Address: Highpoint Community, 3101 W. Taylor Rd., Romeoville
Size: 2 bedrooms; 1,169 square feet
Rent: $1,125
Security deposit: $250
Utilities: Resident pays for electricity, gas and water
Parking: Garage, $95 a month
The beige, neotraditional exteriors of the 552 apartment units under construction at Highpoint Community in Romeoville give no hint of the modern, technological accoutrements housed inside.
The 21st Century is just around the corner, and anyone who moves to Highpoint Community will be relocating to a fiber-optic neighborhood. Each apartment unit is wired for high-speed access to the Internet.
Construction of the apartment complex, which is currently leasing units, began in March.
By spring, a spacious Community Center will be completed. It will include a “Cyber Cafe,” as well as a health club, outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, meeting rooms and a 500-seat auditorium.
Tenants will be able to surf the Internet for free at the Cyber Cafe, which will have six computers available. Those wanting to utilize the high speed, Internet access from their apartments will pay a fee of $40 a month.
When construction is complete, the 200-acre Highpoint Community will have 35 apartment buildings and a yet-to-be-determined number of single-family homes.
In addition to the community center, there will be a 15-acre lake equipped with paddle boats.
Summer concerts are planned for a bandshell near the lake and ice skating will be offered in the winter on an area that will be flooded and frozen outside the community center.
Each apartment unit features its own private entryway.
A peaked roof covers the green front door of the two-bedroom unit we visited. The two-story foyer offers a white tile floor, a handy coat closet, and a beige-carpeted staircase that leads to the second floor.
In one corner of the foyer is a ledge, about midway up the wall, that would be just the right spot for some large, green plants. A window allows sunlight to brighten this space, which seems large because the walls are so high.
After ascending the staircase to the second floor, you come to a 12-by-13 master bedroom immediately to the left. A large double window looks out on the street and there’s space for a king-size bed as well as for a desk for a computer.
This bedroom also features a walk-in closet and an adjoining bathroom, which has a white tile floor and a large mirror over the oak and cream-colored vanity. A bar of Hollywood lights should ease the chore of applying makeup.
When the bath towels need washing, there’s a utility room just outside the bedroom. This well-sized room features a full-size washer and dryer.
Close the utility door and the hum of the clothes dryer will not disturb activities in the living room, which is on the other side of the stairs.
The 15-by-16 living room boasts a vaulted ceiling and, tucked in one corner, a gas log fireplace that is enclosed with tinted glass. Above the hearth is a large, built-in ledge that would be perfect for displaying photos and knickknacks.
The fire’s glow is supplemented by natural light from a double window.
The dining room, measuring 8 feet square, offers space for a four- or six- person dining table. A large window extends from just above the floor to the ceiling, and a sliding glass door leads outside to a large balcony.
For a a quick bowl of cereal or a sandwich, there’s a breakfast bar that separates the living room from the kitchen. The kitchen, also 8 feet square, has the latest in amenities, including a built-in microwave oven.
A daybed would be a cozy spot for watching TV in the second bedroom, which measures 11 feet square. This room also has a walk-in closet.
Just steps away is the second, full-size bathroom. It has a cream and oak vanity and Hollywoods lights, just like the other bathroom.
Highpoint includes apartments ranging from one-bedrooms with 631 square feet to two-bedrooms with 1,170 square feet. Rents range from $695 to $1,125. For rental information, call 815-293-3001.
