AVONDALE — Revolution Brewing’s Avondale taproom and distribution facility is getting an overhaul and expansion, thanks to a county program that will significantly cut their property taxes.
Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced an ordinance last week to re-establish a Class 6(b) property tax incentive for the industrial building at 3340 N. Kedzie Ave. The legislation, if approved by City Council, sets up $1.8 million in savings over the next 10 years for Revolution, the largest independently-owned brewery in Illinois.
The Cook County program gives qualifying building owners a property tax discount to encourage industrial development.
Revolution applied for the incentive after the previous building owner’s agreement expired, founder Josh Deth said. The brewery bought the Kedzie Avenue building last year, fulfilling the company’s “top goal” since launching in 2010.
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Currently, Revolution takes up the majority of the 125,000-square-foot building and leases out a portion to Garrett’s Popcorn. The savings from the property tax incentive will allow the brewery to take over the popcorn company’s 20,000-square-foot space when their lease is up in the spring, Deth said.
Revolution plans to use the extra room for storage at first, but Deth said they’re interested in finding other uses for the space down the line as the company continues to grow, like converting it into a retail shop.
The savings will also cover important building repairs and upgrades, including tuck-pointing, new, energy-efficient window and more solar panels on the roof, Deth said.
“We expect to be in this location for a very long time, and we want to invest in the building,” Deth said. “We’ve invested in the equipment, and now we’re investing in the building it’s housed in.”
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