The City of West Chicago has launched a new Downtown Investment Program aimed at revitalizing its historic downtown, attracting private investment, and encouraging significant property upgrades—including the installation of fire sprinkler systems.

The program, effective January 1, 2025, offers from 25 to 50 percent reimbursement grants of up to $75,000 for eligible projects, with as much as $100,000 available for improvements to historically significant or landmarked buildings. The new initiative consolidates two underutilized programs—the city’s former Façade Improvement Program and Retail & Restaurant Grant Program—into a single, more impactful grant offering.

“We were really trying to generate more interest, while also being more impactful with the grant funding to encourage private investment within our downtown,” said Business & Community Relations Director Kelley Chrisse. “One of the program’s standout changes is the newly eligible category of fire sprinkler installations—a safety upgrade not explicitly supported under previous programs.

“Fire sprinklers were not included before,” Chrisse noted. “We really wanted to make sure that was an option. With the age of buildings in the downtown, it was highly unlikely that investment would be made unless financial support was available.”

Fire sprinklers are critical for protecting life and property, especially in older structures where upgrades often come with challenges. By covering a portion of these costs, West Chicago is making it more feasible for property owners to modernize their buildings without compromising on fire safety.

Eligible properties include commercial and mixed-use buildings within Downtown TIF District #2. Improvements can range from large-scale interior and exterior renovations to smaller maintenance-focused projects such as roofing or accessibility enhancements. Fire alarms, HVAC systems, elevators, and chairlifts are also eligible for reimbursement.

“The goal is to preserve the integrity of these structures for the long term,” said Chrisse. “We weren’t seeing enough private investment in the ongoing maintenance of buildings, so we expanded the list of eligible improvements to encourage that work.”

The city budgeted $125,000 for the program in 2025 with the possibility of allocating additional funding if interest exceeds expectations. Chrisse has called on downtown property and business owners to apply and is hopeful that their interest will create a need for an additional funding request. “That’s the kind of success we want to see,” she adds.

The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) supports these types of initiatives that promote fire protection as part of revitalization, while encouraging code compliance and mitigating long-term risk. For more information, search Downtown Investment Program on https://westchicago.org/

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