SYCAMORE | Face lifts aren’t just for people anymore.

Sycamore city officials are considering allotting a new business district to boost commercial property.

The Sycamore Plaza Shopping Center, located north of Barber Greene Road on Sycamore Road, has been underdeveloped since the Kmart closed, city officials say.

“The [existing] store does get traffic in and out, but we can expect a lot more,” said Sycamore city manager Bill Nicklas. “People are driving south to get what they need.”

The city is exploring the option of a tax increment finance, or TIF, district and a business district.

TIF districts are set up to “help local governments restore their most run-down areas or jump-start economically sluggish parts of town and [to] provide incentives to attract businesses or help existing businesses expand, without tapping into general funds or raising taxes,” according to illinois-tif.com.

State guidelines explain that a home-rule community may impose a higher home rule sales tax within the boundaries of the business district.

The special tax cannot go above one percent of the accumulated receipts from the generated sales and can only be increased in .25 percent increments. The Department of Revenue will collect the taxes and later distribute them to municipalities.

The Sycamore City Council agenda characterizes the area as blighted with severe cracks in the parking lot, water damage to both the interior and exterior of the main building and as lagging in equalized assessed valuation growth overall.

“There has been a fall-off in sales tax created in that area,” Nicklas said.

Mike Weber of Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets Inc. was hired by Sycamore to aide in the building a business district.

“If the shopping center gets heavy hitters, they can get obligations payed off,” Weber said. “This would dissolve the sales tax and business district.”

Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy is optimistic about the shopping center’s development.

“It’s a wonderful location. Unless there’s a catalyst or engine, we don’t see a lot happening out there.”

Katie Trusk is a City Reporter for the Northern Star.