The City of North Chicago (“City”) intends to obtain one or more qualified persons, firms, or corporations (“Developer(s)”), to be selected as master developer for a thirty-four acre development site located in North Chicago known as “Sheridan Crossing,” a vacant, corner site on the doorstep of Naval Station Great Lakes: the Navy’s only bootcamp in the nation. The City will utilize a two-step selection process consisting of this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) and a subsequent Request for Proposals (“RFP”). This RFQ focuses on evaluating Developer(s)’ qualifications, experience, and capacity. No formal development proposal is required to submit a response to the RFQ. Shortlisted Developers will subsequently be invited to submit detailed development proposals in response to the RFP. The development site is approximately thirty-four acres in size and is located at the northwest intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Sheridan Road within the City of North Chicago’s Sheridan Crossing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district.

The 2024 North Chicago Comprehensive Plan supports a vision for mixed-use development with one or more commercial “anchor” uses supported by other mixed-use, retail, or limited residential uses. Connecting the site with existing multimodal and pedestrian facilities, including the Robert McClory Bike Trail, is also supported and encouraged by the Comprehensive Plan.

The City’s preferred development would support connectivity to other amenities and key locations in the vicinity including Foss Park, Naval Station Great Lakes, downtown North Chicago, and the North Chicago Metra Station. The development site is located within four hundred feet of Naval Station Great Lakes. Each week, approximately 1,000 cadets graduate from the bootcamp. These graduation ceremonies attract nearly 5,000 visitors to the area each week. Regrettably, there are few dining, entertainment, hotel, or retail options for these visitors within North Chicago. The City seeks to attract these industries and fill market voids. The site represents a non-traditional market due to the site’s close proximity to Lake Michigan; the transient nature of Naval Station Great Lakes employees, contractors, and visitors; and the lack of public data on federally owned property. A market study completed by Development Planning Partners in July 2026 has been included as an exhibit to this document to provide additional information on the market landscape for this particular development site.