Baxter Will Remain In Deerfield As Sale Of Campus Off: Spokesperson

DEERFIELD, IL — Bridge Industrial, a Chicago-based real estate developer, has decided not to purchase the 101-acre Baxter International campus. As a result, Baxter will keep its headquarters in Deerfield.

"Baxter has been notified that Bridge International, the prospective buyer of our Deerfield headquarters campus, has decided not to move forward with its development proposal for our property," a Baxter spokesperson told Patch. "As a result, we will remain in our existing location."

Bridge Industrial had reportedly planned to demolish all existing structures and redevelop the property as a state-of-the-art business park on the 101-acre campus. Bridge was under contract to buy the property for between $90 million and $100 million.

Earlier this year, Bridge announced its plans to purchase the land at 1 Baxter Parkway. The Chicago-based developer is proposing to annex the property to Deerfield and rezone the site for industrial and recreational use.

In June, Bridge was scheduled to meet with Deerfield Plan’s Plan Commission last week before the village announced the company had withdrawn its petition. A public hearing was scheduled for June 7, but the village announced that the meeting had been canceled.

Since plans for the proposed redevelopment project went public, more than 5,500 local residents have signed a petition, pushing back against the proposed redevelopment. At issue is an estimated 600 semi-trucks per day congesting the streets of Saunders, Lake Cook, and Deerfield roads that would take place during the redevelopment, local residents said. A GoFundMe effort also raised more than $3,000 to oppose the development project.

In recent months, Deerfield Mayor Daniel Shapiro has discussed his concerns regarding the Bridge plan. Last week, he asked his fellow members of the Deerfield Village Board to send a message to Bridge by adopting a resolution in opposition to a rezoning request by the Chicago-based developer.

"I previously expressed reservations about its project and over 500 people attended our Plan Commission’s public hearing prior to the time that Bridge withdrew its applications," Shapiro said at the Sept. 5 Village Board meeting. "It is clear to me that Bridge’s applications raised many unresolved issues."

Shapiro called the updated proposal by Bridge "problematic."

Because the property is located in unincorporated Lake County, development at Baxter is "potentially subject to regulations from various Lake County agencies," according to officials.
In June, Shapiro said Baxter's plan "raised more questions than answers." Earlier that month, Bridge opted out of a meeting with the Deerfield Plan Commission, and a public hearing was also canceled as a result.

RELATED:

• Deerfield Mayor Opposes Bridge's Rezoning Request At Baxter Property
• Lake County Talks Baxter Site With Developer, Sets Up 24-Hour Hotline
• 'It's Not Over' — Lake County Residents Ready To Fight Baxter Project
• Baxter Site Meeting Moved To Deerfield High School On May 11
• Baxter Site Meeting Postponed Due To Large Crowd In Deerfield
• Petition Against Baxter Site Plan Nears 2,000 Signatures In Deerfield