Batavia businesses and individuals have contributed most of the materials and volunteers have done the work of carefully laying the bricks to form the broad walkway. Overlooks along the walkway provide a place to sit and take in the myriad of sights the river has to offer. In one area, the Riverwalk changes from brick to wood, crossing wetlands and woodland. The Randall Road corridor, on Batavia's west side, is a rapidly expanding commercial area featuring several large shopping centers and a host of national retail outlets. These and other planned commercial developments are attracted by the continuing growth in housing in the vicinity of Randall Road.
Stores line both sides of the street for several blocks.
A Tax Increment Financing district created along River Road, on the east side of the Fox River helped create a double-deck parking facility that benefits merchants and restaurants in the immediate area. The most obvious reason is the presence of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Laboratory, to its immediate southeast, a facility that attracts scientists from throughout the world. The people factor, as well as available land and a supportive environment, attracts business and industry to Batavia, enhancing its proud stature. The community boasts a roster of more than 100 industrial firms. Included are such names as American National Can, Furnas Electric, Suncast, Dot Packaging, Waste Management, Trane, Watlow Batavia, Millard Refrigeration Services, and Payhauler.