Publications & Sites 
State, local officials honor Astellas opening in Glenview
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn attended Monday's opening of the new Astellas Pharma U.S. corporate headquarters in Glenview. | Todd Shields~Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 8, 2012 8:32AM
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Astellas executives joined Monday morning in opening the new Japanese pharmaceutical headquarters in Glenview.
The $140 million glass high-rise at Willow Road and I-294 will create 150 tech jobs, plus another 90 under a state tax incentive plan, said company spokeswoman Jenny Kite.
“With the 90 extra jobs, we’ve exceeded the original number. The jobs are in administration, finance, human resources and development,” she said.
The seven-story building will house 1,000 employees, and construction started in April 2010.
In 2008, Astellas decided to move its North American and South American headquarters from Deerfield to Glenview, lured by a Cook County property tax break that lowers its property assessment for 20 years and $4 million in tax credits in exchange for creating 150 new jobs.
“We are committed to establishing Illinois as a leading hub of life sciences, and our work is paying off,” Quinn said.
“At Astellas, we measure success not only by bringing innovative pharmaceuticals to patients and physicians, but also our commitment to the communities in which we work,” said Masao Yoshida, president and CEO of Astellas Pharma US Inc.
According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the state ranks first in the Midwest for foreign investment and has attracted 1,600 foreign firms, employing 323,000 residents.
A plan for developing the 40 acres surrounding the Glenview Astellas site is underway.
On April 2, Glenview trustees approved a land-use change from residential condos to apartments and retail center due to a sagging housing market.
In 2008, the developer GlenStar Properties first proposed building 290 apartments in a four-story structure instead of 156 residential units.
Two hotels also were proposed — Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn and Suites — that would have shared an eight-story, 96-foot-tall building.
Lawrence Debb, of GlenStar, said the national increase in room vacancy rates prevented building hotels since the economic downturn and they were dropped from the plan.
However, a village report stated other commercial/retail plans for the site were still underway, such as a 90,000-square-foot Mariano’s grocery store, an LA Fitness Cub, a preschool/day care and retail storefronts including a bank, coffee shop, quick-serve restaurant and various services.
The proposed development would bring in an estimated 512 residents.
That estimate also included 14 students in kindergarten through eighth and five high school students.
Yearly village sales tax revenues were expected to be $790,000.
Glenview Park District would net $1.2 million in property taxes, while Glenview Public Library would receive $630,000.
The agreement also required the park district to receive a one-time cash contribution of $1.3 million or 2 ½ park acres for the site.
Glenview Park District now has 836 park acres, and the $1.3 million contribution would be spent on capital improvement projects for new or existing parkland, said district Superintendent Chuck Balling.
“We’re excited about the Astellas opening, especially in these economic times. The company has shown confidence in constructing this building, and GlenStar will soon be submitting more plans to the village for rebalancing the adjacent property for retail and rentals,” said Todd Hileman, Glenview village manager.
