© 2025, Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board. All rights reserved. A not-for-profi t organization.
The City of West Chicago has launched a new Downtown 
Investment Program aimed at revitalizing its historic 
downtown, attracting private investment, and encouraging 
signifi cant property upgrades – including the installation of 
fi re sprinkler systems.
The program, effective January 1, 2025, offers from 25 to 
50 percent reimbursement grants of up to $75,000 for 
eligible projects, with as much as $100,000 available for 
improvements to historically signifi cant or landmarked 
buildings. The new initiative consolidates two underutilized 
programs – the city’s former Façade Improvement Program 
and Retail & Restaurant Grant Program – into a single, more 
impactful grant offering.
Fire sprinklers are critical for protecting life and property, 
especially in older structures where upgrades often come with 
challenges. By covering a portion of these costs, West Chicago 
is making it more feasible for property owners to modernize 
their buildings without compromising on fi re safety.
“The goal is to preserve the integrity of these structures for 
the long term,” said Business & Community Relations Director 
Kelley Chrisse. “We weren’t seeing enough private investment 
in the ongoing maintenance of buildings, so we expanded the 
list of eligible improvements to encourage that work.”
For more information, search Downtown Investment Program 
on https://westchicago.org.
FireSprinklerAssoc.org | 708-403-4468
West Chicago’s 
Downtown 
Investment Program 
Encourages Fire 
Sprinkler Installations

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