Lemont

Since a housing boom in the 1990s, homeowners have continued to gain interest in Lemont’s southeast stretches. New subdivisions join long-standing homes that have occupied the land since the initial development wave. Well-respected golf clubs, as well as a giant nature preserve and lake, provide the natural setting for this neighborhood’s continued expansion. Homes are also within driving distance of vibrant downtown Lemont. “They have opened tons of restaurants recently, and The Forge opened just a couple years ago,” remarks Ivette Hollendoner, longtime Lemont community member and real estate consultant at Velocity Real Estate Group with Keller Williams Preferred Realty. “It’s a great community where everybody knows everybody. If you find out somebody has cancer or is sick, neighbors make meal preps and drop them off meals at their house in a meal train.” Frank Lardino, Hollendoner’s business partner at Velocity and fellow longtime resident, repeats the sentiment. “I came out here when Lemont was just starting to be built up in the early ‘90s,” he says. “The community is clean, safe, and well-run. When my wife passed away, neighbors approached me on the street to offer condolences, and even people who I didn’t know.” The true roots of Lemont’s settlement extend over a century ago in the limestone quarry excavation business. “The area was settled in 1880 with more modest homes,” Lardino says. “As Lemont expanded outward, the houses got bigger and bigger. Now there's such a big range of houses and can find anything you want.” Southeast Lemont is home to custom estates built during the housing boom, some which incorporate limestone into their architecture while others stick to colonial-style brick influences. Meanwhile, established subdivisions of New Traditionals and ranch townhouses are connected by neat sidewalks. The farthest reaches of unincorporated Lemont provide secluded living on over an acre apiece, though residents still use city water and make a short drive to the center of town. Prices for ranch-styles and bungalows downtown, along with mid-range homes throughout the region, range from $200,000 to $600,000. Custom homes stretch anywhere between $700,000 and $1.5 million for golf course views. Lemont’s top-rated school district is a major draw to neighborship. Kids in southeast Lemont start at Oakwood School, which receives a B from Niche and teaches students from pre-kindergarten through second grade, before transferring to River Valley School for third through fifth grade. River Valley receives an A-minus Niche rating, as does Old Quarry Middle School. Lemont Township High School scores an A-plus rating and was designated a National Blue Ribbon School in 2017. The public high school also has over 55 extracurricular activities for students, including a bass fishing club, jazz band and world languages club. Despite its self-contained feel, Lemont is just 28 miles from downtown Chicago—another attractor for those looking to move out from the city limits. “When we moved here in 2009, we commuted to the city and we have many clients who work in the city,” says Hollendoner. “The train doesn't have too many times, but there’s still plenty of space and parking for the commuters.” The Metra Heritage Corridor Line runs through the heart of Lemont, helping residents skip rush hour on weekdays. Bikers share the lanes downtown, and there’s plenty of space to roam on a bike or on foot in most subdivisions. Folks have about 28 miles on Interstate 294 to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. As for medical care, UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook sits 9 miles away. Lemont has no shortage of big-box retailers—strip mall staples from Target to HomeGoods and Kohls sit at the center of town. The two most popular grocers among residents are their local Jewel-Osco and Pete’s Fresh Market. Essentials aside, restaurants abound in downtown Lemont, from the chic charcuterie and cocktails at Barrel & Vine to the outdoor seating and wood-fired pizza at Wooden Paddle. Southeast area residents are also close by to a second dining and shopping enclave along Archer Avenue. Red-cushioned seating charms visitors to Rosebud’s Lemont location, while Mama Dee’s provides a more relaxed pace with homemade Italian recipes served fast and fresh and wide range of kid-friendly options. Golf is a key pastime in southeast Lemont encouraged by access to state-of-the-art courses. Cog Hill Golf & Country Club is the former site of the PGA Tour's BMW Championship where Tiger Woods won five tournaments and set groundbreaking records on the Dubsdread course. Ruffled Feathers Golf Club is recognized among the state’s premiere daily fee golf properties and includes an extensive player development program for juniors and adults taught by top PGA professionals. Lemont’s east end also houses Tampier Slough Woods, a giant nature preserve with tree-shaded trails and lakefront landings for canoes and kayaks. Smaller green spaces between subdivisions, like Northview Park, set the scene for quiet afternoons on the playground. Things pick up the pace at the region’s newest addition: The Forge Adventure Park & Ziplines, which makes use of scenic quarry sites for a high-rise excursion. Lemont residents enjoy a wide variety of events downtown, year-round. “Wednesday nights in the summer you have the antique car show, which is one of the best in the area,” says Ray DeNardis, decades-long Lemont resident and broker at Baird & Warner. “There are soirees on certain Thursdays where they shut down the main street, people bring coolers and whatnot, and there’s a big stage with live music for everybody to enjoy.”

Northeast Lemont blends contemporary suburban appeal with the charm of village life. Neighboring the thriving downtown area means residents are a short bike ride away from independent shops, local bars and the Metra train station, while life at home happens along quiet residential streets. But if residents want to kick things up a notch, ziplining, rock climbing and other thrills are available at a nearby adventure park. “It's kind of a bedroom community, but it's got that small-town feel to it, too,” says Jeff Arney, a Realtor with Keller Williams Infinity. Arney has lived in the suburban Chicago area for over a decade and sells homes in Lemont and neighboring areas. Northeast Lemont’s homes reflect the growth of the area over the course of the last few decades. Locals live near the city center in turn-of-the-century homes consistent with downtown Lemont's historical architecture, typically featuring vernacular design elements and updated interiors. Further to the east, more recent homes from the 1970s to the 2000s line the winding residential streets and cul-de-sacs. Single-family home values usually fall between $200,000 and $750,000, with some stately mansions from the early 2000s going for prices below the $1 million mark. Buyers can also find a few townhomes and condo units built in the 2000s near Main Street. These properties generally sell between $300,000 and $400,000. Students attend schools within the Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A system and Lemont High School. Early students attend Oakwood School for kindergarten and first grade, which holds a B on Niche, and the A-minus ranked River Valley School for the next two years. Fourth- and fifth-grade students attend Lemont Central School, which reopened with a newly renovated campus in 2022 after a decade of inactivity. Pre-teens attend Old Quarry Middle School, which earns an A-minus grade. Lemont High School offers more than 70 clubs and athletic programs. The school earns an A-plus grade on Niche. Many of Lemont’s businesses are localized around Main Street and State Street. “There’s a lot of mom-and-pop shops out there; you won’t see as many big box stores,” Arney says. B-Side Records blends the vibes of a listening room with the crate-digging experience. Smokey Contemporary fashion lines the shelves at boutiques such as 1 Happy Girl Boutique, Tatum Mae and Jilley’s. Kid-friendly literature and toys are available at Three Stories Books, which also hosts events such as character meet-and-greets and parent-child yoga sessions. Tabletop players and trading card collectors can find like-minded folks at GameStorm, Lemont’s friendly local game store and a favorite stop of Arney’s in town. For grocery runs, residents can stop by the Pete’s Fresh Market or Jewel-Osco locations in town. Wooden Paddle offers specialty pizzas with playful names like the Rocketman and Pretty Fly for a White Pie, while picture-perfect drinks and plates are on the menu at Barrel & Vine. Sweet tooth satisfaction awaits at the Creamery, a Lemont branch of the South Chicago ice cream parlor. Northview Park is the neighborhood’s key spot for casual leisure time. Residents can stop by for pickup basketball games, workout sessions and walks along the multi-use path. The Lemont Park District added a splash pad in 2023, and in the summer the Village screens movies at the park. Thrill-seekers can stop by The Forge Adventure Park & Ziplines on the neighborhood’s north side for fun close to home. The park offers rock walls, ropes courses, kayaking, a kid-friendly jungle gym area and more in a converted quarry space. Main Street and McCarthy Road are Northeast Lemont’s primary thoroughfares. Both roads run east-west along the neighborhood and connect the neighborhood to Archer Avenue/Illinois Route 171 to the east. Residents are about 28 miles away from Chicago by car or 1 hour away from the city using the Metra commuter train. Naperville is about 15 miles northwest of the area. For local public transit, residents can use the Pace Dial-a-Ride service. Dedicated bike lanes run along McCarthy Road, while the lanes on Main Street are marked for sharing between cyclists and motorists. The nearest hospital, UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook, is 9 miles away. Flights to and from the Chicago area are available at Chicago Midway International Airport, 22 miles away from Northeast Lemont, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 29 miles away. For craft beer enthusiasts, northeast Lemont neighbors the Pollyanna Brewing Company, which runs two bars in town: the original brewery where IPAs and barrel-aged beers are on the menu, and the Pollyanna Social cocktail bar one block away for unique mixed beverages. Hughie McClafferty’s offers the Irish pub experience in the heart of downtown Lemont. It features live music, Guinness on draft and themed events throughout the year. Tribute bands and local acts take the stage at The Mount, an amphitheater neighboring The Forge Adventure Park. Houses of worship in the area include the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago community on the east side of the neighborhood and the Emmanuel Church of Lemont on McCarthy Road. Locals are just south of the quarry facilities of CCI Corporation and KA Steel Chemicals.

Just east of Lemont proper, Hastings is a collection of upscale neighborhoods offering acres of land for residents. “It’s got a long history of multi-generational families that stay there and are proud Lemonters,” says broker Daniel Merrion with Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty and Lemont resident. A golf course sits at the heart of Hastings, with rolling hills and challenging holes encouraging golfers to get out on the green. Even though Hastings feels more private than neighborhoods closer to Lemont, residents are still within minutes of the village’s historic downtown and its local restaurants. Hastings has multiple subdivisions, each offering everything from townhomes in The Steeples to custom builds throughout Equestrian Estates. “Large and private, stately homes are abundant throughout Lemont’s country-like settings,” says broker Jill Petranek with Coldwell Banker Realty Naperville. “Equestrian Estates is such neighborhood where one-acre parcels were common during the 1980s.” Hastings features long, narrow roads without sidewalks, adding to the private feel of the community. Driveways are long in communities like Equestrian Estates, highlighting the large front lawns and professionally landscaped gardens. Closer to town, lots are smaller and homes are closer to the road, featuring more ranches and New Traditional houses. Still, roads lack sidewalks to maintain a sense of privacy. Homes here list between $750,000 and $975,000, but townhomes will price closer to $475,000 and $550,000. “Your dollar gets you a little bit more than other suburbs,” Merrion says. “It starts at a quarter acre, but some subdivisions have acre requirements.” Students start at Oakwood School for kindergarten and first grade. Niche grants the school a B ranking. With an A-minus from Niche, River Valley School serves grades second through third. Central School teaches fourth- and fifth-grade students. It opened in 2023, so it is still unrated on GreatSchools and Niche. GreatSchools awards Old Quarry Middle School a perfect 10 out of 10 ranking. At Lemont High School, students can join sports like softball, which won state championships in 2022 and 2023. Niche grants it an A-plus and lists it as the 11th-best school for athletes in Illinois. Because Hastings is residential and private, residents will have to drive closer to Lemont for places to eat and shop. On the southwest side of Hastings, along Archer Avenue, Rosebud Lemont serves Italian food, with their ziti receiving praise from Tom Hanks. 3 Corners Grill and Tap brings an upscale feel to pub food with menu items like baby back ribs alongside fish and chips. In downtown Lemont, Wooden Paddle offers pizza and pasta in a rustic setting. For groceries, Celina’s Fresh Market along Archer Avenue specializes in deli meats and cheeses and European goods. Jewel-Osco and Meijer are just 5 miles away along Bell Road. Just minutes from many houses in Hastings, Cog Hill Golf and Country Club showcases an impressive 72-hole course and offers lessons to teach adults and kids. Closer to downtown Lemont, The Forge is an outdoor adventure location at the location of an old quarry. People can zipline and hike over aerial trails or canoe and kayak through the filled quarries. Heritage Quarries Recreation Area (HQRA) also makes use of the quarries, offering boating and fishing on the water and walking and biking on land. The paths feature different loops for various distances. Downtown Lemont still has a small-town community feel, shown through its seasonal and annual events. Market on Canal is an outdoor market hosted in downtown Lemont on Sundays, where people can browse vintage items, participate in yoga or listen to live music. Merrion says that many people head over to The Forge for concerts and food in the summers. For St. Patrick’s Day, the town hosts a parade featuring Irish dancers and crowning a local girl the Irish Queen. “A lot of people have their kids in sports, so people come up to support their high school and their community more so than other communities,” Merrion says. Hastings residents may have a more private setting, but they are only 3.5 miles from downtown Lemont, accessible along Main Street. Downtown offers local restaurants and shopping, but also a Metrarail station on the HC line, which connects all the way to downtown Chicago, about 26.5 miles away. Motorists can also drive into Chicago via I-55, about 5 miles north of Hastings on the other side of the Des Plaines River. Chicago Midway International Airport is only 16.5 miles away for those traveling by air, accessible along Illinois Route 171. The nearest medical center is Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, about 8.5 miles east of Hastings.

Established homes and historic Stephen Street storefronts bring an air of nostalgia to the streets of Downtown Lemont. When Lemont’s first settlers were digging the Illinois and Michigan Canal, which runs through the center of town, workers struck a fine grade of limestone, which was then used in the construction of buildings in and around town, including Lemont’s Old Stone Church and the Chicago Water Tower. Today, downtown locals enjoy quiet residential streets just a few short blocks from local shops and restaurants, while residents in the new subdivisions outside of town get space and access. Many of the area’s homes date back to the early 20th century and before, with some newer constructions blended into the mix, allowing for an eclectic selection of architectural styles, including farmhouses, brick bungalows, craftsman-style homes and Tudors. Prices for these homes range between $150,000 for a small bungalow in need of a rehab to $675,000 for a newly built, four-bedroom neo-colonial in one of the more recent subdivisions outside of town. The average listing price in Downtown Lemont is $265,000, with some renovated historic homes with four bedrooms and over 4,000 square feet reaching prices of $600,000 and beyond. Additionally, most homes here sit on quarter-acre lots. One of the perks of living in Lemont is that you’re only a short walk from an array of locally owned eateries and bars. “There are many restaurants available for dining, and there's a variety of choices,” says Jill Petranek, a local broker with Coldwell Banker Realty. “Nick's Tavern is a longtime favorite of locals, and it serves up a pub burger that has been around long before pub burgers became popular.” Wooden Paddle is not your typical pizza parlor. The Gettin' Figgy Wit It pizza has fig jam, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and mascarpone. Wooden Paddle also has menu items ranging from lemongrass pork chops to poached pear burrata toast. Pollyanna Brewing Company is a nice spot to sip on a pint of craft beer while listening to live music. The Creamery on Illinois Street satisfies the cravings of local children (and their parents) with hand-scooped ice cream. When it’s time for a kitchen restock, locals can drive south on State Street to pick up some groceries at Jewel-Osco or Pete’s Fresh Market. Five public schools serve the students of Lemont. Oakwood Elementary School received a B on Niche, and River Valley Elementary received an A-minus. Old Quarry Middle School received an A-minus. Lemont High School received an A-plus overall rating and is ranked the 45th best public high school in Illinois, according to Niche. Lemont High has a large selection of career and technical education electives, from business law and cybersecurity to desktop publishing and sports and entertainment marketing. Over 60 miles of paths are accessible to local walkers and bikers alike via the Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail that passes through Downtown Lemont. A short drive southwest will take adventurers to the Heritage Woodland Sanctuary, where hikers can walk along the two miles of trails that pass through woodlands and open fields. Just south of the sanctuary is the Central Bark Dog Park, where four-legged friends can get some off-leash exercise. Sound Score gives Lemont a rating of 90 out of 100, which puts the town among the quietest 10% of neighborhoods in the country. According to Niche, Midway Airport is just 30 minutes by car from Lemont. Residents will find that commuting into the city is a breeze. From the Lemont Metra station, folks can hop on a train to take the 40-minute ride to Chicago Union Station.