC Rachel Phelps, State Senator Program sponsored by Congressman Jesse James Berner, Costar Hutchinson’s Office Jackson Jr., 2nd Congressional District to Ray Benaitis, Sertoma Centre Robert Pionke the Village of Olympia Fields for a South Tony Bizios, UPC Group Joe Salamone, Team 4 LLC Suburban Coalition Economic Development Victor Blackwell, Olympia Fields J. Schutter, Newmark Program. Shannon Bond, Park Forest Beverly Sokol, Olympia Fields Helen Burleson, Olympia Fields James Washington, United Way of Phase I (2009) was awarded, in the Anthony Burton, Matteson Greater Chicago amount of $122,821.00, in accor- Todd Cabanban, CR&M Commercial Realty John Watson, South Holland dance with Public Law No. 111-8, § Yida Capriccioso, CMAP 525; 155 Cong. Rec. H2063-H2072. Victor Cooksey, Kenny’s Ribs Municipal Staff Phase II (2010) was awarded, in the Matt Creen, Currie Motors amount of $100,000.00, in accor- Bonita Dillard, Park Forest Trustee David Mekarski, Olympia Fields dance with Public Law No. 111-117, Eugene Dumas Hildy Kingma, Park Forest Div. C, Title V, § 523; 155 Cong. Rec. Nancy Firfer, MPC Sandra Zoellner, Park Forest H14047-H14051. Reginald Ford Pam Hirth, Matteson John Forist, Prairie State College LaVern Murphy, Matteson The Congressional Earmark was processed Carolyn Gibson, Olympia Fields Trustee Ouida Drummond-Neal, Richton Park under two grant awards managed by the James Gigliotti, Calumet City T. Abraham Lentner, Richton Park U.S. Small Business Administration. Reggie Greenwood, SSMMA David Fitzgerald, Richton Park J. Hopkins, NAI Hiffman This project is funded by a grant from the Michelle Joseph, Richton Park Consultant Team U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Debra Kopec, Thornton Township SBA’s funding should not be construed as James Matanky, Matanky Realty Group Mike Hoffman, Teska Associates, Inc. an endorsement of any products, opinions, Jill Manning, Thornton Township Bridget Lane, BDI or services. All SBA-funded projects are ex- Joseph Martin, Diversity Inc. Janet Smith, UIC , Nathalie P. Voorhees Center tended to the public on a nondiscriminatory Jim Minick, Ardmin Properties Michael Brown, Clark Hill PLC basis. Mimi Mesirow, U.S. Rep. Jackson’s Office Janice Morissy, SSMMA Shirley Nale, Olympia Fields Trustee Susan Ormsby, Olympia Fields Trustee COMPLETED FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF b South Suburban Retail Investment Study Matteson | Olympia Fields | Park Forest | Richton Park May 17, 2012 On behalf of the Villages of Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest and Richton Park, we wish to endorse this Study and support continued efforts to work cooperatively to provide the shopping and dining opportunities desired by our residents. The study highlights the uniqueness of our market, both within the region and nationally. Our high incomes results in strong consumer buying power. Our distinct demographic diversity offers exceptional opportunities to target a wide variety of consumers. And our pro-active, cooperative approach to economic development has lead all of our communities to consider appropriate incentives to encourage desirable retail development and to enhance the appearance of existing centers. We wish to personally thank Congressman Jackson and the SBA for their funding assistance, and look forward to a continued partnership to implement plan recommendations. We also want to thank Senator Durbin’s Office for continually showing interest in the study and its results. We collectively look forward to working together to implement the studies suggestions and enhancing the provision of goods and services to our residents while augmenting our non- residential and sales tax base. Sincerely, __________________________ ______________________________ Andrè B. Ashmore Debbie Meyers-Martin President President Village of Matteson Village of Olympia Fields ______________________ ______________________________ John A. Ostenburg Rick Reinbold President President Village of Park Forest Village of Richton Park COMPLETED FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF Matteson | Olympia Fields | Park Forest | Richton Park South Suburban Retail Investment Study c COMPLETED FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF d South Suburban Retail Investment Study Matteson | Olympia Fields | Park Forest | Richton Park Forward he South Suburban Coalition is comprised of four Villages’ located within the South Sub- Turban Region of Chicago which includes the Villages of Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest and Richton Park. The Coalition is represented by Smith Dawson & Andrews, a public affairs company, who is contracted annually to develop a list of Federal priorities, projects, infrastructure requirements and program objectives designed for the long-term sustainability of the four Villages. The Village of Olympia Fields exercised a leadership role in the concept of the project, the authorship of the grant request, the study design and scope; as well as, serv- ing as project manager for both awards. The purpose of the study was two-fold: To investigate whether retailers and restaurateurs have failed to serve the Villages of Matteson, Park Forest, Olympia Fields and Richton Park, based on their ethnic-minority composition, rather than on economic criteria. To develop the data, tools, strategies and relationships that will recruit and retain qual- ity commercial investment in these four south suburban communities. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a dysfunctional social phenomenon referred to as “Retail Redlining” is operative in the upwardly mobile diverse communities within the Chicago Southland. This process can impact a community’s economic base by preventing or inhibit- ing it from reaching its true economic potential. This condition characteristically exhibits itself through a process of unconscious racism. Subconsciously; national retailers, retail brokers and those who are making retail locational decisions stereotype a community based on the demographic of race. For example, despite a community’s wealth, spending power, average household income, median housing value, college attainment, or other socio-demographics characteristics which provide a distinction along “class” lines; a community with a percentage of African American population typically over thirty percent, can be viewed superficially or falsely as an undesirable location for new retail investment. This appears to occur due to ste- reotyping of the community relative to race. In other words, a community with the majority of African Americans representing its population may be perceived as poor, under educated, having high crime which would lead to a high potential for “retail shrinkage” and thus lower profits. However, the perception of these communities could be viewed as a poor investment COMPLETED FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF Matteson | Olympia Fields | Park Forest | Richton Park South Suburban Retail Investment Study e decision for new “Class A” retail. This assumption may be contrary to the true demographics of the community. The communities representing the Southland Coalition wanted to move from anecdotal evi- dence to empirical evidence based on sound academic research. It is for this reason that a component of this analysis included academic research conducted by University of Illinois at Chicago. The intent was not too belabor the problem or criticize a national retailer of racial bias; rather, its intent was to understand the true reasons behind why the retail economy of the wealthy diverse communities within our region are weaker economically than its homo- geneous Caucasian neighboring communities. Convincing evidence has been found in this study that retail redlining is operative at the mar- gins. This factor may represent a tipping point in the retail locational decision making process by pushing a retailer to a less diverse community, despite the actual spending potential of a comparable majority African-American community. In a recessionary economy, the mar- gins are accentuated and the subconscious bias of race can play a major role in siting retail locations in less diverse areas. We, therefore, directed the focus of this report to provide a “tool box” of marketing solutions to assist diverse communities in showcasing their economic potential. Our hope is to replace stereotyping or false perceptions of a local economy with the community’s true economic demographic profile. Additional academic research is also needed to determine the ultimate level of impact from this social dysfunction. This study represents a “crack in the glass ceiling” that needs to be shattered if upward mobile diverse communities are expected to achieve economic equity. Retail investments are not simply about convenience to shopping; rather, it represents the foundation to a community’s resource base providing necessary funding for its schools, parks, public infrastructure, com- munity safety and its very quality of life. President Obama has encouraged our Nation to have an open and honest dialogue on race. This study embraces that challenge. It should be seen as a national demonstration project to assist other diverse communities