Downers Grove

As Downers Grove continues to expand in Chicago’s west suburbs, so do its home styles on Belmont Road. Belmont Park provides a sample size of this development history, with large custom homes and new subdivisions joining homes that have stood for over 50 years. Though unconnected by sidewalks, these homes share a common thread: close proximity to Downers Grove essentials. “The schools are excellent, and there’s a hometown feeling in Downers Grove that you just don’t get in surrounding neighborhoods,” says Laura Crawford, former president and CEO of Chamber630, a large business organization serving DuPage County. “The homes are beautiful, and it’s a safe place to raise your kids.” Without homeowners association bylaws or mandates, Belmont Park is the type of suburban landscape where anything goes. Side-by-side lots filled gradually over the years with custom homes, so drivers may pass a two-bedroom ranch before hitting a string of builds with 3-car heated garages, home movie theaters and professional landscaping. The garage-forward colonials and New Traditionals on Walnut Road include deep-set, sunny backyards and are tied together with neat sidewalks, but the rest of the residential streets branching off from College Road are set into their natural landscape, with foliage covering hiding some front stoops entirely from view and filling backyards with shade. All signs point to happy long-time residents, whether that may be piles of firewood covering the front drive or extensive work put into carefully-paved landscaping and exterior renovations. When homes rarely go on sale, they sell for anywhere from $450,000 for a ranch-style property to $670,000 for a four-bed, three-bathroom Craftsman, and over $1 million for the larger custom estates. Villas Of Maple Woods, a recently added townhouse community on Durand Drive, rounds out the options, with pairs of brick-front homes selling between $525,000 and $780,000. Save for parking in the garage and walking downtown, Downers Grove is a car-dependent suburb. Lack of sidewalks and close bike trail access in Belmont Park means residents expect to drive to most locations, even local parks. Proximity to the interchange between Interstates 88 and 355 means locals can be well on their way in any direction quickly. Traffic gets heavy the closer they get to downtown Chicago, 26 miles away, or either Chicagoland airport. Most days, commuters opt for the convenience of the Belmont Metra, a stop on the BNSF which runs daily to Chicago Union Station in about 25 minutes. Pedestrian walkways lead right up to the sheltered waiting area while cars pass underneath, so getting to the train in the morning before work is easier than in neighboring towns like Westmont. PACE bus stops along Ogden Avenue and Main Street offer another means of traversing the suburb. As for medical care, the closest emergency room is 6.5 miles north at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. Kids in Belmont Park head to Henry Puffer Elementary School for prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school, which scores an A-minus overall rating from Niche, also offers the Champions program: a solution for busy working families with slots before and after normal school hours, as well as during winter and spring breaks. Herrick Middle School serves seventh and eighth grades students and also scores an A-minus. Students cap out at Downers Grove North High School, which gets an A rating. Established in 1928, the school is older than its counterpart, Downers Grove South, though it has facility updates as recent as 2021 to accommodate over 2,100 students each year. Belmont Park may not have a namesake playground or pocket park, but the Downers Grove Park District maintains several indoor and outdoor options nearby. It’s a 3-mile drive to Patriots Park, where geese, mallards and ducks float on Barth Pond alongside angler’s bait and non-motorized boats. Families on walks, joggers and bikers take the no-frills paved loop around the water, passing two side-by-side playgrounds. In the colder months, on rainy days or for hockey practice, residents head just half a mile north to Downers Grove Icearena, a tried-and-true rink celebrating over 50 years. Established in 1892, Belmont Golf Club was the site of America’s first 18-hole golf course. Today, the public course features a scenic nine-hole par 36 course with mature trees protected by the Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Those with a day to spare make their way to DuPage’s largest, most well-known attractions. The Morton Arboretum can be explored on foot or by tram, though seeing all 1,700 acres will take multiple trips. Meanwhile, The Forge Adventure Park and Ziplines has attracted crowds to Lemont since its grand opening over an old quarry site in 2021. Belmont Park residents have their share of ALDIs and Jewel-Oscos—a pair on Ogden Avenue and a pair in Lisle—as well as a Target on 63rd Street. As for takeout, Maple Plaza has them covered less than a mile away. Thai First is an unpretentious, orange-hued eatery offering daily lunch specials, which come with soup, a spring roll and an entrée. Customers pick from the blackboard menu at counter-serve Los Dos Mexican Cuisine next door. Dinner out might mean a night at Carnivore and The Queen, a contemporary revival of a classic prohibition-era supper club with a casual vibe and approachable classic food. Their signature five-course tasting menu ends with a slice of their famous key lime pie. Downers Grove holds its own in the quaint downtown department among the west suburbs. Visitors park in the garage or limited street spots and head to dinner at eateries like Pierce Tavern, named for village founder Pierce Downer. It’s a short walk from dinner to Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, which has entertained crowds since its grand opening in 1928.

Affordable living close to Chicago About half an hour west of Chicago in northern Illinois lies Belmont, a small neighborhood lined with two highway thoroughfares and with recreational opportunities, both natural wonders and athletic facilities, right in the middle of its area. Its price points, close proximity to those highways and nearness to Downers Grove has made it a prime place to live. "Belmont has affordability and accessibility,” says Jill Petranek, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. “It's truly one of the most affordable areas of Downers Grove, which has seen a surge of building focused around the Main Street area of downtown Downers Grove east of Belmont. The interest of living in Downers Grove has increased over the past 10 years in particular." Single-family homes alongside condo complexes There aren’t too many single-family homes situated within the Belmont neighborhood, with five different condo complexes as well as apartments taking up the majority of the housing here. Condos fall on the low end of the price range, spanning from around $130,000 to $200,000, while townhouses will be closer to the $300,000 point. Single-family residences range from $300,000 to $700,000 on average. “This area in particular has some of the most affordable housing in all of Downers Grove,” Petranek says. “Many homes were built in the 1940s and post-war, and there’s a fair amount of larger lots with ranch-style homes.” Ranches, Cape Cods, Victorians and traditional farmhouses can be found in Belmont, and some homes even border the golf club or sit within the preserve. Highly-rated schools for Belmont students From pre-kindergarten all the way up through sixth grade, students can attend the Henry Puffer School, which receives an A-minus from Niche. Grades seven and eight are found at Herrick Middle School, which also garners an A-minus rating from Niche. Community H.S. District 99, also known as Downers Grove North High School, gets an A while ranking in the top 50 such schools statewide. The high school also offers its students clubs based around everything from art to disc golf and snow sports to theater. Massive green spaces close to and within Belmont The Belmont Golf Club sits on the site of what was the first 18-hole layout in the country, now operating as a nine-hole, par 36 set of links with a driving range. At Belmont Prairie at Gelwicks Park, which spans more than 10 acres a couple streets west of the Golf Club, visitors can walk through the nature preserve’s trails and see the wildlife there. Overall, Gelwicks Park encompasses the preserve, a sports field and pathways for recreation. “The parks and lifestyle are what’s unique about Belmont,” Petranek says. “The forest preserve is in the middle of downtown Downers Grove, and shopping and dining are about half a mile away.” Just north, the massive Morton Arboretum sprawls across 1,700 acres and boasts events, programs, general recreation and a library. Restaurants within and near Belmont Most of the establishments within Belmont are chains, including McDonald’s and Culver’s in the northern section along the Walter Payton Memorial Highway, but Alter Brewing Company is in the southeastern portion near the Saint Joseph Creek. Mojo’s East Coast Eats specializes in cheesesteaks in the southwestern quadrant of Belmont, while Sharko’s BBQ sits along Maple Avenue and the throwback atmosphere of Carnivore & the Queen is just south of the neighborhood. Residents can also pick up general needs to the west in Lisle at Jewel-Osco or Aldi, as well as the La Panier Francais grocery store, or head to the nearby downtowns for more options. “Downtown Downers Grove is very close by,” Petranek says. “It’s less than a few miles’ distance, and downtown Lisle is very close too with a variety of restaurants and cuisine types. There’s walkability down Main Street and plenty of bars and restaurants. It’s outside the liveliness of downtown, but people can get there very quickly.” Annual events in Downers Grove The Downers Grove Park District is where many yearly events can be found, with its Summer Concert Series a staple of the region. Hosting a variety of bands and artists, the series is held each Tuesday from late May to mid-August. The area also features holiday celebrations, including St. Patrick’s Day, and events geared toward younger ages as well. Traveling to Chicago or across state lines Interstate 355, better known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway, makes up the west side of the Belmont area. Six lanes wide for most of its span, it runs through many suburbs of Chicago. It then curves eastward at the northern end of Belmont and runs parallel to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, which runs horizontally and runs from Chicago out west further into Illinois. "Commuting is very accessible to the area,” Petranek says. “The Belmont train station is conveniently designed for traffic flow with ample parking and connects to other tracks.” If driving is on the daily planner and a trip across state lines is the goal, the trio of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan are a few hours or less away. Residents might be in northeastern Illinois, but they’re not far from stopping into other states.

Just 2 miles from downtown Downers Grove is the small residential pocket of Downers Grove Gardens. Nearby trails, spacious parks and forest preserves bring a sense of serenity to this well-populated slice of suburbia. At the same time, residents remain within walking distance of big box stores, restaurants and other amenities. Slightly hilly streets in Downers Grove Gardens are lined with white pines and oaks that canopy well-maintained, spacious lawns and a blend of 20th-century homes. Styles include ranch homes, split-levels, new traditionals and bungalows. There is also some new construction dotted throughout the area. Lengthy paved driveways are common, and several lead to one- to two-car garages. Price points range from $260,000 to $680,000. “Downers Grove is a more affordable area compared to surrounding towns,” says Stephanie Kramer, a broker with @properties. “And we have the second lowest property taxes in DuPage County.” Sidewalks are few and far between along the narrow roads, but with very little through traffic, neighbors frequently go for walks and bike rides in the neighborhood. Stellar schools are another big draw for the neighborhood. “We have a legacy community here, with 38 percent of the district’s staff living in the community,” says Kramer. Students zoned for Community High School District 99 attend Indian Trail Elementary School, which sits on the neighborhood’s southern end and earns an A-minus from Niche. Seventh and eighth graders filter into B-plus-rated O’Neill Middle School. Downers Grove South High School receives an A rating from Niche and some Project Lead the Way engineering magnet courses. There are also over 50 clubs offered, including bass fishing and a K-Pop club. With Interstate 88 nearby, locals can get to Aurora by taking the freeway for nearly 20.5 miles east. Heading roughly 27.5 miles in the opposite direction will lead to downtown Chicago. The Belmont Metra station provides access to the Green Line, connecting locals to the two city centers. The station is situated 1.5 miles north of the neighborhood. The Maple Grove Forest Preserve is one of the oldest of its kind in DuPage County. The 80-acre natural area sits just north of the neighborhood’s residential streets. Locals use 1.5 miles of wooded trails for hiking, biking and birdwatching. The pathways also lead to Memorial Park, which is a hub for baseball games, with two diamonds and batting cages. A playground gives kids room to roam. The Southern DuPage County Regional Trail spans the length of the neighborhood’s eastern end and links locals to the inclusive playground at Hillcrest Elementary School, less than a mile away. “We have a very good park district that has everything you would expect,” says Maureen Flavin, a broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. “O’Brien Park is on that end of Downers Grove, and in the winter, a lot of people go there for the big sledding hill. There’s also frisbee golf, and park district games are held on their soccer fields.” Locals can take their pick from several nearby eateries and shopping hubs. Carnivore and the Queen is a popular supper club with a laid-back feel. Next door, Sharko’s BBQ has been serving rib tips and rotisserie chicken for more than 60 years. Outside the neighborhood’s southern edge is a small complex housing a Target for groceries and other everyday essentials. There’s also a Planet Fitness, a Dollar Tree and several ATMs. When making the 2.5-mile drive northeast to downtown Downers Grove, Flavin suggests stopping by Foxtail for Mediterranean food. Pierce Tavern is one of the newer restaurants in the area but has quickly grown in popularity due to its wide variety of cocktails. Wine walks, flower scavenger hunts and a summer concert series are just some of the events held by the Downers Grove Management Corporation to keep the community connected. “One of the fun things we have each year is the Gingerbread House Contest,” Flavin says. “You decorate them and put them out in your storefront, and then the community votes for their favorite. Friday Night Live and Moose Cruise nights are other big events that feature vintage cars and live music.”

What was mostly farmland up until the mid-20th century is now a comfortable suburb offering a family friendly lifestyle. South Downers Grove is a part of the DuPage County village of Downers Grove, about 27 miles from Chicago. Its downtown is located in the northern part of the village. "While many want to live near downtown, there is more available housing in South Downers Grove," says Real Estate Broker Margy Sigerich. South Downers Grove is also sought after for its walkable environment, with schools and parks close to home. "Downers Grove is a hot market," Sigerich says. She's been in the industry for over 35 years, primarily in the western Suburbs, and now works with Coldwell Banker Realty. There’s an eclectic mix of house styles, including early 20th-century Sears Catalog homes, built from mail order kits; 1960s and '70s split-level and ranch-style homes; and later construction, including standard subdivision models, townhouses and condo buildings. Some older or smaller houses go for under $300,000. Custom builds on large lots in subdivisions like Emerald Shores can be more than double the cost. A four-bedroom of over 5,000 square feet comes with lake beach access and other amenities. Spacious, newly constructed homes can exceed $1 million. Options for seniors aged 62 and up include independent-living retirement communities. Newly renovated one-bedroom condos and two-bedroom duplex units list at $200,000 to $250,000. The 55-plus community of Briargate features new construction with two-bedroom single-family homes of 1,500 square feet to 1,800 square feet for about $300,000 to $485,000. Kids may attend public schools like Fairmount Elementary, graded A by Niche and listed as No. 233 in Illinois. Fairmount, which prides itself on an active PTA, is one of a number of highly rated elementary schools in South Downers Grove, such as Kingsley, Hillcrest, El Sierra and Indian Trail. At the next level, there's O'Neill Middle, graded B-plus and Downers Grove South High School, graded A. Locally referred to as "South," the high school is known for its marching band, which won the 2019 University of Illinois Marching Band Championship. Career and technical education pathways include engineering, architecture and design, computer design and animation and culinary arts. Thoughtful urban planning in the 1960s led to an abundance of parks. There are geese aplenty and likely some fish to catch at Dunham Place Park. The place to play a round of disc golf is O'Brien Park, also a snow day destination for its sledding hill. McCollum Park, named in honor of former commissioner and volunteer fireman Ted McCollum, is South Downers Grove's flagship sports venue. The 50-acre complex has been described as an "athlete's paradise." Amenities include two baseball fields, ten lighted tennis courts, a large playground and an 18-hole miniature golf course. In the winter, a portable ice-skating rink brings many visitors. While downtown Downers Grove is only a short trip north, there are also restaurants worth checking out on the south side. Teddy's Red Hots has Chicago beef, Vienna red hot hotdogs and refreshing Italian ices. Jam n' Jelly Café in Chestnut Court off 75th is the perfect weekend brunch spot, and yes, they have homemade jams. Lithuanian food fans rejoice over potato pancakes and goulash at Grand Duke's Restaurant. For everyday grocery shopping, there's Shop & Save Market in Downers Park Plaza or Jewel-Osco. The 75th Street corridor has several shopping centers with retail mainstays. Entertainment options include Hollywood Blvd Cinema, where movies go with meals. Pace Suburban buses on Route No. 834, Joliet to Downers Grove, have stops along 63rd and Main streets. It's a couple of miles to the Downers Grove Metra station, also known as Main Street Station, where trains run on the BNSF line from Union Station to Aurora. Those driving will benefit from proximity to major roads such as interstates 55 and 355 and U.S. Route 34. Planning a long-distance trip is simple, as O'Hare International Airport is merely 24 miles away. Downtown Downers Grove is the location of annual events such as the Wine Walk, the Rotary GroveFest, a Fourth of July Parade and a fine arts festival. A top pick is February's Ice Fest, held over three days, with live ice-carving demonstrations and nearly 60 ice sculptures lining the sidewalks. The Downers Grove Market is held on Saturdays from late spring to early fall in the Indian Boundary YMCA parking lot outside Main Street Station. Fishel Park is the place for the village's summer concert series. Local businesses like Anderson's Bookshop, Ballydoyle Irish Pub, Pinecone Cottage Tea House, Tivoli Theatre and Fair Game are known for frequently hosting activities, gatherings and performances.

A secluded enclave in the northern end of Downers Grove, Northside Park’s namesake recreational space serves as its anchor, and the neighborhood’s network of sidewalks makes it easy to traverse the area by foot. Though Northside Park is flanked by Interstate 88 and is within two miles of shopping destinations, the bustle fades along the residential streets, striking an alluring balance between solitude and accessibility. “There’s a hometown feeling in Downers Grove that you just don’t get in surrounding neighborhoods,” says Laura Crawford, the President and CEO of Chamber630. “The homes are beautiful; the schools are excellent, and it’s a safe place to raise your kids.” Northside Park comprises several subsections, each offering something different to potential buyers. “Orchard Brook is one of them and has more of a planned feel with a swimming pool, a clubhouse and other common areas, whereas Johnson Woods is more hidden with a lot of mature trees. The homes are further back from the road, and very few properties change hands. It’s a place people put down roots,” says Maureen Flavin, a broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. Regardless of subdivision, most homes in Northside Park were developed between the 1960s and ‘80s. Three-to-four-bedroom Colonials and ranch homes are common here, along with townhouses for those looking for smaller two-bedroom options. Prices range from $360,000 to $925,000. Even with Northside Park’s heavily residential makeup, the neighborhood is in a prime spot to access big box stores and other everyday essentials. Residents take solace in knowing Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital is within 1.5 miles of the neighborhood for medical care. Roughly 2 miles away, Yorktown Center features familiar names like JCPenney, H&M and Von Maur. Chain restaurants like Miller’s Ale House and Olive Garden line the mall’s perimeter. Smaller complexes nearby house Half Price Books, Marshalls and Ross when people are looking for new home décor and clothes. Parkers’ Restaurant is walkable from most homes in Northside Park and “is a great seafood spot with a nice outdoor patio. It’s the place to go for that special night out,” Flavin says. The white tablecloth restaurant also features live piano playing during dinner hours. Several additional local eateries are near the Jewel-Osco grocery store within a mile of the neighborhood’s southern edge. Scooby’s Hot Dogs has been a staple in the community for 35 years, while The Baked Apple Breakfast Co. is where many locals start their day with apple pancakes or French toast topped with sauteed apples. Students are zoned for Downers Grove Grade School District 58. Belle Aire Elementary School is within 1.5 miles of the neighborhood, so parents rarely have a commute longer than 5 minutes when dropping off their kids in the morning. The school earns an A-minus rating from Niche and serves kindergarten through sixth-grade students. Those students later filter into A-minus-rated Herrick Middle School for seventh and eighth grades. At Downers Grove North High School, which gets an A rating from Niche, students can participate in one of the more than 50 clubs offered, including bass fishing, a disc golf club and a ukulele club. Those wanting to pursue a career in the medical field can stay close to home post-graduation by attending Midwestern University, which specializes in osteopathic medicine. Spanning 5 acres through the heart of the neighborhood, Northside Park is tucked behind several homes and includes a playground and picnic areas. Developers initially wanted to include more amenities like basketball courts and exercise equipment, but neighbors wanted the space to remain open and airy and, instead, focus on the landscaping. Nature lovers venture to Lyman Woods & William F. Sherman Jr. Interpretive Center to explore its miles of unspoiled soil. The peaceful retreat features walking trails that wind through oak woods and marshes. Wildlife, including deer, foxes, Cooper’s Hawks and Great Horned Owls, are also known to frequent the expansive preserve. Northside Park is nearly equidistant from the employment hubs, culture and dining scene in Chicago and Aurora. The former sits roughly 22.5 miles west, while the latter is about 22 miles to the east of the neighborhood. Each is reachable by traveling along Interstate 88. Those looking to catch a flight can also take the freeway for 18 miles to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. A Metra station sits in downtown Downers Grove and connects locals to the city centers by hopping on the Green Line.