If you didn’t see Mary Ellen Podmolik’s story, “Paving the Way for a Vibrant Downtown”, in the Chicago Tribune on November 10th, please go online and find it. Not only is Ms. Podmolik one of the finest journalists who write about real estate, but she selected a very timely and engaging topic…”new urbanism”. In a nutshell the term means new homes in close proximity to create a feeling of neighborhood within walking distance of restaurants, shops and public transportation…yet often in suburban communities far from city center (read downtown Chicago).
The examples used by Ms. Podmolic are the School Street homes in Libertyville and the planned development on Floral Avenue in Skokie. She points to research by the National Association of Realtors that shows that people will trade a large yard for a shorter commute and for a short walk to schools, restaurants and businesses. But she might as well have written about The Glen, developed with this model in mind, fully a dozen years ago before the concept even had a name.
The Glen is a residential and retail community in the North Shore village of Glenview, Illinois. The Glen has several neighborhoods, most within an easy walk to the retail hub called Glen Town Center which has scores of restaurants and shops along with a movie theater, coffee house, book store, and Kohl Children’s Museum. Attea Middle School is also located in The Glen.
I live in a townhome development called Tower Crossing with 154 spectacular homes which border Glen Town Center. We know our neighbors and see them constantly. Our favorite activity is what we call “mailbox parties”, informal Sunday night cook outs in the common area by our mailboxes. All homes are within a few STEPS of dining and shopping, and a few blocks from a Metra train station. The Cambridge neighborhood with single family homes, townhomes, two-flats, and duplexes is just across Patriot Blvd from Glen Town Center. Chapel Crossing’s many single family homes are a short walk as well.
If you may be interested in living in a “new urbanism” environment, please contact me. I would love to show you what it’s like to live in The Glen.
Margaret Ludemann, Glen resident and Coldwell Banker Realtor
Margaret.Ludemann@cbexchange.com 847-401-1802