Background
Late last year, AT&T announced that they would be closing their Hoffman Estates facility and relocating employees to other communities including Arlington Heights. The first Arlington Heights location that AT&T is relocating and expanding is at 95 W. Algonquin Road, where in the mid 1990’s the Village worked with AT&T (formerly Ameritech) and the State of Illinois to bring their joint venture operation to this building. AT&T has operated at this location since. At the beginning of this year, AT&T renewed their lease for this building with an expansion of approximately 25,000 square feet that will house an additional 100 to 150 employees depending of the design of the space.
The Village has also been working with AT&T regarding relocating additional employees to either 44 S. Vail or 106 Eastman properties that they own in Downtown Arlington Heights. Due to the fact that the North Garage is at or near capacity, the parking committee advised AT&T that it was not possible to provide additional permits in the North Parking Garage. As a result, AT&T has focused their efforts on bringing additional jobs to the 44 S. Vail property.
In 1985, the Village of Arlington Heights entered into an Agreement with Illinois Bell Telephone Company to lease 65 parking spaces in the Vail Avenue Garage and to provide 22 spaces at no cost. AT&T, a successor to Illinois Bell Telephone Company, has executed the attached Amendment to this Agreement which provides an additional 100 parking permits to be sold to AT&T for the Vail Avenue Parking Garage. This Amendment will allow AT&T to bring additional employees to Downtown which is very good news and will provide additional support to Downtown businesses. During discussions with AT&T, the Police Department conducted surveys of the Vail Avenue Garage. The Parking Committee has evaluated the parking surveys and determined that there is adequate parking available during the day time on certain levels of the garage to sell an additional 100 permits for AT&T employees in the 44 S. Vail building.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Village Board adopt the attached Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Parking Agreement with Illinois Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T.