LKQ Corporation, a global leader in aftermarket and recycled auto parts, has officially broken ground on a new warehouse and distribution facility in Hartford, Illinois — a project expected to bring dozens of jobs and renewed economic activity to a once-contaminated site.

Construction is now underway at an 18-acre parcel on New Poag Road. A sign on the site announces the development: a 134,234-square-foot warehouse and distribution center built by Arco Construction for LKQ Corp. The company, which maintains headquarters in both Chicago and Tennessee, specializes in automotive parts and recycling, and is known for its national presence in logistics and internet-based sales.

On Monday, heavy equipment operators could be seen stabilizing soil with lime in preparation for concrete work. While LKQ Corp and Arco Construction have not issued formal comments, Hartford Mayor Bill Robertson confirmed the project is moving forward and shared key details about the development’s history and potential impact.

According to Robertson, talks with LKQ had been ongoing for about 18 months, with land acquisition taking considerable time due to complications from the site’s past ownership.

The land was previously associated with the Chemetco Group, once one of the largest secondary copper smelting operations in the country. Chemetco was shut down after federal regulators discovered environmental violations, including an illegal pipe discharging contaminated water into Long Lake. The location was later designated a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, requiring years of cleanup before it could be redeveloped.

Now, after environmental remediation and a long property transfer process, the ground is being laid — literally and figuratively — for LKQ’s newest logistics hub.

Robertson noted that the company had initially planned to start construction in March, but weather delays pushed the timeline back slightly.

The economic impact is expected to be substantial. “It’s going to be significant for us when they start selling, because they sell just over the internet,” Robertson said. The new facility is projected to employ between 60 and 90 workers once operational, with 80 to 90 trucks expected to pass through daily.

“I never noticed LKQ before, but after they started talking to us, I see their trucks all the time,” Robertson added, underscoring the company’s broad reach in auto parts distribution.

With construction now officially underway, the warehouse represents not only a local investment but a story of environmental recovery and economic opportunity. The project also serves as a model for how former industrial sites can be safely repurposed for modern, sustainable business operations.

Originally reported by Scoutt Cousins in The Telegraph.