Business Development eNews Header 2.png

View as Webpage

July 31, 2022

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

In This Issue...

  • City of Highland Park Business Recovery Grant Program
  • Relocation of Memorial Items at Port Clinton Square
  • Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans
  • Business Recovery Funds
  • Helicopter Assistance with HPHS Construction

City of Highland Park Business Recovery Grant Program

The City has established a new grant program to assist eligible businesses in recovering costs related to the impact of the Fourth of July Parade shooting and subsequent investigation. To allow the City and law enforcement agencies to complete the field investigation and site repair, businesses located within a designated perimeter were required to close for owner, employee, and customer access from July 4 – July 10, 2022. Businesses that were unable to operate during this time may be eligible to apply for a grant to help offset revenue losses during the closure. The submission deadline for the City’s grant is August 19, 2022. Learn more and download the application at cityhpil.com/businessrecoverygrants

Business Recovery Grant Application

Relocation of Memorial Items at Port Clinton Square

On Monday, August 1, the City will relocate memorial items at Port Clinton Square to the temporary memorial alongside the Veterans' Memorial located at the intersection of Central and St. Johns. Based on advice from victims' services experts at the Department of Justice, we understand that creating and maintaining temporary memorials has brought comfort to many. Additionally, mental health experts have shared that efforts to restore incident locations to their familiar form is beneficial in the long term, especially for children. Combining these meaningful memorials at one location will help us to honor these differing ways of processing the trauma experienced on July 4. 


We have received a number of questions concerning a future permanent memorial. The City plans to create a lasting memorial in remembrance of the victims with public input and the input of those touched closest by this tragedy. Based on the advice of the Department of Justice and victims' services experts, we will not engage in this process in the immediate future as it is important to take time to allow the community and those most affected by the incident to grieve.


We appreciate your understanding as we approach this significant undertaking with the respect and sensitivity it deserves. More information will be shared when available, and public input will be an important part of the process. In the meantime, please continue to share ideas and suggestions via email at hpcares@cityhpil.com.

Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Governor JB Pritzker announced that the State’s request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster declaration was granted for several counties in Northeast Illinois that were affected by the shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. The declaration will make low-interest working capital loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) program available to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations whose ordinary and necessary financial obligations cannot be met as a direct result of the incident. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period for those in Lake County (Illinois), Cook County (Illinois), McHenry County (Illinois), and the contiguous Kenosha County (Wisconsin).


The SBA Business Recovery Center (BRC) will be located at First Bank of Highland Park,1835 First Street in Highland Park. Customer service representatives will be available at the BRC to answer questions about the disaster loan program and to help business owners complete their applications. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRC are encouraged to wear a face mask. 


BRC hours of operation:

Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

The site will close permanently on Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.


Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s and should apply under SBA declaration #17536, not for the COVID-19 incident. 


Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications may be downloaded at sba.gov/disaster.


Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 


The filing deadline to return EIDL applications is April 25, 2023.


Additional information about the state’s recovery efforts are available at https://www2.illinois.gov/ready/Pages/default.aspx.

Business Recovery Fund

As part of City-wide recovery and resilience efforts, a Business Recovery Fund has been established with First Bank of Highland Park, Highland Park Bank & Trust, the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood taking the lead in fundraising and disbursing monetary assistance to aid businesses and employees in recovery from losses sustained. The Highland Park Chamber of Commerce is gathering information in order to assess the extent of the financial need, and accepting applications for financial assistance. 

 

If you are a business owner or employee that has suffered financial loss because of being closed, physical damage, loss of wages, loss of inventory, etc., please click the link below to fill out the application. Your input is essential. All information will be kept confidential and used solely to identify need.


Please be aware that this is separate from the City's program but can work in conjunction with it. Recovery Funds will be used for supplemental grants to the businesses affected and any residual funds will be used for the betterment of our HP business community.  

 

Applications are due by Friday, August 5, 2022, at 5 PM.

Business Recovery Fund Application

Helicopter Assistance with HPHS Construction

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the permit for a helicopter to be deployed next week to install rooftop HVAC equipment at Highland Park High School. It is anticipated that the helicopter will be onsite two times for no more than an hour per site visit. Access to certain parking lots/building areas will be restricted during this time. There should be no disruption to traffic flow off campus.

Additional Resources

Available Commercial Space


Business Directory


Establishing Your Business


Chamber Of Commerce  


SCORE


U.S. Small Business Administration


Job Center of Lake County - Business Services

Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity


Lake County Health Department


NorthShore University HealthSystem


Illinois Department of Public Health


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

For general business inquiries, contact the City's Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com.


For more information on the City's response to COVID-19, contact the City's Communications Manager Amanda Civitello at acivitello@cityhpil.com.


This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. If you have information you would like to include in this weekly mailing, please submit information, photos, and news to Melissa Rosen at mrosen@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. No pricing information will be published. 

Join Our Mailing List
LinkedIn Share