Carol Stream reports strong retail and low vacancy as housing projects sell quickly
May 23, 2026 | Carol Stream, DuPage County, Illinois
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Community Development Director Don Bastian told chamber attendees the village is seeing robust commercial and residential activity and that new online tools are streamlining permitting.
Digital services and permitting: Bastian said the village introduced online building permitting in 2022 and that "82% of all of our building permit applications are coming in through the front page of the village website," allowing applicants to submit and receive documents without coming to Village Hall.
Recent development and business activity: Bastian updated the audience on housing projects, saying the Villas of Fair Oaks development is fully sold out with an average sale price above $640,000. He also said the board approved additional townhome projects on Lees Road and that Glenbard North is starting an expansion of its fine-arts wing and entrance improvements.
Economic snapshot: Citing Choose DuPage data, Bastian said Carol Stream has about 1,173 businesses employing roughly 20,000 people; he said manufacturing, health care and retail trade make up about 40% of those jobs. Vacancy metrics were presented as healthy: industrial vacancy near 5.3% and retail vacancy about 2.3% across roughly 2.2 million square feet of retail space.
What to watch: Bastian said the village is meeting with prospective businesses for remaining outlots in major shopping centers and expects additional announcements as leases and plans solidify.
Digital services and permitting: Bastian said the village introduced online building permitting in 2022 and that "82% of all of our building permit applications are coming in through the front page of the village website," allowing applicants to submit and receive documents without coming to Village Hall.
Recent development and business activity: Bastian updated the audience on housing projects, saying the Villas of Fair Oaks development is fully sold out with an average sale price above $640,000. He also said the board approved additional townhome projects on Lees Road and that Glenbard North is starting an expansion of its fine-arts wing and entrance improvements.
Economic snapshot: Citing Choose DuPage data, Bastian said Carol Stream has about 1,173 businesses employing roughly 20,000 people; he said manufacturing, health care and retail trade make up about 40% of those jobs. Vacancy metrics were presented as healthy: industrial vacancy near 5.3% and retail vacancy about 2.3% across roughly 2.2 million square feet of retail space.
What to watch: Bastian said the village is meeting with prospective businesses for remaining outlots in major shopping centers and expects additional announcements as leases and plans solidify.
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