Online Staff Report

About three months after the Illinois Secretary of State closed its Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) facility at 3816 Auburn St., the Secretary of State and Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey (I) will announce the opening of a new west-side facility at 3212 Auburn St., at a 3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 24 press conference.

The announcement comes after the state’s sudden decision to close the previous Auburn Street facility drew intense criticism from area residents and local elected officials. The previous location reportedly issued more state ID cards than other area offices combined.

The new location will be about six blocks from the facility that closed July 29, and will be next to the Dollar General at 3214 Auburn.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White (D) announced July 10 the old facility would be closed July 29 as a result of failed lease negotiations. White also announced a new facility would be opened at 4752 Baxter Road in September. The Baxter Road facility is near Interstate 39 on the city’s far southeast side.

The old Auburn Street location was the first of two Secretary of State offices in Rockford. The other Rockford location is at 3720 E. State St., and remains in operation.

A west-side location is convenient to the south and west sides of Rockford, and neighboring towns like Pecatonica and Byron.

Lack of public transportation for west-siders to the new CDL facility on Baxter Road was cited as a main reason for opposing the location. The Baxter Road location is outside the city limits, and is not near a bus stop.

Following is a press release issued by Petro Family Investment, LP, owner of the property where the new facility will be located:

Illinois Secretary of State driver’s license facility to open next to Dollar General on Auburn Street

Hard work from all levels of local and state government key to new facility.

Petro Family Investment, LP, and the Petro family announced today (Oct. 24) that they have reached agreement with Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office to locate a new full-service driver’s license facility at 3212 Auburn St. in Rockford. The new facility, to consist ofapproximately 4,400 square feet, will open upon completion of remodeling the space to the Secretary of State’s specifications. The new facility will be next to the recently opened Dollar General store in the former Centro Hardware shopping center, on the southwest corner of Auburn Street and Avon Street.

The new facility was made possible through the cooperation and hard work of aldermen Ann Thompson-Kelly and Linda McNeely, Mayor Larry Morrissey and his staff, State Rep. Charles Jefferson and Jesse White’s office. The Petro family appreciates the assistance they received from Mayor Morrissey, aldermen Thompson-Kelly and McNeely, and Rep. Jefferson in helping keep this vital service on Rockford’s west side.

Pete (Nerino) Petro Sr. and his family have been committed to Rockford’s west side for more than 50 years as property and business owners. According to Petro: “We’re proud of our long-time commitment to the west side of Rockford. The addition of Secretary White’s new driver’s license facility to this center is part of our ongoing commitment to the west side.”

Petro Family Investment, LP, was started by Pete (Nerino) Petro Sr. and his deceased wife Mary Anne Petro who owned and operated Big Bear and then Centro Hardware since 1960. Petro Family Investment, LP, continues their family’s commitment to Rockford in the form of property development and real estate management for office and retail tenants, including significant investment on Rockford’s west side.

Posted Oct. 24, 2012