Schaumburg - Live, Work, Play - November/December 2008 - (Page 10) “We wanted people to know that the Schaumburg Road Corridor was the main system through our community,” Larson said. “As Village President in 1987, we began special landscaping in the median to make it more attractive, so more people would want to shop, work, and live in Schaumburg.” With a population of 68,586 in 1990, land availability for residential development was disappearing. Office development also slowed during the 1990s. One Schaumburg Place (redeveloped as Streets of Woodfield) and Woodfield Village Green were built during the 1990s. IKEA opened in the late 1990s. The Elgin-O’Hare Expressway opened in 1993, linking Schaumburg to neighboring communities and Interstate 290. The village purchased and expanded Schaumburg Regional Airport in 1994. Larson sees the airport as a valuable in terms of long-term economic development. Schaumburg and Roselle roads became home to the Town Square shopping center, with the township library, grocery store, restaurants, and public amphitheater among the occupants. Late 19th century and early 20th century architectural design preserves the historic character of the Olde Schaumburg Centre. Forty-five acres of land at the northeast corner of Interstate 90 and Meacham Road were purchased by the village in 2000 to reserve the last large parcel of property of possible use as a convention center, hotel, and performing arts center. The Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center reigns as the crown jewel of Schaumburg in the realm of commerce and tourism. Schaumburg is the largest job center of economic activity in Illinois, outside of Chicago. It has as much office space as downtown Milwaukee. There are 10 million square feet of industrial business development, crowned by the headquarters of Motorola. Twenty-five hotels and more than 200 restaurants provide accommodations and dining for residents and visitors. The bikeway is over 85 miles. Schaumburg is one of two communities in Illinois recommended for bike planning; Chicago is the other one. Schaumburg generates more revenue from food and beverage than anywhere in the state, outside of Chicago. “In the late 1980s I received a letter from a high school student, saying we should have a youth orchestra in town,” Larson said. “We now have the Schaumburg Youth Symphony Orchestra, comprised of 200 young musicians. They have been Illinois Youth Orchestra of the Year twice.” Town Square is a nationally recognized development. “We wanted to have a village center and we wanted the original downtown in the historic district,” Larson explained. “If we were going to build a downtown, it was going to be more than a place to shop.” The Schaumburg Township Library, located in Town Square, serves 1 million patrons annually. The 65-foot clock tower, fountain, gazebo, and 250-seat amphitheatre are also in Town Square. “Christkindlesmarkt celebrates Schaumburg’s German heritage at Town Square,” said Larson. “It is an open-air holiday market held the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.” Restaurants like Sam and Harry’s at the convention center have triggered a surge of restaurants, including Davis St. Fish Market, Pete Miller’s, Moretti’s, Finn McCool’s, Rosebud, and Entourage. “The convention center is a work of art and architecture,” Larson stated. “It hosts everything from quilting shows to boat shows to wedding receptions for 900.” Page 10 present schaumburg live • work • play http://harpercollege.biz http://harpercollege.biz
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