Railroad buffs know South Elgin as the home of the Fox River Trolley Museum, where 1920s trolley cars retrace a vestige of the Fox River Line. Animal lovers know it as the site of the Anderson Animal Shelter, one of Illinois’ largest and oldest humane societies. Bicyclists recognize it as a serene stretch of the Fox River Trail, between the Illinois Prairie Path junction and the “big hill” that separates the weekend warriors from the hard-cores.
But new-home buyers only recently discovered South Elgin, as developers turned its farm field perimeters into subdivisions. This Fox River Valley hamlet’s population had leveled off at 6,218 by 1980, with modest homes huddled near the river that bisects its tiny downtown. But, by 1998, that number had more than doubled, reaching 13,901. Now, village President Rick Zirk predicts it will reach 22,000 by 2010, then peak at 28,000 to 29,000.
South Elgin’s building permit numbers for single-family homes and townhouses soared in the ’90s, from 36 in 1990 to 399 in 1996. Now the triple-digit permit numbers rise and fall with the addition of subdivisions that attract hundreds of families each. Aurora-based Crown Community Development’s 750-acre Thornwood residential/commercial development alone, now emerging from the former Thornton family sod farm west of Randall Road, will add 1,384 families to town.
Compared to the average long-time resident, South Elgin’s newcomers have higher incomes and more education, are younger and more likely to wear white collars. “We have more Big Wheels per capita than any other town around here,” says Zirk of the influx of young families to his hometown. “Last year, 19.4 percent of our residents were under 10 years old.”
In addition to Big Wheels, they bring a new attitude, says Zirk. “I used to say you couldn’t pass a referendum for water here if the town was on fire,” he says. “Now, the new people want more services and are willing to pay more for them. They come from towns that have pools, then get here and say, `Where’s the pool?’ The older residents say, `We never had a pool and we got along fine.’ “
Zirk is half-joking in his reference to fire. Truth is, South Elgin was known in the 19th and early 20th Centuries for its rowdy saloons and frequent fires. Local legend attributed the blazes to a curse declared by a mysterious, old woman at high noon in the middle of town.
Although it wasn’t incorporated until 1897, South Elgin traces its roots back to the early 19th Century, when its founders named it Clintonville, for former New York Gov. DeWitte Clinton. Today the Valley Model Railroad Club occupies the old Clintonville railroad station on the bike path that was the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin’s “Third Rail” line from 1903 to 1957.
While St. Charles to the south and Elgin to the north grew, South Elgin remained a small town where the livestock outnumbered the humans. Without fire protection, the only commercial endeavors that flourished were the town’s many stone quarries. A steamboat carried “Clintonville stone” to larger Fox River towns, where builders used it to build foundations.
Finally, in 1937, a new water system provided enough waterpower to replace bucket brigades. That allowed industry to grow, fire-free, and some of them exist today, including Hoffer Plastics Corp. and Armin Tool & Manufacturing Co.
“What makes us different from the other river towns is timing,” says Zirk of the late-blooming South Elgin, which didn’t have a traffic light until 1979. “We’re one of the last to evolve from a small, farming town where everyone lived, worked and shopped to a suburb where they work and shop elsewhere.”
Zirk beat a 28-year incumbent by pledging to bring new businesses to town for two reasons–to shift some of the tax weight from property taxes to sales taxes and to bring the new residents the services, restaurants and big-box retailers they told him they want. Zirk is no stranger to the dilemma; by day, he’s a project superintendent for a West Dundee-based land development company.
First on Zirk’s agenda was a new land-use plan to replace the dog-eared 1991 version that’s been the village board’s guidebook when considering developers’ proposals. Zirk expects the new plan to be in print later this year. The village board recently approved the hiring of a community relations manager who will be responsible for, among other things, business retention and recruitment. But, already, the commercial ball is rolling. New businesses that will help balance the tax scale include a Jewel/Osco on Randall Road and a cluster of stores and restaurants anchored by a Walgreens at the intersection of McLean Boulevard and Spring Street.
The growth is finite, though, because South Elgin has already drawn the line in the sand with its neighbors. “We have boundary agreements with Wayne and Bartlett on the east,” says Zirk. “To the west, north and south, it’s all developed.”
The few parcels of land left on South Elgin’s east side include a 225-acre former gravel pit that’s being redeveloped into residential/commercial use by Abbott Land and Investments in Elgin. This includes a 60-acre site that School District U-46 is eyeing for a new middle school. Also east of the river is the 500-acre Kenyon farm, one of the few remaining dairy farms east of the river.
West of the river, most of the undeveloped land falls between Randall Road and McLean Boulevard, north of McDonald Road. It is owned by a half-dozen farmers, some willing to sell and some with no intention of retiring.
For now, Thornwood is getting the lion’s share of attention, especially after it hosted the 1999 Cavalcade of Homes. Completed, it will include 1,084 single-family houses, 300 town homes, 164 acres of wetland, 108 acres of retail stores and a recreation center with a swimming pool, clubhouse, and basketball, tennis and volleyball courts.
Thornwood’s developer is selling the residential lots to builders, who in turn are selling to home buyers. So far, 65 home buyers have purchased lots. The 21 builders on board plan to build homes ranging from $215,000 to $1 million.
Jill and Bob Dykier were among the first Thornwood buyers, enlisting custom builder Paul Hassler of Geneva-based Acorn Properties Corp. to build them a $350,000, four-bedroom Colonial on a quarter-acre lot that backs up to the wetlands. Like many of South Elgin’s new residents, they are move-up buyers from east of the river, looking for more room than they have in their Roselle townhome.
“South Elgin is a lot like Schaumburg was when I lived there in 1968,” says Bob. “It’s still a little rural, but growing.” His wife, a native of Roselle, says she likes the combination of open space and nearby shopping.
Although he’s sold one of his Thornwood lots to a transferee, Hassler says most of his customers are from the Fox Valley or older suburbs to the east. They commute to work by accessing Interstate Highway 90 from Randall Road or by the Metra trains from Elgin. Hassler’s custom Thornwood homes, which will range in size from 2,400 to 3,700 square feet and in price from $285,000 to $600,000, are attracting young and growing families. “Many of them are including a first-floor master bedroom,” says Hassler. “Either they want it for themselves when the kids are teenagers or they need it for grandparents.”
Another Thornwood builder, Naperville-based Gladstone Builders & Developers Inc., reports similar demographics among the buyers of its semi-custom homes, which range from $225,000 to $400,000. “We’re selling to active, two-career couples in their 30s with children who tell us these will be their `forever houses,’ ” says Gladstone sales manager Lynne Rinck. “They want big kitchens with lots of amenities, three-car garages for the kids’ bikes and home offices.”
Ditto from Thornwood builder Keim Corp. of Geneva, which is building semi-custom homes in the $260,000 to $800,000 range. The common thread, says President Joe Keim, is the families are growing and want lots of elbow room. What they don’t have in common is their former ZIP codes. “They’re coming from all over,” he reports.
All the Thornwood builders polled say the fact that the development falls within the St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 is a huge draw. Even the Dykiers, who don’t have children, say they like being in that district for resale.
Outside of Thornwood, most of the new homes under construction in South Elgin are single-family homes or town houses selling for less than $250,000.
South Elgin-based Kingsport Development Inc. is building 158 two-story and ranch, single-family homes on Spring Street, between Illinois Highway 31 and Randall Road. These three- and four-bedroom homes include between 1,437 and 2,060 square feet and range in base price from $151,000 to $180,000. Kingsport Vice President Joel Neiberg reports they’ve sold 140 so far, most to folks within a 15-mile radius. “Young couples are buying the two-stories and empty-nesters are buying the ranches,” says Neiberg. “Most say they are buying here because it’s accessible to their work, which includes the Schaumburg area.”
A bit higher up the price ladder is River Ridge, Cambridge Homes’ 356-home subdivision on Illinois 31 at the south end of town, where 183 lots remain available. The two-story and ranch homes, with three to six bedrooms, range in base price from $180,490 to $255,490. Swing sets and sandboxes are testimony to River Ridge’s predominance of young families.
Buyers on budgets find an abundance of townhouses in South Elgin. Elgin-based Windsor Development Corp. has nine units left at its 184-townhouse Concord Woods on Illinois 31 at the south end of town. These 1,200-square-foot homes are selling to first-time home buyers, single people and empty-nesters from the northwest suburbs, reports sales manager Linda Andersen. “They like the proximity to commuter train in Elgin and to recreation amenities including the bike trail, boating on the river and plenty of golf courses,” says Andersen. The base price at Concord is $122,900.
Thornwood’s town home neighborhood-within-a-neighborhood, known as Thornwood Grove, will include 300 townhouses on 30 acres developed by Columbia, Md.-based Ryland Homes Inc. The one- and two-story townhouses will range in size from 1,200 to 1,600 square feet and start in the low $100,000s. Ryland will target first-time buyers and empty-nesters, says Ryland’s vice president of sales and marketing, Robert Meyn.
Although new homes dominate South Elgin’s home sales, old-house fans can find housing in the town’s older neighborhoods for less than $200,000. Recent sales include a four-bedroom Colonial for $194,500, a three-bedroom duplex for $126,000 and a three-bedroom ranch with a finished basement for $139,900.
As property values soar, some buyers are replacing older homes in built-up neighborhoods. “The teardowns have started already, especially on riverfront properties, but so far it’s been hit or miss,” reports Zirk.
As one of the Fox River Valley’s late bloomers, South Elgin suffers an identity crisis when it comes to school, library and park boundaries. In simple terms, the southern half (roughly defined by an invisible line just south of the Concord Avenue and Illinois 31 intersection) of South Elgin is in the St. Charles Township, St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 and St. Charles Public Library District. The northern half is in Elgin Township, School District U-46 and the Gail Borden Public Library District.
The school boundaries, especially, create controversy. Developers whose homes fall within District 303 tout the fact in large type in their advertisements. But, the addition of hundreds of children to the already swollen District 303 schools upsets St. Charles homeowners and generates many an angry letter-to-the-editor to the local newspapers.
After District 303’s new elementary and high schools are completed, the children will play musical chairs and receive new school assignments.
Like 303, U-46 is bulging at the seams. It recently released the results of a consultant’s study that recommends the addition of eight schools, including three in South Elgin. Voters can expect a bond election in 2000, says U-46’s community relations director, Larry Ascough. After the new schools are built, these children will play musical chairs, too.
South Elgin’s library district split hasn’t created such a stir, although Zirk reports talk of forming a separate South Elgin library district or the opening of a branch of Elgin’s Gail Borden.
One boundary that’s easy: All of South Elgin is within the Elgin Community College District 509. That gives residents access to the college’s cultural offerings, including performances by national artists. Other recreational amenities include Elgin’s Hemmens Cultural Center and Grand Victoria Riverboat Casino.
South Elgin is within a half-hour drive of four shopping malls–Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles, Prime Outlets at Huntley in Huntley, Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee and Stratford Square Shopping Center in Bloomingdale.
Property taxes in South Elgin vary according to school, library and park districts. And, of course, added amenities will hike the taxes down the road. But, for now, buyers can figure a $200,000 home generates an average tax bill of approximately $4,000 a year.
As South Elgin matures, it is shedding its gritty reputation. Now, respectable businesses outnumber rowdy saloons and the people outnumber the livestock. Fires are so seldom, the fire fighters have plenty of time to give schoolchildren tours of the new fire station. “Our image is changing,” says Zirk. “I know it can’t be that bad if builders can sell $500,000 homes here.”
