About 8 miles west of downtown Chicago, the city of Berwyn used to be part of the neighboring town of Cicero, before it broke off and became its entity in the early 1900s. The city has over 57,000 people, and most of the growth happened in the 1920s. Many of the houses from that initial period are still around and in good shape. “The area is a mixture of urban and suburban,” says Gerardo Zavala, a Realtor with the Luna Realty Group, who has also served on the Berwyn Chamber of Commerce. “People here love the proximity to downtown Chicago. I’m a huge advocate for the area. The homes are affordable, especially compared to the city of Chicago, and a lot is happening.”
Just 8 miles from downtown Chicago, Berwyn residents blend urban and suburban living.
Homes in Berwyn were built in the boom of the 1920's and are in great shape.
Berwyn is neatly arranged on a grid system that blends public parks into ample housing.
Berwyn was primarily an industrial city in its early years but has seen new developments.
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Most extensive collection of Chicago-style bungalows outside of South Chicago
When Berwyn was primarily an industrial city in its early years, home builders constructed numerous Chicago-style bungalows in the Gold Coast neighborhood, helping establish the one-and-half-story design with low-pitched roofs and ample windows as a standard throughout the region. “Outside of South Chicago, Berwyn has the highest concentration of that style,” Zavala says. In addition to the signature bungalows, the area features a mix of Victorian, Tudor-inspired cottages and Prairie-style homes, as well as two-flat apartments and small multi-family complexes with condo units for sale. The median home price is $300,000, lower than the national average and comparable to the city of Chicago. “If a house goes up for sale, it’s sold within a few weeks if the price is right,” Zavala says. Condos range from $100,000 to $250,000, including the Berwyn Manor Condo development built within the past 25 years near the Berwyn Metra station.
Berwyn is known for its large collection of Chicago-style bungalows,
Low pitched roofs and ample windows define the bungalow style from Berwyn's early residents.
Victorian options pop up in the mix of Berwyn home styles.
New multi-family condo complexes have developed around the Berwyn Metra station.
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Relaxing ponds at Proksa Park
The largest recreation space in the Berwyn Park District is Proksa Park. The south part is full of winding paths that go past a playground under a canopy of mature trees; there are also two ponds and a creek as part of the scenery. The northern part of the park has fewer trees and is where the baseball diamond, disc golf course and tennis courts are. Freedom Park is south of Ogden Avenue and has a lighted synthetic field turf soccer pitch used for soccer practices and tournaments. The park is also the home of the Berwyn Park District administrative offices.
Proska Park's relaxing pond is frequented by Berwyn families in the warm summer months.
The synthetic turf field at Berwyn's Freedom Park is available for soccer games seasonally.
Proksa Park is great for families in Berwyn looking to spend some time together outdoors.
The Saratogas played their hearts out at Berwyn's Concerts in the Park at Proksa Park.
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Four primary business corridors in Berwyn
The Roosevelt Road corridor in the north part of Berwyn is known as the entertainment hub. While some of the original 1920s venues are gone, FitzGerald’s Nightclub & Sidebar has been a gathering place since the early 1900s. While the name has changed throughout time, it’s been a casual nightclub with live music since the 1980s. The Friendly Tap and the 16th Street Theater are other live music venues. Cermak Road is the retail and restaurant section. “The city of Berwyn has start-up grants that have resulted in more locally-owned restaurants being built,” Zavala says. “It’s meant more Latino-owned restaurants and young professionals investing in Berwyn.” On Cermak, on the west side of Harlem Avenue, is North Riverside Park Mall. In addition to the mall and its 150 stores, the area also features a few supermarkets. with about 150 stores. The Depot District is near the Berwyn Metra station, which has more independent shops, bars, and restaurants. This district serves as the downtown area. Ogden Avenue is what used to be the famous Route 66, and many businesses along this road have memorabilia inside from the original road. More memorabilia is on display at the Route 66 Museum on Ogden Avenue.
FitzGerald's Nightclub has been the go to gathering place in Berwyn since the early 1900's.
Local shops and restaurants in Berwyn's Depot District make for an attractive night out.
Locally owned businesses thrive in Berwyn with retail incubators along Cermak Road.
The North Riverside Mall on Harlem Ave has 150 stores to choose from.
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Route 66 Car Show
In late August, several blocks of Ogden Avenue are closed to through traffic to make way for the Route 66 Car Show. The display of vintage cars draws over 30,000 people to the area, and food trucks showing off the local cuisine line the street. There’s also live entertainment. Berwyn Oktoberfest takes place in the Depot District in late September, and Proksa Park is where craft beer lovers gather in October for Berwyn Brewfest.
Get your picture taken next to the Route 66 sculpture at the Berwyn Rt 66 Car Show.
Car lovers look under the hood of a car at the Berwyn Rt 66 Car Show.
Berwyn residents show of their merch from10th Annual Berwyn Brewfest in Proska Park.
Families enjoy the start of Autumn at Berwyn's annual Oktoberfest.
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5- to 10-minute ride to downtown Chicago
With the proximity of Berwyn to downtown Chicago, the Metra line stops at the Harlem Avenue Station, the main Berwyn station or the La Vergne station at Ridgeland Avenue. All three provide a quick ride into Union Station. Pace offers public bus transportation, and the Chicago city bus service, the CTA, has one route that runs along Cermak Road. Berwyn is between the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways, with I-290 to the north and I-55 to the south. The closest medical center is MacNeal Hospital, on Berwyn's south side.
Crime in Berwyn
The Berwyn Police Department is active on social media, posting weekly bulletins on Facebook and other platforms. These crime reports look at the number of incidents within a given week. According to Niche's reports, the number of incidents of violent and property crime is below the national average.
Berwyn North and South School District
Most kids going to public school will attend Berwyn South School District 100, with six elementary schools and two middle schools. The district is rated a C-plus on Niche. Some may attend Berwyn North School District 98, also rated a C-plus. The district has three elementary schools and a middle school. Ridgeland Avenue is the rough dividing line for where kids will go to high school, with those living east of that road attending Morton East High School in Cicero and those west of Ridgeland attending Morton West in Berwyn. Morton East gets a C, while Morton West receives a C-plus. A private school option is St. Leonard Catholic School, serving kids through eighth grade. That school is connected to St. Leonard Catholic Church, built in 1932.
Morton East High School recieves an overall C on Niche.com based on test scores.
J Sterling Morton West High School offers a space where all people can learn and thrive.
St Leonard School offers a private faith based curriculum for kids in Berwyn.
Berwyn's Lincoln Middle School has an overall Niche grade of C plus.
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