Ten years ago, Bolingbrook’s only claim to fame was being the site of the failed indoor amusement park and shopping mall, Old Chicago. It was also the target of many on-air jabs by radio personality and former resident Steve Dahl.
Today, the southwest suburb has shaken off those stereotypes and is a hotbed of residential development. In 1993, almost 800 homes were constructed in Bolingbrook. The town was the third Chicago suburban housing permit leader for the year, behind Naperville (with almost 1,100) and Aurora (almost 1,000), according to Bell Federal Savings’ Survey of Building.
A strong example of the development taking place in Bolingbrook is Bradford Place, a subdivision of 188 single-family homes on Weber Road just south of Lily Cache Road.
To date, about 80 of the homes at the 37-acre development have been sold. The houses, which are being developed by the Wheaton-based Smykal Associates, are priced from $139,900 to $169,900. They range from 1,500 to 2,200 square feet.
“What’s nice about Bradford Place is that it offers a slightly more upscale product than what we’re used to seeing in Bolingbrook,” said Steve Schau, executive director of the Bolingbrook Local Development Corp.
“We need housing in that $150,000 to $250,000 range, and Bradford Place fits the bill,” Schau added. “The developer is offering a semi-custom type home that is very appealing to many buyers and offers a lot of flexibility.”
The subdivision is one of five developments being built in that area of Bolingbrook, said Schau.
According to Peggy Taheri, vice president of sales and marketing for Smykal Associates, buyers are attracted to Bradford Place because of its location.
“We’re just a mile or so from I-55 and a few miles from I-355,” said Taheri. “From there, you can get just about anywhere in the greater Chicago area.”
Typical of the buyers at Bradford Place is a husband who works in the city, and a wife who works in Aurora or Schaumburg, she said. “Bolingbrook as a home base is convenient for the both of them,” said Taheri.
What also makes Bradford Place attractive, said Taheri, is the wide range of home styles.
Eight floor plans are offered in the subdivision, each with three elevations. The floorplans include a ranch, a split-level and six two-story homes.
Another key attraction is the lot sizes at Bradford Place, said Taheri. “The average lot size is a quarter-acre, which is unusual in this price range,” she said. “And we’ve laid out the community to stagger the homes and make the steetscape more appealing.”
Bradford Place also is only a few minutes away from two of Bolingbrook’s most popular recreational attractions.
“About a mile from here on Boughton Road is the Hidden Lake Trout Farm, which is run by the Bolingbrook Park District,” said Taheri. “It’s the site for a future river walk.”
A couple miles away is the Bolingbrook Aquatic Center, which features a wave pool and offers swimming lessons, added Taheri.
The subdivision is within a few minutes of several Bolingbrook schools and is a short drive from the shopping centers along Illinois Highway 53.
“Naperville, which is rich in shopping, is also a few minutes up the road from us,” said Taheri.
Closer to home, the developer has donated a seven-acre wetland area on the south end of the subdivision to the Bolingbrook Park District. “It will be a pleasant green space that will complement the community,” said Taheri.
In addition to the park donation, Smykal Associates have made a $1,000-per-home donation to the Bolingbrook School District 365.
A popular design at the subdivision is the Ashland, a 2,150-square-foot, three-bedroom house base-priced at $166,500, said Taheri.
“The house is big on space,” she said. “For example, there is a combination living room-dining room, which allows people to stretch out their dining room table for those big family dinners.”
Another selling point of the Ashland is a den or study on the first floor.
Volume space also is attraction; the Ashland has cathedral ceilings in the family room and the master bedroom.
Other standard features at Bradford Place include two-car garages, basements, ceramic tile in the entries, double vanities in the master bedroom, oversize soaking tubs and wood railings on staircases.
The sales office is daily open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The telephone number of the sales office is 708-378-5400.
