Urbana

The Stone Creek neighborhood in Urbana is southeast of downtown Urbana and east of the University of Illinois. The neighborhood features homes surrounding the Atkins Golf Club, which the University of Illinois owns. The course is also home to the University of Illinois’ men’s and women’s golf teams. “It’s an upscale neighborhood that’s growing,” says Rose Price, a Realtor with Prudential Landmark Real Estate with over 35 years of real estate experience. “The ownership of the golf club transferred to the university, and since then, lots have been sold, and homes have been built.” The course used to be known as Stone Creek and opened under its new name in 2021. In 2020, the Atkins family, which owned the Stone Creek Golf Club and is an area real estate developer, gifted the University of Illinois over 300 acres of real estate, which included the golf course. “It’s a top-flight public golf course now,” Price says. The course has PGA professionals who provide instruction and individualized lessons. A sports pub is associated with the course too. “Oskee’s Sports Pub is under new management and will be open in June,” Price adds. The name comes from Oskee-Wow-Wow, the name of the University of Illinois fight song for its athletic teams. The term was used as a cheer at the turn of the 20th century. The restaurant serves breakfast to early-morning golfers and burgers and other comfort foods for the rest of the day. Most homes in the neighborhood are priced between $400,000 and $800,000. Many surround the golf course and are along Stone Creek Boulevard. “People have bought lots in this neighborhood and then bought the one right next to it," An incentive program from the City of Urbana has also spurred this. The Think Urbana program saves real estate property tax over the first five years of ownership. Contemporary ranch-style, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival houses were built in the early 2000s to new construction with square footage ranging from 1,700 to nearly 4,000 square feet. Condos in the neighborhood are mainly two-bedroom units constructed within the past 20 years and range from $150,000 to $200,000. Thomas Paine Elementary School, receiving a C-plus grade on Niche, is close to the neighborhood. The school also has a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Sixth graders at Urbana Middle School can participate in a college readiness program called AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Independent Determination. It features a rigorous curriculum and focuses, but not exclusively, on those who might be the first person in their family to attend college. The school receives a C on Niche. Urbana High School gets an A-minus on college prep and an A-minus overall. Smart Christian Academy is a private school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Down the street is another private school, the Calvary Baptist Christian Academy, a K-12 school. It’s a short drive west on Windsor Road to the intersection of Philo Road, where there are a few dining options. Monical’s Pizza is a long-time popular East Central Illinois chain known for its famous thin-crust pizza cut into square pieces. Open Thursday through Sunday, Riggs Beer Company is on a farm east of the neighborhood that dates to 1874, where they use wheat they grow to make beer. There’s a large beer garden with benches. This is not a place to gather to watch the game, as there are no TVs. It’s designed to enjoy beer while talking and not being connected to devices or other media. Food at the brewery is provided by various food trucks on site. Meijer is also at the corner of Windsor and Philo Roads for groceries. While there are sidewalks along some neighborhood streets, Stone Creek Boulevard offers another unique way to get around: a paved path in the median of the divided road. Joggers, walkers and bicyclists use this path. The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District stops on the Green Line on Stone Creek Boulevard, the main road around the golf course.

One of West Urbana’s major attractions, a white wooden house on High Street, doesn’t draw much attention to itself. But some may recognize it as a monument of indie rock symbolizing the pang of juvenile heartache and melancholy in a small Midwestern town. The broader area surrounding the home reveals a residential community with strong ties to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, with varied businesses, neighborhood parks, and campus buildings mere steps away from most homes. The white wooden house, which graces the cover of the 1999 debut album of the emo rock band American Football, was chosen for the record as it had been a popular spot for college parties and DIY-concerts at the time. While residents may come and go with each passing school year, the area’s quirky culture remains. “The college brings a lot of different kinds of people in, so it’s a very diverse area,” says Lisa Rector, a Realtor and chief broker with the Rector Team at Keller Williams Champaign. Rector has sold homes in the Urbana-Champaign area for more than 12 years. West Urbana’s home market is varied and reflects the enduring charm of traditional architecture. The area’s proximity to the Illinois campus makes it a compelling choice for investors, grad students and alumni. Single-family homes and multi-unit properties showcase the evolution of American home styles from the 1880s to the 1950s. Buyers can find homes influenced by Colonial Revival, Prairie and Tudor stylings, with folk vernacular architecture inspiring humble design elements like the white wood siding and prominent window on the front-facing gable of the American Football House. Stopping the late 19th-century home from being torn down for redevelopment, the band, its record label and a few other partners bought the dwelling in 2023 to preserve it as a community landmark. Home prices range from $99,000 to $539,000. Condo units nearby also occasionally sell for between $82,000 and $125,000. Students in West Urbana can attend schools within Urbana School District 116. Leal Elementary School has a student-teacher ratio of 14:1 and earns a B-minus grade on Niche. Urbana Middle School earns a C grade. Extracurricular activities at Urbana High School cover interests from film and debate to ping-pong and chemistry. The school earns an A-minus grade on Niche. College students and grad schoolers in the area can attend classes at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which offers highly ranked programs in library and information sciences, accounting and civil engineering, according to U.S. News & World Report. Many of West Urbana’s most convenient businesses are available in neighboring areas near downtown Urbana. Close to downtown Urbana, grocery options include Common Ground Food Co-Op and Schnucks, as well as World Harvest International & Gourmet for specialty ingredients. Unique retailers nearby include Skeuwep Skate Shop and See You CD & Vinyl, a skateboarding supplier and record store with a shared space, and Priceless Books, a used bookstore with an ever-changing stock of fiction and nonfiction. Salads, bakery items and casual surroundings accompany the coffee and tea at Caffe Paradiso, while Tres Nopales offers traditional Mexican fare with colorful murals and papel picado banners. Additional options for everyday shopping and dining out are available in the Campustown area and downtown Champaign. On the corner of Iowa Street and Douglas Avenue, Carle Park is a scenic neighborhood park with an Abraham Lincoln statue and an original pavilion from the park's 1909 opening. Contemporary amenities include a playground, volleyball courts and open Wi-Fi. A few blocks southeast, Blair Park received renovations to its playground area in 2022 and offers overhead lights on the tennis court, letting locals enjoy sunset and evening games. Just south of the neighborhood, the University of Illinois Arboretum provides lush views of the state’s flora. In the springtime, the Champaign County Arts Council organizes the Boneyard Arts Festival, which showcases local art in more than 90 venues across the Champaign-Urbana area, from performances and art talks to galleries and multimedia installations. Rector points to the Urbana Market at the Square, a farmers’ market open five days a week during the summer season, as a prime spot to check out local vendors and produce. The Pygmalion Music Festival has been a staple of the area’s local music scene since 2005, with performances from local and international acts at venues like the Rose Bowl Tavern and the Canopy Club each fall. West Urbana’s primary connections to the greater Champaign-Urbana area include University Avenue/US-150 on the north side of the neighborhood, West Kirby Avenue on the south side and Green Street, a central road linking the area to the Illinois campus. Residents are generally about 1 mile away from downtown Urbana, 3 miles away from Champaign and less than 1 mile from the Illinois campus. For medical emergencies, Carle Foundation Hospital is less than 2 miles away for most residents. Flights departing the Champaign-Urbana area depart from University of Illinois Willard Airport, 7 miles south of the neighborhood. Bus stops for the cities’ Mass Transit District bus system are available throughout the neighborhood for car-free travel. Some areas in West Urbana have Flood Factor scores of 3 feet or more, indicating a higher risk for flooding during inclement weather. Potential residents are advised to check if a property adheres to building codes and insurance requirements prior to purchasing a home in or near these areas. Residents close to the Downtown Urbana area and major roads such as Lincoln Avenue, University Avenue or Vine Street may experience higher noise levels.

With its first homes popping up in the late 19th century, Historic East Urbana offers residents a spot in one of the city’s oldest residential communities at a comparative price to surrounding areas. Bordered by Downtown Urbana to the west, an array of local shops and dining options along West Main Street sit right around the corner. Meanwhile, a sense of camaraderie is felt at neighborhood events focused on supporting its locale and through the growth of vegetation in its community garden. It’s hard not to take note of the community’s history while driving down residential roads, which are a blend of previously laid brick pathways and updated asphalt. Orb-shaped streetlights run parallel to these streets, sharing space with the canopies of mature trees. Beneath the sugar maple and oak branches, ornamental shrubs lean over front yard fences, presenting a lush landscape where historic homes sit peeking from behind. The neighborhood is filled with mostly ranch and National-style homes, alongside a handful of other styles, from bungalows to Victorian styles. Most homes date back to the early-to-mid 20th, with some built in the late 1800s. Potential homebuyers can expect a price range from $80,000 for an investment opportunity to $200,000 for a larger, recently updated home. Though modern design aesthetics and finishes are absent from many homes, residents can take advantage of lower prices compared to surrounding communities while inhabiting a part of local history. Downtown Urbana, just a stroll or short drive west, offers an array of unique shopping and dining opportunities. Evening performances from a rotating list of musicians accompany drinks at Rose Bowl Tavern. Meanwhile, The Courier Café, once the printing site of The Courier newspaper in the late 1800s, features hand-spun milkshakes and classic diner menu items, with breakfast served anytime. While perusing the brick-clad storefronts of West Main Street, locals can stop into Bohemia, a boutique filled with vintage clothing and home goods, or pick up a new record from See You CD & Vinyl. Residents looking for big-name retailers head to Lincoln Square Mall, less than a block west of the community. A similar distance northwest carries shoppers to Schnucks Urbana for groceries. Victory Park sits near the center of the community and is home to a community garden where residents tend to sunflowers and vegetables, a pavilion for mid-day picnics and a spacious playground for the little ones. The expansive Meadowbrook Park is 2 miles south, off East Windsor Road. “It’s a very interesting park,” says Deana Gauze, Realtor and broker with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group and native of Champaign. “People like to go there to walk the trails, and they have sculptures that different artists have put in.” Its once-wooden playset is currently under construction and will include safer features like turf or rubber surfaces for children. Residents can participate in community-focused events, like Play Day in the Park, hosted by The Urbana Park District at Victory Park. Alongside free bike repairs and produce, the event welcomes those of all ages and abilities to enjoy a bit of fun in the form of yard games, face painting and more. Many enjoy biking to Urbana’s Market at the Square at Lincoln Square Mall. With over 100 vendors, there’s plenty to explore, from produce and hot food to pottery and floral arrangements. “It’s a very well-attended event,” says Gauze. “That’s my cousin and her dad’s Saturday thing. They get breakfast, then go and shop the market.” Students attend classes at Leal Elementary School, which maintains a B-plus grade on Niche, before attending Urbana Middle School, which holds a C-rating. Meanwhile, older students will head to Urbana High School. The high school has an A-minus ranking and is home to a student-run newsletter, The Echo, which publishes recent news articles and blog topics like seasonal fashion trends and personal stories. Interstate 74 sits 2 miles northeast of the community, allowing for 123-mile drives east to Indianapolis and 120-mile trips to Indianapolis International Airport. Toward the west is Interstate I-57, which sits 6 miles away and can be used to reach Chicago 135 miles north. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s campus is closer to home, 2 miles east on West Gregory Drive, and Carle Foundation Hospital, less than a mile northeast. The community is also full of bus stops provided by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit system.

Midwestern mid-century architecture and a central location at the core of Urbana define life in Fairlawn Park. While the neighborhood’s proximity to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus grants it an instant appeal for students, graduates and families also find value in the neighborhood’s buyer-friendly price range and connections to Urbana parks and shopping options. Most of Fairlawn Park’s homes were built in the 1950s and share early ranch-style floorplans. Properties vary between free-standing garage units and integrated ones, but most properties on today’s market bear updated or fully remodeled interiors. Buyers can also find a small number of alternative home styles nearby, including a few duplex units and single-family homes in other traditional styles. Single-family properties usually sell between $82,000 and $245,000, while multi-family units generally sell between $130,000 and $140,000. Like other areas in Urbana, homes generally sell quickly, with an average of about two weeks on the market. “The university makes Urbana a hot spot. It's great for investing on this side, where it's accessible to the college,” says Dan Gordon, a broker and property manager with Team Gordon at Re/Max. Students in Fairlawn Park can enroll in schools within Urbana School District 116. Leal Elementary School has a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and earns a B-minus grade on Niche. Students at Urbana Middle School can get a head start in college preparation with the optional AVID elective class. The school earns a C grade. Urbana High School’s band program has seven ensembles for students to choose from and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. The school earns an A-minus grade on Niche. Most of Fairlawn Park’s most convenient shopping and dining options are available in the neighborhood’s immediate south. Mainstream shopping options in the area include Family Dollar, Walgreens and Dollar Tree. Salt & Light is a Christian thrift store and grocery providing gently used clothing and household goods. For additional everyday needs, Meijer and Schnucks stores are each available about 1 mile away from the neighborhood, along with the Common Ground Food Co-Op grocery store. Close to Washington Street on the neighborhood’s north side, Huaraches Moroleon serves plates of traditional Mexican fare with tall cocktails and house-made chips. Fast food options close by include McDonald’s and Papa John’s. Additional options for shopping and dining are available to the north in Downtown Urbana. Fairlawn Park’s location is close to the heart of Urbana, which places residents near a mix of recreation options. To the area’s west, Blair Park offers a broad selection of activities, including an electronic soccer wall and lighted tennis courts. Carle Park is one of the city’s earliest gathering spaces and features a 1927 sculpture of Abraham Lincoln from noted Illinois artist Lorado Taft. To the north, residents can contribute to the community garden at Victory Park or take the kids to soccer games at Prairie Park. Additional spaces to the south include the disc golf course at Lohmann Park and the walking trail and playground at Crestview Park. Fairlawn Park is 1 mile south of Downtown Urbana, 3 miles east of Downtown Champaign and 1 mile east of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. The neighborhood connects to the greater Urbana area through East Washington Street, South Philo Road, South Vine Street and East Florida Avenue. MTD bus stops are available along the area’s primary thoroughfares and major roads like Fairlawn Drive, Anderson Street, Cottage Grove Avenue and East Pennsylvania Avenue. Carle Foundation Hospital is 2 miles northwest of the neighborhood for medical emergencies. Flights leaving the Urbana-Champaign area depart from the University of Illinois Willard Airport, 8 miles southwest. Boomerangs Bar & Grill is located near Philo Road and Washington Street and offers popular food specials, bar trivia and live music. Other events that residents can find and enjoy nearby include the annual Boneyard Arts Festival in the spring, the Pygmalion Music Festival in the fall, and Fighting Illini home games on the University of Illinois campus.

1960s homes and contemporary houses sit alongside frequently-used thoroughfares in Southeast Urbana, a residential community just above the city limits of Urbana. While close to the outer reaches of the city, tightly arranged homes, walkable trips to several parks and proximity to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus ensure that residents are well connected to the city’s key locations. Shopping and dining options fall along Philo Road, and locals have access to additional options for leisure and dining to the north near downtown Urbana or college sports to the west in Champaign. “Everyone likes going to the football and basketball games,” says Dan Gordon, a broker and property manager with Team Gordon at Re/Max. Southeast Urbana has a mix of mid-20th-century homes and contemporary properties along planned streets and cul-de-sacs. Ranch-style homes are the most common type, but split-level and colonial properties can also be found in the area. Prices for single-family houses generally range from $100,000 to $420,000. Buyers can also find condominiums and townhomes in the area, including units within the Prairie Winds assisted lifestyle community. Multi-family units generally range from $64,000 to $235,000. Some homes may be in areas with higher risks of flooding, according to the Risk Factor index. Thomas Paine Elementary School has a 10:1 student-teacher ratio and a C-plus grade on Niche. The C-grade-ranked Urbana Middle School students can participate in band, choir and orchestra programs at all grade levels. Community service efforts by Urbana High School students have included contributions to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Habitat for Humanity and local trash cleanup efforts. The school earns an A-minus grade on Niche. Many of Southeast Urbana’s businesses are centered around Philo Road. Everyday shopping options include Dollar Tree, Walgreens and Salt & Light, a Christian thrift store that sells groceries alongside clothes and household goods. Meijer offers an additional stop for the essentials immediately south of the neighborhood. Casual dining options include picks like First Wok, a staple for Chinese take-out, and Casa del Mar for traditional Mexican dishes. Southeast Urbana residents have access to several of the city’s most distinctive public park spaces. Larson Park is a local favorite for tennis and pickleball games, while Lohmann Park has a nine-hole disc golf course and a cricket pitch. Crestview Park is home to the Koishikawa Garden, a traditional Japanese garden established as a collaboration between Urbana’s Rotary Club and its sister organization, the Tokyo Koishikawa Rotary. Meadowbrook Park offers one of the largest recreational spaces in the immediate area, with distinct amenities such as a sculpture garden, 3 miles of trails for walking and cycling, and the Urbana Park District’s largest playground. Locals are about 2 miles south of downtown Urbana, 5 miles southeast of downtown Champaign and 3 miles east of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. Race Street, South Philo Road and South Vine Street are the area’s primary north-south thoroughfares, while East Windsor Road and East Florida Avenue are the main east-west connections to the greater Champaign-Urbana area. MTD bus stops are available along the neighborhood’s major roads. For immediate medical concerns, Carle Foundation Hospital is about 3 miles northwest of the neighborhood. Locals traveling beyond the area can depart from University of Illinois Willard Airport, 8 miles southwest of the neighborhood. While events happening within Southeast Urbana itself can be rare, the neighborhood still offers quick access to nightlife and things to do. To the north in the Fairlawn Park area, Boomerangs Bar & Grill hosts trivia nights, bingo and local bands. Additional ways to enjoy free time await in Downtown Urbana, about 1 mile away. From spring to early fall, the Lincoln Square Mall hosts the Urbana Market at the Square, where local vendors and artisans gather to sell unique goods. The Pygmalion Music Festival brings local and international bands and solo acts to venues in Urbana and Champaign each fall, while the Boneyard Arts Festival celebrates local creativity in the area each spring.

Bridging the gap between the rural outskirts of the Urbana-Champaign area and the tightly populated core of the twin cities’ heart, East Urbana provides varied home styles and convenient connections to the central Illinois metro’s most compelling draws. A blend of mid-century properties and contemporary developments reflect the area’s evolution alongside the city as a whole, with short drives to several parks, events in downtown Urbana and college sports on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. East Urbana offers suburban-styled living spaces built between the 1960s and today. Buyers can find 20th-century ranch-style homes, freshly built properties with new traditional stylings and mid-sized properties from the 2000s and 2010s. “You’ve got the full array of home styles out here, and the market’s always changing,” says Dan Gordon, a broker and property manager with Team Gordon at Re/Max. Prices for single-family properties usually fall between $95,000 and $415,000. North of University Avenue, buyers can also find select condominiums, which generally hover between $190,000 and $250,000. Some areas within East Urbana may have higher flood risks according to the Flood Factor index. Students in East Urbana can enroll in schools within Urbana School District 116. Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary School has a 15:1 student-teacher ratio and a C-plus grade on Niche. Urbana Middle School earns a C grade. Urbana High School offers more than 20 athletic programs and earns an A-minus grade on Niche. Close to University Avenue, Aldi and Walmart offer convenient and familiar stops for groceries and everyday needs, while Casey’s offers pizza and convenience store items. Southwest of the neighborhood, additional food and shopping options are available, including McDonald’s and Papa John’s locations, Dollar Tree and Walgreens, and the Salt & Light store, a ministry nonprofit with thrift goods and groceries for sale. Residents can choose from a number of recreational spaces in the neighborhood, including Prairie Park, one of Champaign-Urbana’s primary stops for youth soccer and the Urbana High School baseball program. Just north of Prairie Park, Weaver Park combines open green space with a large nature preserve area. For residents on the eastmost end of Michigan Avenue and Florida Avenue, the Savannah Green Residents Park offers a playground and green space a few blocks out from most homes nearby. East University Avenue and East Washington Street are East Urbana’s primary east-west connections to the greater Champaign-Urbana area, while South High Cross Road is a key north-south thoroughfare within the area. Residents are about 2 miles east of downtown Urbana, 4 miles east of downtown Champaign and 2 miles east of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. Residents traveling without a car can hop on Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District buses along East Washington Street, East Florida Avenue and East Main Street, along with other stops peppered along several residential streets. For medical emergencies, Carle Foundation Hospital is about 3 miles west of the neighborhood. Flights beyond the central Illinois area depart from the University of Illinois Willard Airport is about 9 miles southwest. South of the neighborhood on High Cross Boulevard, Riggs Brewing Company regularly hosts live music and other events for residents to enjoy their favorite craft beer in a casual farm setting. “The guys went out to Germany and actually trained to become brewmasters in that style. You can bring your own food, or usually there are some food trucks, and a lot of people like to go out there,” Gordon says. Residents are also a short drive away from the nightlife options across the Urbana-Champaign area, with live music at venues such as the Rose Bowl Tavern, Fighting Illini basketball and football games on the University of Illinois campus and local vendors at the Urbana Market on the Square.