Metamora, Creve Coeur Aim to Expand Business Development
By Angeles Ponpa
Published: Oct. 22, 2026 at 3:20 PM GMT+2 | Updated: 6 hours ago
The Village of Metamora and Creve Coeur are seeking to expand housing and commercial opportunities and are encouraging cities like East Peoria to join their economic development efforts.
Currently, East Peoria, the City of Washington, Tazewell County, and Germantown Hills are part of the Northern Tazewell County Enterprise Zone , which has recently expanded to approximately 20 square miles. This zone, granted by the state, offers incentives for businesses to invest and expand within specific areas.
If approved, one village will expand by a square mile, while the other will expand by half a square mile.
“It provides an opportunity for an incentive for a community to offer to develop targeted areas of communities. So, we look at commercial and industrial areas typically, but more recently, communities including East Peoria have looked at residential, looking at mixed-use development like blue town multifamily, ways to spur that development...” explained Ty Livingston, director of planning and community development for the City of East Peoria.
Through the state program, businesses can receive sales tax exemptions and other tax benefits when investing or expanding within the zone.
East Peoria has already purchased land on Route 24 and Centennial Drive for residential development, while Metamora is developing housing and potential business spaces on 135 acres on Route 116.
“We’ve included places like Metamora Fields, where there’s lots to be developed and houses can be built on that wonderful golf course out there. And we want to be able to provide any incentives we can as the housing market is already a tough market and cost to build is extremely high, but doing the things we can help incentivize new development, help incentivize construction,” said Cole McDaniel, village administrator for the Village of Metamora.
The next step in the process includes a public hearing on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Council Chambers (Rooms 112 and 113) at the East Peoria City Hall.