Some of the baguettes, dinner rolls and pretzel buns you can buy at Costco or Trader Joe’s will soon be made in Forest Park.
Chicago Specialty Bakers is moving into 7501 Industrial Dr. to produce baked goods, mostly for commercial airlines, food service businesses and grocery stores. CSB creates par-baked, frozen products that the company then distributes throughout the country and internationally. It will operate in the space where Weinstein Meat previously was.
At a Sept. 8 village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved Chicago Specialty Bakers to receive a 6b classification, a tax incentive offered by Cook County that encourages redevelopment of vacant commercial or industrial properties.
The tax incentive makes it more affordable for a business to rehabilitate its property by reducing property tax assessment for 12 years. Over that time, the business is expected to create capital investment and jobs through renovations. Work on the vacant property is also expected to enhance its value, increasing property tax revenue for the village.
At the council meeting, Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin asked CSB’s owner and master baker Felix Barats and company representatives about the extent of their improvements to the Industrial Drive property.
A CSB representative said construction will entail both rehabilitation and installation. Renovations will include improving the building’s electrical system, plumbing, flooring, security system and cooler refrigeration system. New elements include artisan production lines, large mixers, ovens and office furniture.
Barats said the repairs and new equipment will likely cost seven figures.
Commissioner Jessica Voogd asked about how CSB will hire for the jobs at the new building.
“Most of our employees are drawn from three-to-five miles from the facility,” Barats said. “We’re planning to hire people who live around here. That’s what we usually do.” He added, “Plus, we have an employee list from the previous ownership [Weinstein Meat] and we’re planning to hire them too.”
Barats started Chicago Specialty Bakers 43 years ago after immigrating to the United States from Ukraine and getting a job delivering bagels. He launched CSB to make and sell bread to retail stores, but it later evolved to become a wholesale food producer and distributor.
