Merrillville

With golf courses and access to nearby cities, Lottaville has a lot to offer. Just beyond the reach of Chicago’s metropolitan mayhem, Lottaville is a composed and serene neighborhood with picturesque homes on well-landscaped lawns. This Merrillville neighborhood offers residents beautiful homes and retail with a peaceful life in a suburban paradise 37 miles south of the “Windy City.” From a midcentury dwelling in Lottaville, residents can see split levels occupying well-maintained lawns on hilltops with rows of trimmed hedges and sidewalk paths by towering pine trees. Homes in this neighborhood have a variety of styles, such as American foursquare, Colonial Revival and ranch-style homes. Most residential construction occurred in the 1970s, but recent development provides brand-new homes in Lottaville and updated renovations to older residences like the midcentury styles on Hayes Street. Homes generally sit on large or medium-sized lots with a driveway and an attached garage. “It’s a good location,” says Jennifer Parham, Managing Broker and Owner of Lighthouse Realty with over 15 years of experience. “We have a lot of nice suburban areas, and it’s a little more affordable than the surrounding neighborhoods.” Housing prices in Lottaville range from $200,000 to $450,000. A three-bedroom brick ranch-style home can be sold for between $200,000 and $300,000, while a classical new traditional home with more than four bedrooms can be listed for between $350,000 and $450,000. Schools are part of the Merrillville Community School Corporation, which serves over 6,000 students in the area. Edgar L. Miller Elementary School, with a C-plus overall grade from Niche, offers career readiness courses in Grades 5 and 6, which focus on subjects like engineering and business management. Students can look to the stars and study astrological patterns at the Merrillville Community Planetarium in Clifford Pierce Middle School, which also holds a B-minus grade. Only a block north of Pierce Middle, Merrillville High School has an overall grade of B and offers 32 clubs that students can join, like jazz band or chess club. Independence Park, in the neighborhood's southwest corner, provides residents with a beautiful 5-acre lake and a playground. Residents can spend the day fishing or have a family picnic by the lake. Rosenbalm Park is a modest space with a small playground and a shelter. In central Lottaville, Innsbrook Country Club offers a private 18-hole golf course, a restaurant and an outdoor waterpark open to the public and available to book for events. The golf course’s clear green fairways are traversed by Turkey Creek, which runs through the middle of the course and on throughout Lottaville. Golf enthusiasts follow Turkey Creek east to find Turkey Creek Golf Course, a public course just outside the neighborhood. The Chesapeake and Ohio Greenway provides a 3-mile paved trail through Merrillville. After a round of golf, locals can have lunch at Langford’s Grill, the steakhouse connected to Innsbrook Country Club. Locals head to Toast & Jam, a brunch café with menu items like eggs benedict and red velvet pancakes, for a flavorful breakfast. Super Chinese serves orange chicken, fried rice and their signature hot and sour soup for a dinner that doesn't disappoint. The Southlake Mall boasts name-brand stores, like H&M or JCPenney, just 5 miles east. Quick shopping and last-minute meal ingredients are found at Family Dollar in the neighborhood's south end. For more substantial grocery lists, residents can make their way northwest just outside Lottaville to Ruler Foods, a store with Kroger brand items at affordable prices. For more retail and restaurant options, residents can take Route 53 toward the heart of Merrillville to reach more businesses. Lottaville is a car-dependent neighborhood, and most residents have personal automobiles. The Gary Public Transportation Corp (GPTC) bus system runs throughout the Gary suburbs, giving Lottaville locals a route across Merrillville. Buses and taxis make the commute from Merrillville to Chicago each day. Residents can get to Chicago by traveling north on Interstate 65, which is 3 miles east. State Route 53 takes traffic 8 miles north to Gary. The Gary/Chicago International Airport is 10 miles north. Fireworks light up the night sky on July 3rd before the Independence Day Parade in Merrillville the following day. The Dean and Barbara White Center hosts a Christmas tree lighting each year to ring in the holiday season. Merrillville's Trunk or Treat event celebrates Halloween with cars driving through a spooky sugary wonderland. “Last year, we had firetrucks, food trucks and candy galore. I’m sure dentists even liked us,” says Michael Griffin, town manager of Merrillville.

Turkey Creek is a residential neighborhood located in the middle of Merrillville, just outside the larger Chicago area. This neighborhood has a slower suburban lifestyle, and it’s within reach of the big city. Named after the stream that flows through the neighborhood, Turkey Creek is a diverse locale with parks, golf courses and a retail and restaurant scene. “If you’re from the city, it’s your home away from home,” says Justin Hanuscin, a local realtor with Listing Leaders. “If you live here, you can commute to work, pay a quarter of the price and live in a spectacular house.” Narrow sidewalks run parallel to the road in residential areas, allowing residents to go for a stroll around the neighborhood and reach many of the neighborhood’s landmarks on foot. Homes sit on small lots with garages on streets bordered by trees. Housing styles in Turkey Creek include ranch-style, split-level and four-square homes. Over 70% of people own their homes in this neighborhood, and most residential housing was built in the 1950s and 1960s. The median price of a single-family home in Turkey Creek is $211,000. Potential homeowners in Turkey Creek can find a 3-bedroom single-story, ranch home on a medium-sized lot, with prices increasing to 270,000 for a 3-bedroom split-level home with a patio and a fenced-in backyard. Homer Iddings Elementary School, on the neighborhood's south side, offers the “Indiana’s Choice Scholarship” program for qualifying families, and the school receives an overall Niche grade of C-plus. Pierce Middle School offers a workshop series on topics like financial literacy and entrepreneurship to students and their families, and it has a B-minus grade. Merrillville High School offers courses in Career and Technical Education to better prepare students for employment in fields, like business or technology, and it holds an overall grade of B. Turkey Creek offers residents plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. John A. Stefek Park is centrally located in the neighborhood and includes a playground for kids, a baseball diamond and a small gazebo by an open field. The Chesapeake and Ohio Greenway is a 3-mile paved trail that runs through Stefek Park and Merrillville, and it’s perfect for a morning bike ride or jog. Just northeast of Turkey Creek is Hidden Lake Park. Upon entering this forested park, visitors can zipline in a large playground, pedal on the lake’s surface in a paddle boat, or check out the disc golf course, softball fields and fitness trails. Turkey Creek Golf Course is an 18-hole course in this neighborhood that is centered around Turkey Creek. While being a popular spot to hit the links, it also serves as a venue for weddings and other events. Turkey Creek is located right next to Broadway, a popular and essential strip that gives neighborhood residents access to a large selection of restaurants, bars, retail and grocery options. To dine out, residents stop into Maxim’s Restaurant & Lounge for Greek fare, like gyros and lemon rice soup. Angie’s Breakfast & Grill serves breakfast favorites like chicken and waffles, pancakes or shrimp and grits. For a brunch atmosphere, residents visit Café Stelios Breakfast Restaurant for eggs benedict and home fries. To save the trip out and make a meal at home, residents can go to El Pueblito Supermarket for groceries, produce and authentic Latin American food. For a wider selection of groceries, residents can head north on Broadway to shop at Strack & Van Til, a supermarket with a bakery, deli and grocery store. The GPTC bus system serves Turkey Creek, Merrillville and other Gary, Indiana suburbs. To commute to Chicago for work or to take a weekend excursion to the “Windy City,” residents can drive north on Broadway and take I-94 West to reach the city in 42 miles, and Turkey Creek is only 12 miles south of the Gary/Chicago International Airport for those looking to catch a flight.

Located 36 miles southeast of Chicago, North Merrillville is a family-friendly suburban community known for its affordability, convenient location and natural beauty. Jennifer Parham, a 14-year managing broker and owner of Lighthouse Realty, says, "The awesome thing about Merrillville is you're always only around 20 minutes away from anything; people here go bowling, play paintball, go to the movies, and there's plenty of shopping and restaurants. We're a hub for everything close by." Many of North Merrillville's homes are split-levels and brick ranches, with newly constructed custom-builds on the market. Home prices in the neighborhood range from $150,000 to $300,000, making it a relatively affordable area. "Homes used to stay on the market for a week, but now it's longer than that," says Parham. "Houses are averaging 30-40 days, which is reasonable considering the higher interest rates." The Merrillville Community School Corporation serves North Merrillville. Nearby options include Henry P. Fieler Elementary School, rated a C-plus on Niche and offering six college and career readiness pathways to help students prepare for their future. Merrillville Intermediate School is rated a B-minus, and Merrillville High is a mile south and rated a B. Hidden Lake Park lies on the neighborhood's southeast side. Residents can birdwatch or take a peaceful stroll around the lake and play disc golf with friends. The park also has a playground and zipline, popular with young ones. And in the winter, Hidden Lake Park is where the community brings kids to sled down the hills. Just across Interstate 65 to the east is Glen Park Izaak Walton, a Conservation Club and Shooting Sports Facility that offers trap shooting on select days. Members can also take advantage of the private indoor archery and pistol shooting ranges. Oak Ridge Prairie is a significant nature preserve that spreads out through North Merrillville to the western neighboring town of Griffith. The preserve is 965 acres of dense tree cover and two major hiking trails, the Oak Savannah and Erie Lackawanna, popular for hiking. Recently, 97 acres were added to Oak Ridge, including a non-motorized bike trail through the expansive foliage. When it's time to stock up on groceries, the shopping Center Broadway Place is within the neighborhood and hosts the regional grocery chain Strack & Van Til. Residents often dine at PJ's Grill, known for their gyros and hand-cut fries. There's also Taco Depot, home of the "Karla" taco made with a mixture of slow-cooked beef brisket and pork served with birria to dip tacos in. One of North Merrillville's significant community events is the Independence Day Festival every year on July 3rd at Hidden Lake Park, starting in the morning with a citywide parade and live bands; throughout the day, residents can browse vendors, check out the beer garden and watch fireworks to close out the night. Driving is the most popular way to get around in town, and residents of North Merrillville can drive north on Interstate 90 to be in Chicago in 42 miles or take a day trip south on Interstate 65, about 142 miles, to be in Indianapolis.

Suburban living half an hour south of Lake Michigan Occupying the area to the immediate southeast of a highway interchange, the residential neighborhood of East Merrillville offers its residents a variety of home styles with a location close to nearby shopping and restaurants. Nearby neighborhoods are easily accessible, as is the downtown area. “Merrillville is multifaceted with new constructions and old homes built in the 1960s and 1970s,” says Lisa Thompson, a Realtor with the @properties firm. “It borders Hobart, Crown Point and Schererville. Interstate 65 is right there, which is easy to get access to the city via Interstates 80 and 94. Southlake Mall is right on I-65 as well, and it’s one of the largest malls in the area.” Architectural variance in East Merrillville A variety of homes can be found along the primarily residential streets of East Merrillville, in both style and when they were constructed. “Merrillville is pretty diverse,” Thompson says. “There’s older and newer constructions. The older homes are to the north, and those typically go for between $200,000 and $300,000. Newer constructions off Route 30 usually have price ranges of $400,000 to $500,000 or maybe as low as $350,000.” Townhouses can also be found in the southern portion of East Merrillville. Properties for homes can have sizable front lawns, and styles there include split-level constructions, ranch homes, some Cape Cods and some modern architecture as well. A quartet of schools for students Students can begin their educational path at one of several schools outside of East Merrillville’s borders, including John Wood Elementary School, which scores a B-minus on Niche and is ranked the most diverse elementary outlet in the entire state. Wood Elementary hosts up through fourth grade, while the B-minus-rated Merrillville Intermediate School provides for grades five and six. Seventh and eighth grade enrollment takes place at Pierce Middle School, also given a B-minus from Niche, and Merrillville High School completes the four-school pipeline and is regarded for its student-athlete accommodations. Given a B from Niche, Merrillville High also ranks highly in diversity. Venturing outside beyond East Merrillville For spending time outdoors, all of the area’s parks are located outside of East Merrillville’s boundaries. Deep River Water Park is one of the region’s most popular recreational attractions, but its seasonal schedule only has it open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while an ice rink only keeps a winter schedule. Hidden Lake Park offers paddle boating, a hill for sledding, disc golf courses and more on its grounds, also allowing dog-walking and grilling on its span of more than 100 acres. Crescent Lake Park is mostly undeveloped, but does feature a playground, while the Turkey Creek Golf Course is open to the public for play on its 18-hole links. Innsbrook Country Club is private and membership-only, but its amenities include an Olympic pool, a water park and even areas for dining and events. Local restaurants down the road Though Merrillville lacks a true downtown area, residents aren’t too far from grabbing a bite to eat at some local establishments. “The neighborhood is centered between historic Crown Point and historic Valparaiso,” Thompson says. “There’s the historic Crown Point Square, and Merrillville doesn’t have a downtown section – it’s more commuter. People head to Valparaiso for restaurants, and nearby Schererville has more entertainment.” Area eateries do include the Dawg House Pub down Route 30, JO’s Bar & Grill to the north and Gamba Ristorante just to the west near the interchange. Gamba’s Italian fare is complemented with a brick patio and garden string lights above. A sprawling mall full of shopping and dining Shoppers can find one of the largest malls in the entirety of Indiana right off the interchange at the northwestern corner of East Merrillville. Southlake Mall has more than 100 outlets within its doors along with a food court and play area, and visitors can dine, browse and catch entertainment in this one-stop-shop for residents. There’s an AMC Theatres location to showcase the latest movies and restaurant chains like Chili’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Kona Ice, while shopping outlets include Toys “R” Us, Books-A-Million and Macy’s. “Southlake Mall is probably East Merrillville’s biggest anchor,” Thompson says. “There’s a lot of chain restaurants around the mall and a lot of eateries.” Liberty Square, a strip mall, is just across the interchange to the northwest, as is Lincoln Junction Plaza with some smaller boutiques and fitness outlets. An interchange at the northwestern corner Route 30 and Interstate 65 meet at a partial cloverleaf interchange at East Merrillville’s northwesternmost corner, but those aren’t the only thoroughfares residents are close to. “Interstates 80 and 94 intersect minutes from Merrillville,” Thompson says. “It’s probably the most ideal location for access to the expressways, being right off of Route 30.” I-65 bisects the state and features Indianapolis along its route, while the shores of Lake Michigan are only about half an hour north of East Merrillville.

West Merrillville gives off a relaxed energy as it takes a step back from the somewhat more business-like atmosphere to the east. With plenty of retail in central Merrillville, commerce is important enough for the town to garner the motto, "The town that works for you!" This Lake County, Indiana town's western reach, in contrast, is at least 80% residential. A family friendly community with sidewalks, green space and plenty of trees, West Merrillville is an environment of calm streets and the occasional cul-de-sac. Though there are townhouses and apartments, together, they only make up about 10% of West Merrillville's dwelling options. Single-family homes are in the majority, with some of the oldest examples from the 1940s and subsequent construction through the decades up until the present. Styles include bungalows, Cape Cods, split-level, ranch-style and raised ranch homes. The median price is $260,000, with about 4% costing less than $180,000 and 6% more than $440,000. Newer developer-built subdivision homes are those on the high end, typically have three to four bedrooms and can offer up to 3,100 square feet of space. Kids will likely attend public schools, including Jonas E. Salk Elementary, which serves kindergarten through fourth grade, and Merrillville Intermediate for fifth and sixth grades. Both are graded B-minus by Niche. The Merrillville Community School Corporation prepares kids for the future with the K-6 College & Career Readiness program, which features career pathways such as agriculture, health science, and arts and communications. Students can move on to Pierce Middle for seventh and eighth grade and then to Merrillville High. Those schools have B-minus and B grades, respectively. After graduating, teens may opt to attend nearby institutes of higher learning, including Indiana University Northwest, Ivy Tech Community College or Purdue University Northwest. Lincoln Highway, part of U.S. Route 30, intersects with the Erie Lackawanna Trail, one of the longest trails in Northwest Indiana. The nearly 18-mile path connects the cities of Hammond and Crown Point. For other outdoor adventures, West Merrillville is also home to multiple parks, including Rolling Hills Park, complete with a shelter, playground, ball field and paved trail. Among other golf courses in the area, the private Innsbrook Country Club comes with year-round amenities, including family friendly features like a pool and waterpark, plus activity programming for children. Car dealerships line Lincoln Highway along with local businesses like The Ark Pet Shop — in business for over 40 years — and Aladdin Pita, serving kabob platters and other Mediterranean classics since 2000. Rosati's is the setting for Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and assorted Italian fare. A bit north on Old Lincoln Highway, Toast and Jam is a preferred brunch spot. The Northwest Indiana Martial Arts Academy is right next door. There's more retail to the east in central Merrillville, with big-box stores, grocers like Meijer, and specialty shops like the Albanese Confectionary, where the candy factory tour gives visitors a how-to on making chocolate and gummies. It's about an 8-mile drive to reach Deep River Waterpark, the largest waterpark in Chicagoland and northwest Indiana. Fun in the pools is expected during warm weather, but there are also themed ice-skating nights in the winter. The waterpark is in Crown Point, as is the Lake County Fairgrounds, where locals gather for the county fair, markets and more. For those who prefer lakeside swims and splashing, Lake Michigan's south shore in Gary is about a 17-mile drive from West Merrillville. There, sandy expanses like Miller Wood Beach, Lake Street Beach and Marquette Park Beach draw visitors from the area. Gary Public Transportation Corp operates buses in northwest Indiana, including regional network routes like R5, the Merrillville Shuttle. The Broadway MetroExpress stops at Merrillville High School, a few miles east of West Merrillville. The route goes from Gary Metro Center on one end to Ivy Tech Community College in Crown Point on the other. Many residents will rely on a car to get around, so access to major thoroughfares like Interstate 65, U.S. Route 30 and State Road 53 is a plus. "You're in the crossroads, so if you want to go east to New York or West to PNW, you are right there," says lifelong Hoosier Mike Ellingsworth, referring to Purdue University Northwest, about 11 miles away in Hammond. NYC is a straight shot east, but the drive is nearly 800 miles. Ellingsworth says that there are routes to take to avoid the Chicago traffic. Downtown Chicago is about 40 miles northwest and Indianapolis is about 150 miles southeast.