Mount Prospect planner hired as new Algonquin community development director

News Room

Mount Prospect Senior Planner Jason Shallcross has agreed to become Algonquin’s new community development director.For Shallcross, it will be a homecoming. He grew up in the Fox River Valley region.”When I saw that the position was available for hire, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity to put my hat into the ring for consideration,” he said.A Burlington Central High School graduate, Shallcross, 31, holds a bachelor’s in community and regional planning from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Iowa.He said he is looking forward to working with Village President Debby Sosine and Village Manager Tim Schlonger.He praised the village’s reinvestment and redevelopment of Old Town and the development of Randall Road.”It is a significant commercial corridor on Randall Road, and I’m excited to be a part of that,” he said.He is also excited about opportunities on Algonquin Road just east of downtown.Also, “I can’t wait to get to work on establishing their corporate campus and getting that as vibrant as the rest of the Randall Road corridor.”He said he wants to take a holistic approach to community development in Algonquin.”It’s not just the large projects,” he said. “It’s also village residents trying to make small home improvements, because they’re not small to them.”He said he also wants to be an advocate for the business community, believing it is imperative to have strong relationships with local businesses.He said he is proud of his work in Mount Prospect.”I have been so lucky to be a part of so many different projects,” he said, including such downtown projects as the Maple Street Lofts and the Edwin and Elsie (Meyn) Busse Park near village hall.Shallcross thanked many elected and appointed Mount Prospect village officials for their help in his work.”It’s an incredible group of people,” he said. “The support they have shown me personally and professionally over the last five years is really what put me in a position to succeed as the next community development director for the village of Algonquin.”

Related posts