Montgomery

The Montgomery neighborhood of Pine Knoll has more than a few things going for it. Residents are within a mile of Aurora University’s impressive sports complex and just 3 miles from the city’s downtown scene. “Montgomery is part of Aurora; it sprouted up because the city just kept growing,” explains Jessica Anthony, a local Realtor with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty. “Most people moving to the area just want to settle down.” With quiet residential streets, accessibly priced homes and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities, Pine Knoll offers homebuyers just that: A nice place to settle. The quiet community of Pine Knoll is comprised of split-level and modern ranch-style homes resting on quaint, tree-lined streets. Industrial centers flank Jericho Road to the south, turning the thoroughfare into a barrier distinguishing residences from nearby commerce. Properties typically occupy single and double lots, set with tidy lawns, personal driveways and single-car garages. Homes are often far removed from the street, though homebuyers won’t find many sidewalks throughout the neighborhood’s subdivisions. Rather, many opt to stroll on the street itself as traffic isn’t much of an issue. Home prices range between $200,000 and $400,000, about average for Montgomery. Students are zoned for the West Aurora School District 129, beginning at Freeman Elementary, which earns a B-minus on Niche. Washington Middle School earns the same grade, encouraging students to partake in various extracurriculars, including athletic teams and clubs. All catchment areas feed into West Aurora High School, allowing students to congregate for the first time with others from neighboring communities. With a B-plus on Niche, the secondary school prides itself on offering up to 66 dual enrollment credits prior to graduation. Upon graduation, many go on to attend Aurora University. Less than a mile from Pine Knoll, the college offers undergraduate and graduate courses taught by award-winning faculty. Aurora station is the last Metra stop outside of Chicago. Riders reach Ogilvie Center in a little over an hour. Residents of Pine Knoll are only about 3 miles from the stop, which provides a commuter parking lot. While there’s no direct Metra line from Aurora station to Chicago Midway International Airport, residents can either drive 35 miles east or switch from the Metra to the L at LaSalle/Van Buren station. The closest emergency room is located at Presence Mercy Medical Center, about 5 miles north off of Route 31. Nearby thoroughfares include Interstate 88 and Route 34, both heading east toward Naperville. Though Downtown Aurora is certainly a hub for shopping and dining, nearby Montgomery has its own supply of well-loved haunts. “Aurora has many different communities within the city itself,” explains Brian Kipley, Director of Athletic Communications with the Spartan Athletic Park. “There’s a hometown feel to every neighborhood within it.” This said hometown feel is heartily embodied at Riverview Diner, a family restaurant serving award-winning American fare beside a view of the Fox River. Across the water, Atrevete Confections pairs classic French pastries and crepes with specialty drinks like Mao Feng Shui tea. Pine Knoll’s own culinary scene takes the form of Chef Uriel’s Tacos Diablos Truck. Locals will find him parked along Jericho Road, serving up authentic Mexican classics, from burritos to homemade salsas. As for the essentials, Walmart Supercenter is located a few miles south on Orchard Road, while Jewel-Osco and ALDI are a few miles north on the same route. The Spartan Athletic Park is situated in the heart of Pine Knoll, home to the Aurora University Spartans. This 75-acre multisport park hosts softball, soccer and lacrosse games on top of their famous football games. “The community really enjoys that we’re here,” Kipley explains. “In return, we’re good neighbors. We keep the facility well-maintained and offer free admission for home games. It’s no cost to watch, whether it’s the entire game or just a few innings.” Just north of the neighborhood, the Virgil Gilman Nature Trail is a 23-mile pedestrian path with scenic routes for biking, hiking and running. Those looking for exclusive amenities can indulge in an 18-hole golf course, racquet courts and pool at the Aurora Country Club, less than a mile north of Pine Knoll.

A relatively affordable Chicago exurb

Casual suburban style is a way of life in South Montgomery. Situated on the lower west side of the village of Montgomery, this neighborhood offers winding walking trails, familiar shopping options in close proximity and straightforward travel options into Aurora, Chicago and other typical commutes. "Everyone is so friendly here. It's a healthy balance of having a nice welcoming feel to living here, but it doesn't feel so small where everyone knows what you're doing," says Theresa Sperling, Village of Montgomery trustee. Almost all of South Montgomery’s home market was built between the early 2000s and the present. New traditional houses with vinyl and brick siding, subtle colors and decorative shutter windows are a common sight in the area’s subdivisions, with occasional ornamental details such as columns and fenced-in porches. Homes are generally larger than the national average and almost universally have multi-car garages built in. Rare exceptions to the area’s overarching style include some ranch-style homes built from the 1940s to the 1990s. Prices for single-family properties range from about $220,000 up to $570,000. Thanks to the area’s network of walking/biking trails and numerous leisure spaces, residents can easily access multiple neighborhood parks without driving miles away. Blackberry Trail Park offers basketball and sand volleyball courts and a lengthy stretch of the namesake trail running alongside Blackberry Creek. Lakewood Creek Park offers a large green space near Lakewood Creek Elementary School. Balmorea Park and Huntington Chase Park provide closer alternatives to residents on the west side, with a fishing pond available at the latter. To the neighborhood’s immediate north, the Stuart Sports Complex is a major hub for Midwestern youth and adult sports programs. The complex regularly hosts tournaments for baseball, softball and soccer, and also features a 15-acre dog park. Most households in the South Montgomery area are served by Oswego Community Unit School District 308. Lakewood Creek Elementary School has a student-teacher ratio of 17:1 and earns a B grade on Niche. Thompson Junior High School also earns a B grade. Oswego High School offers multiple options for students to earn college credit with their studies, including Advanced Placement classes, dual-credit courses and articulated credit from the Waubonsee Community College. The school earns an A-minus grade on Niche. South Montgomery sits on the lower end of the village of Montgomery, just south of the Kendall County line. Residents live about 6 miles south of Aurora and 48 miles southwest of the Chicago Loop. The neighborhood’s primary connections to the rest of Montgomery and the Fox Valley are East Base Line Road / US Route 30, which runs along the north side of the area, and South Lake Street/Illinois Route 31, which runs on the east end. Commuter trains depart from the Metra station in Aurora, 7 miles away, with a 1-hour trip to the Loop by rail. For medical concerns, the nearest hospital is Rush Copley Medical Center, 8 miles east of the neighborhood. Flights into the area land at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 43 miles northeast of the neighborhood, and Chicago Midway International Airport, 50 miles east. South Montgomery’s closest businesses are available near Baseline Road/Highway 30, to the east of the area’s residential areas. A Walmart store anchors the Orchard Crossing of Montgomery shopping center, which also includes familiar shops such as Aldi, Walgreens and Dollar Tree. For dining nearby, Los Portales and Taco Madre are both reliable picks for Mexican fare with generous portions. Chain dining picks like Rosati’s Pizza, Starbucks and Tropical Smoothie Café round out the area’s nearest options. To the neighborhood’s west, Calamity Jane’s Bar & Restaurant serves American classics and cocktails alongside unique offerings like the Sloppy Jane mushroom sandwich and The Boot – a boot-shaped souvenir glass filled with draft root beer. Sitting along the Fox River in downtown Montgomery, the Gray’s Mill Estate was once a flour mill but hosts two distinct bar experiences today. Spirited cocktails and pub fare are the order of the day at Danny Boy’s Neighborhood Speakeasy, while Baum’s Biergarten specializes in German Pilsners and curated beer selections. In Aurora, residents can visit the Blackberry Farm to let the young ones enjoy pony rides or enjoy the summer concert series. To the east in Oswego, the Oswegoland Park District Civic Center hosts regular family-friendly events, including art classes, science experiment sessions and father-daughter dance recitals. According to the First Street Foundation's Flood Factor index, some areas in South Montgomery may experience flooding levels of 1 foot or more during inclement weather. Buyers are advised to determine a property’s adherence to local building codes and insurance qualifications as part of their decision-making process.

Briarcliff Woods is a peaceful residential pocket of Montgomery, located on the eastern banks of the Fox River and bordering Highway 30 to the north. Though a relatively small community, its residents have amenities to match those of a large suburb. These include various housing options, a walkable infrastructure that leads to an expansive neighborhood park with riverside trails and the perks of a homeowners association. Briarcliff Woods Park and Lake's trails and open green space extend throughout the community, providing residents with quick access no matter where they live. Its pickleball courts see the most action, with many meeting up for a match against fellow neighbors. Some kids in the community refer to it as “tree park” due to its treehouse-themed playground, which gets plenty of shade thanks to mature oaks surrounding the play area. Running parallel to River Road is the Fox River Trail, providing views of the river as it snakes through neighboring communities, as well as the historic Gray’s Mill District. “We’ve had investors come in and have made the mill a destination for residents,” explains Theresa Sperling, Village of Montgomery trustee. “And since it sits on the river, many people, including residents, make it a wedding venue. It’s absolutely beautiful.” Riverview Diner is within eyeshot of Gray’s Mill and, thanks to its bright interior and extensive menu, is a busy spot, particularly in the mornings. A few blocks north sit Pig Dog Pub, a homey spot where friends can catch up over a beer and the typical pub-style food. For meals cooked at home, residents go to Jewel-Osco, less than a mile away, to pick up ingredients, while retail goods can be perused at Blain’s Farm & Fleet just across the street. A drive through Briarcliff Woods reveals a community that has prioritized its pedestrian experience—seen through sidewalks, plenty of pedestrians and children playing signs and streetlights dotted along each avenue. Most of these streets lead to cul-de-sacs featuring a grassy center median, which are maintained alongside front yards by one of two present homeowners associations and are home to driveways large enough for two vehicles. Houses in the community typically sit on about .25 acres of land, providing modest front yards with enough room for a tree or flowering plants that run along the walkway to front doors. New traditional and ranch-style homes dominate the residential landscape, including the occasional Colonial-style, all constructed from the late 1980s up through the early 2000s. “We have a nice range in home prices, which allows homebuyers with different budgets to consider this as a place to live,” says Sperling. Depending on size and condition, houses in the community range from $250,000 to $475,000, while townhomes on the east end range from $225,000 to $260,000. Young students will head to Boulder Hill Elementary School, which maintains a B-minus on Niche, before attending Thompson Jr. High School, which has a B. Meanwhile, older students will take classes at Oswego High School, which has an A-minus rating on Niche. Oswego High prides itself on its diverse selection of sports, including co-ed fishing, bowling and yoga clubs. The school also hosts a Trunk-or-Treat, creating a comforting Halloween experience for students with special needs. Participating students receive not only candy but a lanyard that aids in communication during future trick-or-treat occasions. Montgomery residents have gathered every August for decades to celebrate the Montgomery Fest, a staple weekend-long event for the area. Those in attendance can shop at the Craft Fair and Market, interact with critters at the petting zoo and partake in the carp fishing derby. Sunday rounds out the event with a Parade Step-Off in the afternoon and a grand fireworks show over Fox River to end the celebration. Those making trips to Chicago can get to downtown on a 46.5-mile drive east via Interstate 88. When it’s time to travel, residents can catch flights at Chicago Midway International Airport, which is 38.6 miles away, off Interstate 55 North. Sitting nearby is RUSH Copley Medical Center, a 4.2-mile trip east via US-30, and the campus of Aurora University, a 3.6-mile commute along South Lake Street.