Westmont

Serving as the centerpiece of Westmont, the railroad was the catalyst for the growth of this western Chicago suburb in the 1800s. While the railroad today serves a different purpose than it did in the 19th century, it still is an asset and one of the reasons why people live here. “It’s such a convenience to have the Metra tracks right there. Not every suburb has that luxury,’ says Beata Kolpek, a broker and Realtor with Platinum Partners Realtors with over 30 years of real estate experience. “If you live north of 55th Street, it’s not unreasonable that you could walk to the Metra station.” While Kolpek no longer lives in South Westmont, she and her husband were attracted to the area and bought a house here because of the excellent school system. Whether students in the area eventually feed into Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central or Westmont High Schools, they’re good either way. All of them are rated an A on Niche. Holmes Primary School has a 12-1 student-teacher ratio as part of their overall A-minus grade on Niche. The school serves prekindergarten through second grade as part of the Maercker School District 60. Maercker Intermediate is the second part of the process for grades three through five. The school gets an A overall grade. Westview Hills Middle School students and families can keep up with homework assignments through information on the school’s website. The school gets an A on Niche. Hinsdale Central High School is part of the Hinsdale Township High School District 86. The school is rated an A-plus and has a 92% average graduation rate. Any location in South Westmont is not far from a park. Veterans Memorial Park is a popular baseball venue with two lighted diamonds - the walking path can be used at night, too. There are also two playgrounds and a zip line for children ages 5 to 10. There’s a place for skateboarders to practice tricks at Bellerive Park. A picnic shelter is available to rent for parties of up to 50 people. Two soccer fields and a playground are included among the seven acres. For those who like indoor recreation, the Westmont Community Center has a gym, a dance studio and six multi-purpose activity rooms that can be rented out. South Westmont is also home to Muddy Waters Park, named after the Blues legend, who died in Westmont in 1983. This park has a pond that can be used for skating when frozen in the winter. All other times, it’s a fishing spot. Golfers can enjoy one of three courses – the Green Meadows and Twin Lakes Golf Clubs and the Ruth Lake County Club. The Westmont Park District operates the Gregg House Museum. It depicts the brick-making business after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Bricks were produced at a reported clip of 70,000 per day at the museum site and shipped into the city via railcar to help rebuild. Mid-20th century classic house architecture, including split-level and ranch-style, are scattered throughout South Westmont. They typically have three bedrooms and around 2,000 square feet of living space. They are usually at the lower end of the price range in the neighborhood at $350,000. Some newer contemporary houses built within the past 30 years may approach $1 million and up to 5,000 square feet and four bedrooms. The majority settle in the $400,000 to $900,000 range. Condos and townhouses range from $200,000 to $400,000 and have monthly fees from $300 to $600. Uncle Bub’s BBQ & Catering is a Westmont favorite and is family-owned and operated. It’s one of those places where you know the restaurant’s specialty as soon as you walk in the door because you can smell it. They use pork, beef, ribs and chicken in a dry rub, slow-smoked process to bring out the flavor. The restaurant has won several awards at rib festivals all over the country. Just across the train tracks in downtown Westmont is Taurasi, an Italian restaurant where the pasta and their mix of mainly southern Italian cuisine is made in-house. Mariano’s, ALDI and Amazon Fresh are in the neighborhood for home essentials. South Westmont has another transportation convenience for those whose preferred method is by car. “It’s unique because major expressways are close by in all directions, and you don’t see that often, even in suburban Chicago,” Kolpek says. “Interstate 55 is to the south, 355 to the west, 88 to the north and 294 to the east.” Route 715 on the Pace Bus Line serves central DuPage County and has stops along Cass Avenue. The Westmont Metra station begins a 45-minute train journey into downtown Chicago.

Westmont offers small-town camaraderie paired with amenities similar to DuPage County giants like Naperville and Wheaton. Those living in the village's northern swath are blocks from a favorite local park, schools and major shopping destinations. A network of leaders works to make their town an exciting and comfortable place to call home, according to Kim Heller, a local broker with Baird & Warner and a Westmont Chamber of Commerce member. "It was a little bit of a tearjerker," she said after attending the annual Community Awards Dinner, which honors outstanding "Westmontians" and their achievements. "There were a lot of well-recognized people in the community who were honored...I love that our village, Chamber, park and school districts, Rotary, and Lion's Club are all working to make our community better." Ogden Road—which passes through Westmont's north half—is the village's grocery thoroughfare, with options from Jewel-Osco and ALDI to Trader Joe's and gourmet Standard Market. Big-box shopping aside, this stretch attracts visitors from all over Chicagoland thanks to the Westmont Auto Mile. Award-winning car dealerships from names like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Lincoln sit alongside reliable classics like Toyota, as well as many used car dealers and auto repair shops. Businesses on the Auto Mile partner with the Westmont Chamber of Commerce to contribute to the village's tax base and fund events for the whole community. Meanwhile, Cass Avenue takes northbound locals to the thriving center of town. "Westmont's downtown area is very active, and there are a bunch of cute local restaurants and shops," says West suburb expert Linda Feinstein, president of Signature Homes by Compass. "And, in the spring and summertime, all the lamp posts in town have flower baskets hanging from them. It gives the area a really nice atmosphere." Dolce Restaurant and Wine Bar offers Italian-inspired fare for date nights, while laid-back DJ's Sports Bar & Grill serves pub food and beers amid 12 screens for sports broadcasts and a patio. During Restaurant Week in February, residents enjoy exclusive deals throughout the village and vote on their favorite digs for awards ranging from best catering to restaurant of the year. Taste of Westmont brings the village to life each July with a carnival and craft fair, local vendors and delicious bites. Among other live acts playing the event, the Muddy Waters Blues Jam—a celebration of the Father of Modern Chicago Blues—showcases Westmont's talented musicians in the genre. The Westmont Auto Mile provides the fireworks display at Ty Warner Park each Independence Day, and the Westmont Holly Days Winter Festival offers events throughout December, from an Ugly Sweater 5k hosted by the Rotary Club to the Frosty & Friends Parade that travels downtown. Though a century of expansion has given way to a mix of home styles in this region, a tree-shaded walk is guaranteed regardless of where residents put down roots. Heller, who lives in north Westmont, describes the layout of the town's development. "From the train tracks to Naperville Road is the 'walk to town and train' area," she says. "There are sidewalks on both sides of the road there, which gives you that tree-lined feeling. Further north there are so many trees that they decided to only put sidewalks on one side to leave room for the firetrucks to get through." Those wanting easy access to downtown choose from ranch-styles, Cape Cods and bungalows, many combining their 19th-century charm with modern interiors and a fresh coat of paint. 1970s-era ramblers and split-levels north of Naperville Road sit alongside low-rise brick condos and new-construction townhouses. These homes range in price from about $225,000 to $600,000. Spacious colonial, Tudor Revival and custom homes cap out the offerings, some with golf course or lakefront views and most ranging from $600,000 to $1.5 million. C E Miller Elementary School serves kids in kindergarten through first grade, while J T Manning Elementary School serves second through fifth. Niche rates these early options an A and an A-minus, respectively. Many older students in north Westmont are within walking distance of Westmont Junior High School, which also boasts an A from Niche. Just across the street is Westmont High School, where students can apply to the Technology Center of DuPage and can take off-campus technology and career readiness electives like welding, criminal justice and early childhood education. Westmont High scores an A-plus from Niche and an exemplary designation from the Illinois State Board of Education's Report Card program. North Westmont also offers proximity to lush parks, ponds and golf courses. Ty Warner Park—named for the mind behind Beanie Babies—is a popular spot for locals of all ages to enjoy the fresh air, with facilities for sand volleyball, tennis, baseball and soccer, along with a playground and splash pad. Paved walking paths lead to one of three ponds for fishing in the warmer months. Meanwhile, Willow Crest Golf Club offers an eco-friendly course with mature oaks and bubbling fountains, and four-legged friends will enjoy the 4-acre Mayslake dog park in nearby Oak Brook. Veterans Memorial Park's baseball diamond and zip line sit downtown, along with other green spaces. Because they must cross the tracks to board at the Westmont Metra station, north Westmont residents should plan to arrive early for their 45-minute ride into Chicago. Drivers can also travel the 23 miles to the city center on nearby Interstate 290. PACE buses arrive at stops along Cass Avenue, taking passengers throughout DuPage County. Folks travel 18 miles on Interstate 294 to reach Chicago O'hare International Airport and make a much shorter drive for medical care at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.