KENDALL COUNTY BOOMING DESPITE SLOWDOWN

Editor's note...here is another great article touting our area! We had the front page of the Tribune last week and now the front page of the Sun-Times Real Estate section! Take a look!

July 18, 2008
BY SANDRA GUY - Sun-Times Staff Writer

Pop-up neighborhoods and big-box stores are the stereotype of an ex-urban neighborhood, but town officials in Kendall County are installing bike trails, intensifying planning efforts and revitalizing their downtowns to reinvent themselves as destinations.

"Many people moving into this area are looking for larger lots but they still want city services," said Valerie Burd, mayor of Yorkville, about 50 miles west of Chicago.

Booming Kendall

Despite a national housing market meltdown, Oswego, Plainfield and Yorkville are still growing. Oswego has doubled in size in the past eight years, to an estimated 28,000 today; Plainfield nearly tripled to 37,300, and Yorkville nearly tripled, to 15,240.

All three have overwhelmingly Caucasian populations, and they boast mostly young families as their core demographic.

Income bracket widens

It's enviable that the area has seen its upper-income population grow.
In Yorkville, the percentage of the population making $200,000 or more grew to 4 percent in 2006 from 2.5 percent in 2000, and those making $150,000 to $200,000 tripled during that time, to 6 percent. Eighteen percent make $100,000 to $150,000, while 22 percent garner annual incomes of $75,000 to $100,000. In Oswego, the percentage of households making $75,000 to $99,000 stood at 22.5 percent of the population in 2006, and is expected to edge up to 23.5 percent by 2011.

Those making $100,000 to $149,999 surged to 21.4 percent in 2006 from 2.4 percent in 1990, and those making $150,000 and more jumped to 10.4 percent of the population in 2006 from 1.6 percent in 1990. The percentage making more than $150,000 is expected to increase to 13.9 percent by 2011. Plainfield boasts similar numbers. Nearly 28 percent of the village's population have household incomes of $100,000 to $149,999; 11.7 percent have incomes of $150,000 to $199,999, and 8 percent make yearly incomes of $200,000 and more.

"This is one of the wealthiest per-capita counties in the state," Burd said of Kendall County. Kendall ranked No. 41 of the highest-income counties in the United States in the 2000 U.S. Census. The median family income was $64,625.

Building booms

The boom times continue, even if at a slightly slower pace. Yorkville, with 25 residential developments going through the approval process in early May, encompasses 20 square miles, and has a planning area of 70 square miles.

The city annexes only upon request, and within one-and-a-half miles of its borders in areas not in another municipality.

Plainfield has quadrupled its borders, growing to 21.6 square miles from 5.6 square miles 18 years ago. New residents asked the village to annex them so they could receive the village's water, sewer and police services, said Jim Testin, community development director.

Oswego has benefited from spillover growth from neighboring Plainfield, Montgomery, Yorkville and Aurora. Its annexations have occurred with the goal of logical and contiguous growth, said Oswego Village Administrator Gary Adams. Oswego has worked out partnerships with bordering taxing bodies as part of its annexation system.

Amenities, natural and man made

The Fox River is an important part of Yorkville's development. The city has purchased 4.5 acres of privately owned, wooded riverfront land at the southeast corner of Main Street and Route 47, and will combine it with state-owned land to develop passive parkland from Route 47 to the Glen Palmer Dam.

The development is part of Yorkville's shift into preserving wooded open space rather than developing the land as a bike trail or some other active use.

That's not slowing the development of park land, however, with the city installing 60 parks this year. The parks resulted from Yorkville's adoption of a Land Cash ordinance in which developers are required to provide a certain amount of land or the cash equivalent for public parks.

The park board seeks to ensure a park within one-half mile of each resident. Yorkville has a contract with the Kendall County Forest Preserve District to develop part of the Hoover Forest Preserve, a 400-acre former Boy Scout camp, as an active recreation area, including baseball and soccer fields.

The city also expects to benefit from the state's reconstruction of the once-dangerous Glen Palmer Dam. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has installed a four-step dam at the site and will add islands that will extend 500 feet upriver and 500 feet down-river to create a white-water canoe and kayak chute. The latter phase should be completed by fall of 2009.

The issue is a personal one for Mayor Burd, whose neighbor and neighbor's brother were killed at the dam trying to save a kayaker who had gotten caught up in its force.

"[The dam] had such a force of water, it had dug out a deep pit at the base. If you stepped into that, it was like being in a washing machine," she said.

The redesign will let fishers find peace and quiet on the islands, and give canoeists and kayakers their own chutes so they will no longer have to go around the dam.

Yorkville hopes to see private businesses such as restaurants and sportsmen's stores open or expand in the recreation area.

"There are a lot of river views," Burd said. "Once you get past Sheridan, there are high cliffs similar to Starved Rock."

Plainfield and Oswego cite similar draws such as attractive schools and safe public spaces, as well as close proximity to natural resources.

Michael Cassa, executive director of the Oswego Economic Development Corporation, said homeowners in surrounding towns have discovered they can get a "nice return" on selling their homes and moving to Oswego.

A $400,000 investment in Oswego can buy a four- to five-bedroom house on a 15,000 to 18,000 square foot lot, with a three-car garage.

As for natural resources, Oswego requires developers to connect its bike and trail system so it has no gaps.

"You can ride all around town and never leave the system," Cassa said.

Ironically, Plainfield may have developed its community-minded reputation because of media coverage that followed an Aug. 28, 1990 tornado that killed 29 and injured 350. The tornado struck Plainfield, Crest Hill and Joliet.

"The community came together, and it got a lot of attention," said Jim Testin, Plainfield's community development director. "The community really showed character, with everyone working together to help."

Plainfield is slated to be a stop on Metra's Suburban Transit Access Route, or Star Line, proposed to link outer-ring suburbs extending from Joliet to O'Hare International Airport.

Another key to retail development is Route 34, the third largest commercial corridor behind Randall Road and the Fox Valley Mall area at Routes 34 and 59.

Oswego is the site of a proposed 500,000-square-foot lifestyle center, The Streets of Oswego, that would house upscale restaurants and retailers on Route 34.

Oswego has already seen its sales tax revenues nearly quadruple in the past decade, to $5 million this year from $1.2 million in 1998.

"That's annual money spent on road improvements, police protection and other necessities," Adams said. Plainfield has seen its sales tax revenue jump to $4.6 million from $1.38 million eight years ago.

In Yorkville, sales tax revenues have tripled in the past decade, growing to $2.5 million in fiscal 2007-2008 from $855,372 in fiscal 1997-1998.

Another mall, the 32-year-old Countryside Shopping Center at Routes 34 and 47 in Yorkville, was demolished three years ago with the use of $500,000 of a $3 million TIF bond. In its place, developers are proposing to break ground this fall on a landscaped, multi-million-dollar destination shopping center with a hotel, restaurants, and high-end retail.

Downtown dilemmas

Meanwhile, Yorkville struggles to reinvent its downtown, while Oswego continues to improve its downtown district.

Yorkville 2nd Ward Alderman Joe Plocher laments the downtown's fate in the face of big-box retailers and shopping malls.

Yet the city's residents appear to want a viable downtown. They chose among four options what was considered the most ambitious: destroying all buildings on the east side of Route 47 and relocating City Hall and a town green there.

The plan would revitalize six blocks, from the river on the north and south to Fox Road. The goal is to see a bookshop, restaurants, an ice-cream shop and specialty retailers that could draw people downtown. A developer is proposing building a 20-unit condo development with six retail spaces downtown.

The plan is on hold because a $4 million federal grant to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has been approved but not funded, and IDOT has yet to come up with a $1 million matching grant to help buy rights-of-way and widen Route 47 in the downtown area.

Oswego is reconstituting its downtown as a centerpiece. It has built a new village hall and is extending downtown across the Fox River.

The village has taken advantage of Illinois First grants under former Gov. George Ryan's administration and a federal grant under U.S. Rep. Tom Cross and his predecessor, Denny Hastert, to install new benches, planter boxes, street lighting, utility lines and parking spaces in the downtown shopping district. Oswego has emphasized quality design and development standards for residential and commercial development.

"You can't build a metal building in our town. You cannot put up a pole sign," Adams said.

Plainfield has spent more than $1 million on improvement projects for its historic downtown, and is restoring historical buildings on Lockport Street - the commercial heart of the downtown area -- to their original appearances.

A diversifying economy

Yorkville, long dependent on Caterpillar, F.E. Wheaton & Co. and Amurol Confections for private employment, is seeing its economic base diversify. Raging Waves Water Park is slated to open in mid-June and employ 300, and a Rush-Copley convenient care medical service will open July 21 at 1100 W. Veterans Parkway with 50 part- and full-time employees.

Many residents still endure long commutes, so Yorkville officials are looking to install a park-and-ride to provide commuters transportation to the Metra station in Aurora.

Plainfield has depended on industrial jobs at Chicago Bridge & Iron and Plainfield Stamping and Molding, but service-sector jobs are now growing at big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart, Menard's, Meijer, Kohl's and Target.

Government job growth

To keep up with the exploding residential growth, the towns have had to expand their own payrolls. Yorkville has doubled the number of its city employees in the past 10 years, to 92.

The new hires included an assistant city administrator, a city planner, a landscape architect and a digital mapping coordinator.

Indeed, 15 percent of the city's employment base is taxpayer-funded schools and city and county governments.

Plainfield has added 71 employees in the past five years, bringing the total to 105. The village focused on hiring police officers, building inspectors and public works and planning department workers.
Oswego has added five village employees in the past few years, and hires one to two new police officers each budget year.

David Krahn, 55, a life-long Oswego resident, says the village retains its close-knit feel.

"You still know people," said Krahn, a former village board member. "People are cordial and enjoy seeing you, enjoy the camaraderie."

JOLIET IS BLOSSOMING INTO THE PLACE TO BE

Please enjoy this great article from the Saturday Chicago Tribune...we could not have said it any better!

Chicagoland Speedway isn't the only reason people are flocking to this Will County city, which just passed Naperville as the state's 4th largest

By Emma Graves Fitzsimmons | Chicago Tribune reporter
July 12, 2008

Leslie Bolin, who works in a Joliet museum but grew up in Chicago, says people don't believe her when she tries to tell them how cool the Will County town has become over the past decade.

When she returned to school recently and took a speech class, she even decided to give her persuasive talk on why people should visit Joliet.

"I was pleasantly surprised when I came here," the 46-year-old said. "It truly is a beautiful city."

One of the best kept secrets of the Chicago area is finally getting out. The town officially passed Naperville this week as the state's fourth largest city, while new statistics reveal that Will County saw one of the region's biggest jumps in tourism dollars last year.

And the city occupies a national stage this weekend as a huge NASCAR race at Chicagoland Speedway is a prime example of the major attractions bringing people and their money to Joliet, along with two casinos, a historic theater, a baseball team and revitalized downtown.

Local leaders say it was only a matter of time before people came to view the tough old industrial town as a vibrant city—and get this—major cultural center.

"Maybe we are finally getting the credit that Joliet has deserved for a long time; it's there in black and white numbers," said Ben Benson, director of the Joliet Visitors Bureau. "This wasn't built overnight. We worked hard to get here."

A night on the town in Joliet may not carry the glitz of a trip to downtown Chicago, but the community prides itself as a destination where regular folks have fun without paying a fortune. For visitors, it might be a night at the Comfort Inn instead of the Hilton, and a $5 ticket to a Joliet JackHammer game instead of a $60 Cubs ticket.

Residents say the city got a bad rap as gritty and dangerous, and they still have to dispel that old image of Joliet. Recent visits from celebrities such as Johnny Depp to the set of "Public Enemies" and the filming of the popular FOX television show "Prison Break" may help.

"Most people associated us with the prison and factories; it was seen as a rundown, dirty, unsafe town," said Annette Parker, 38, who works at the Rialto Theater and grew up in Joliet. "It feels much safer and cleaner now."

Joliet grew to 144,316 people last year, edging out the affluent western suburb of Naperville, which has 142,479 people, according to census figures released this week. Aurora (170,855) and Rockford (156,596) still come in second and third to Chicago.

Joliet and Elgin were the only two Midwest towns on the list of 25 fastest growing cities in 2007, according to the census. The others are in Sunbelt states such as California, Texas and Florida.

Michael Kazecki and his wife moved to Joliet four years ago after finding an affordable, 100-year-old "fixer-upper." Growing up in nearby communities, the couple heard bad things about Joliet and were apprehensive at first.

"The perception at the time was that it was full of smog and dirt," Kazecki said at a yard sale on his lawn Friday. "Now it's been rejuvenated. It's a nice miniature version of downtown Chicago."

Some residents took delight in blue-collar Joliet trumping white-collar Naperville in the rankings. Kazecki was excited that more people are choosing to live in the humble community he has come to love.

"Sometimes you go to Naperville on the Riverwalk—everybody has a certain air about them—but it's laid back here," he said.

Jeremy Robinson, 37, of Wheatfield, Ind., only comes to Joliet for the racetrack. He has been aware of the city's image problem for a while, and remembers radio DJs rhyming Joliet with toilet to describe the city.

"I go straight to the races, and when it's over we go straight home," he said. "We're fans of NASCAR. When they brought in these races, that brought us."

The state figures released this week showed tourism dollars in Will County grew by 9.4 percent last year to $585 million. Only Kendall County tourism, to the west, grew at a faster rate, by 11.2 percent to $34 million.

Local leaders boast that Joliet's major attractions lure residents from nearby communities and even international tourists. This weekend, the city is pulsing with about 200,000 visitors for NASCAR races. Benson said the race filled every hotel in town, and room bookings have increased across the board the past three years.

An increasingly popular destination is the Route 66 welcome center that opened at the Joliet Area Historical Museum last year. Visitors come from as far away as Japan and Denmark to travel the road and learn about American history. An imitation drive-in movie theater plays a video about the route's history in the lobby, and the visitor book includes signatures from 35 states and 40 countries.

"The legend of Route 66 carries a mystique, and it captures something nostalgic," said museum Interim Director Tony Contos. "You get to see America, starting in a big city and winding through towns. You see mountains and deserts—it's a great picture of America."

Along the way, some people discover Joliet and decide to stay. The city continues to draw thousands of new residents a year while many Midwest communities lose people. Joliet grew by 4,349 people last year.

Many factors contribute to the boom, from affordable housing to a vibrant immigrant community, along with good schools and a declining crime rate, officials say.

Amy Collofello, 36, left Joliet after growing up there, but returned to raise her six children. She hates to hear anyone bad mouth her town these days because she has witnessed its makeover.

"As a kid growing up, it didn't seem like it was so great because there wasn't so much to do," she said. "But now, for my kids, there's tons of things."

Tribune reporter Mary Owen contributed to this report.

efitzsimmons@tribune.com

FIRST TIME BUYERS FIND MORE THAN A HOME

Popular Lakewood Homes’ Clubhouse Community Makes Dream Of Homeownership A Reality For Many First Time Buyers

Joliet, IL - (July 1, 2008) - First time buyers have found more than just a brand new home at Lakewood Prairie, Lakewood Homes’ exciting clubhouse community located on Joliet’s new north side, thanks to this community’s fabulous on-site amenities and the outstanding customer service experience that Lakewood provides. Whether it’s a buyer that is currently renting or a young adult moving away from home, homeownership dreams do come true at Lakewood Prairie. The community has been planned for 214 attached style Country Homes that first time buyers have flocked to, priced from $179,990. More than half the Country Homes are already sold. There are also 551 single-family homes in a wide range of styles and sizes. The single-family homes are nearly one-third sold and start at $219,990. Decorated and furnished models of the various series are open daily for tours.

“Lakewood is famous for making homeownership dreams come true for many buyers and at Lakewood Prairie, we have lots of customers who are either renting or living at home and are ready to make their first home purchase. Many of these would-be buyers are happy to discover that often times they can purchase a new home at this community for a monthly payment equal to or even less than they might be spending on rent,” said Robin Johnson, vice president of sales for Lakewood Homes. “We try to make the entire home buying experience as easy as possible, from financing with our in-house mortgage company, LHI Mortgage, to our multi-step communication process during the construction of each home, to a prompt and thorough closing and delivery. We have extremely high customer satisfaction ratings and many first time buyers can’t believe things go so smoothly.”

First time buyers who are on a tighter budget have embraced the exciting Country Home Series at Lakewood Prairie. Think of the Country Homes as a “hybrid” single family. It combines the best elements of single family living with the price of a townhome. They are very popular with “gen x” and “gen y” buyers who are looking for their first dream home…privacy, space, room to grow, just the right amount of everything. The way Lakewood value engineers these homes allow for great energy efficiency which will save money on utilities while leaving a smaller environmental footprint than a conventional single family home.

These homes are a great way for buyers to start out in a home of their own with the advantages of a single-family type design but with the efficiencies of a townhome. About half the Country Homes sold at Lakewood Prairie have been purchased by first time buyers.

The Country Home series are attached single-family homes sized from 1,250 to nearly 1,900 square feet, with prices starting in the $180s. These homes offer the benefits of single-family living with private yards, two-car attached garages and optional basements.

The Country Homes are available in both ranch and two-story designs and feature two to three bedrooms, one to 2-1/2 baths, spacious master bedroom suites with walk-in closet and private or shared access baths, two-car attached garages and much more.

Country Homes are built in pairs and are only attached at a small section of each garage, giving each layout terrific light and ventilation on all four sides along with the look and feel of a traditional single-family home. The unique design of the Country Homes even gives each two-car garage its own generous storage area.

Two of the Country Home designs, the Georgetown and Richmond, are featured in the model park area at Lakewood Prairie and are presented as fully furnished and decorated homes that are open everyday for tours.

For first time buyers who want a high quality traditional single-family home, Lakewood Prairie has a great selection of 15 single-family homes sized from over 1,600 up to nearly 4,000 square feet. There are four Premier Series plans priced from the $220s and four Classic Series homes priced from the low $230s. Any of these plans are ideal for first time buyers, young couples and newlyweds with growing families. These homes are two-story designs with three to four bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, luxury master suites, basements and attached two-car garages.

There are also seven large Executive Series homes starting in the $260s. These spacious homes are perfect move-up homes for people who may be renting in an upscale community who have decided they want to their own yard or for first time buyers that want a home they can grow into and stay in for years to come.

Executive Series plans are two-story homes with up to four bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, luxury master bedroom suites, large family rooms, basements and two or three-car attached garages as included features. Some of the plans include second floor family rooms.

Decorated and designer furnished single-family models are displayed at the community and shoppers are invited to take tours of these beautiful homes at their leisure during business hours.

“Another reason first time buyers have found Lakewood Prairie so attractive is our one-stop shopping approach to financing, selecting options, scheduling closing and all the other details involved in purchasing a new home. For many first time buyers, it can all seem overwhelming, but we guide every customer through the process and educate them along the way on what to expect,” Johnson said.

First time buyers at Lakewood Prairie can get expert financial and mortgage advice from the professionals at LHI Mortgage, Lakewood’s award winning in-house mortgage lender, ranked highest in satisfaction in the Chicago market in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New-Home Builder Mortgage Originator StudySM. LHI’s experts will provide free credit consultations, loan pre-qualifications and tips on how to improve credit scores.

Shoppers can also review the wide variety of attractive finance programs that are available, including special programs designed for first time buyers. Incentives include receiving up to $2,000 in closing costs when buyers finance through LHI Mortgage. Complete information on the finance programs LHI offers is available by stopping by the LHI office located inside the Lakewood Prairie sales center.

“Lakewood Prairie has also attracted so many first time buyers because of the outstanding on-site amenities of the neighborhood. A common misconception of a first time buyer is that they think they can only afford a home with no other amenities and that
is just not true. At Lakewood Prairie, first time buyers are pleasantly surprised to find out that they not only can purchase a brand new home, but also have use of a beautiful clubhouse and pool without any additional cost,” said Johnson.

The private resident clubhouse at Lakewood Prairie measures 3,000 square feet and features a resort-style outdoor pool with sundeck, toddler pool plus tennis and sand volleyball courts. Summertime fun is going strong with residents enjoying the pool on a daily basis.

Inside, the clubhouse highlights a furnished great room with big screen television, fireplace and kitchen, which can be reserved by residents for parties and family gatherings. Best of all, the clubhouse and recreational amenities are available to all residents who live at the community without daily fees or extra cost. There’s even an activities director who helps plan events and holiday parties for residents to enjoy.

Another aspect of homeownership that is of prime importance to first time buyers is a convenient location. Lakewood Prairie effortlessly combines an outstanding location on Joliet’s growing new north side with a neighborhood layout that has ponds, parks and open green space.

Commuting is easy, with I-55 close by, making for quick trips to downtown Chicago or other suburbs, as well as easy connections to Midway Airport. For rail commuters, Metra trains traveling to Chicago’s Loop are available in downtown Joliet, making the trip in about an hour. Heritage Corridor trains also depart from nearby Lockport and Lemont.

The growing Route 59 corridor is just minutes from the community and offers all sorts of conveniences, from shopping and services to entertainment and dining. Nearby towns include Bolingbrook and Plainfield.

“Lakewood Prairie is a must-see for first time buyers who want the most value for their new home purchase. This community represents a chance for first time buyers to truly get everything they could ask for in one neighborhood, while remaining within their budget. Our Country Homes have been extremely popular with first time buyers and we are the only community in the area that offers such a unique and innovative home design. Summer is a great time to stop by Lakewood Prairie, tour the models, visit the clubhouse and talk to our finance professionals to see how easy and affordable owning a new home at this community can be,” Johnson said.

Lakewood Prairie is located on Ridge Road, one mile south of Caton Farm Road in Joliet. To visit, take Route 59 to Caton Farm Road west four miles to Ridge Road, one mile south to the community on the left. The sales center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information, call 1-815-439-5777 or visit lakewoodhomes.com.