A Little About West Chicago Illinois (Elgin, Wheaton: apartment, crime, new home)

[HOWELL_STREET]

One way to reduce some of the repetion regarding Chicago Land area questions is to generate an 'op' about one's favorite town. So I have decided to talk a little about West Chicago, Illinois. West Chicago is about 28 miles west of the city of Chicago. So it has nothing to do with Chicago proper. West Chicago is a town with a somewhat high mix of Hispanics. Now that is not derogatory since all of the Hispanic people I have met in that town, are very polite and high class. Surrounding the business district, are a number of new subdivisions that are mixed races. It is my guess that the housing prices are a little less than other surrounding communities. So why not look up the data specs for this interesting town?

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

One way to reduce some of the repetion regarding Chicago Land area questions is to generate an 'op' about one's favorite town. So I have decided to talk a little about West Chicago, Illinois. West Chicago is about 28 miles west of the city of Chicago. So it has nothing to do with Chicago proper. West Chicago is a town with a somewhat high mix of Hispanics. Now that is not derogatory since all of the Hispanic people I have met in that town, are very polite and high class. Surrounding the business district, are a number of new subdivisions that are mixed races. It is my guess that the housing prices are a little less than other surrounding communities. So why not look up the data specs for this interesting town?

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

Uh, West Chicago is the only city in DuPage that I cant stand. I grew up there so I can be honest here.... the city sucks. Sure they are making improvements and all, but its light years behind even Winfield. The downtown is nothing but Hispanic stores, which is great if youre looking for some authentic cuisine, but bad if you want to go find, say, a GAP or a Starbucks or something lame. The town is old and has many beautiful restored Victorians and Georgians, especially along Washington St. west of Rt. 59. Actually, from Washington north up to Rt. 64 is the only part of the city I would want to live in. Washington south to Rt. 38 is a bit run down for my tastes. Its a good 50/50 mix of Hispanics and Caucasians in the area, but many homes are older and not well taken care of. Schools are semi-decent at best, nothing at all to brag about. The city also struggled with a big gang problem in the early 90s, which the task force did a excellent job of controlling. I still see a few from time to time, but nothing like it used to be. Other nice areas of town are along Prince Crossing Road (between Washington and Rt. 64) and all along Indian Knoll Road. There are many new homes up near the intersection of 64 and 59 that are cookie-cutter, but are nice. As for shopping, you have your usual Menards, all the fast food crap, authentic Mexican cuisine, Pal Joeys (recommended), Augustinos (recommended),Scoobys, etc. There is a nice drive-in theatre on Rt. 64 and Prince Crossing Road which is fun. Whats really odd is that West Chicago has a Lamborghini dealership (Fox Valley Motorcars). Strange location for Lambo to pick, but hey! The industrial park has pretty decent jobs (along Hawthorne and Powis Rd area) but the roads back there are the PITS. Ive bent 2 rims back there, its that bad!

Overall Id give the city a 5 out of 10. Not the absolute worst place to live, but not even close to the best.

[HOWELL_STREET]

Dear Friend:

Some of your comments are amusing to me because you have certainly proved yourself as a former resident. What you describe is quite accurate and for the most part, my visits are usually to the St. Vincent De Paul resale shop. It is interesting to note that the West Chicago Mac Donalds restaurant is currently the newest and best Mac restaurant in all of the Wheaton area. So I like to visit there sometimes on a Saturday morning.
Do you remember the large apartment facility along Main Street and about 1/2 mile east of the Mac Donald's restaurant. Well, last autumn there was a huge fire there. We counted about sixty fire trucks at the height of that fire.
There are gorgeous farm-steads along Indian Knoll Road. In fact, my eye doctor owns one of them. But as a guess, I would suspect that those multi acre homes along Indian Knoll are quite pricey. Perhaps about Five Million Dollars as a guess? What is your opinion?

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

Dear Friend:

Some of your comments are amusing to me because you have certainly proved yourself as a former resident. What you describe is quite accurate and for the most part, my visits are usually to the St. Vincent De Paul resale shop. It is interesting to note that the West Chicago Mac Donalds restaurant is currently the newest and best Mac restaurant in all of the Wheaton area. So I like to visit there sometimes on a Saturday morning.
Do you remember the large apartment facility along Main Street and about 1/2 mile east of the Mac Donald's restaurant. Well, last autumn there was a huge fire there. We counted about sixty fire trucks at the height of that fire.
There are gorgeous farm-steads along Indian Knoll Road. In fact, my eye doctor owns one of them. But as a guess, I would suspect that those multi acre homes along Indian Knoll are quite pricey. Perhaps about Five Million Dollars as a guess? What is your opinion?

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

I dont think the lots/homes are worth that much, maybe a million at absolute best.

As for the McDonalds, yes it is new and nice, but my fave in the Wheaton area is the one on County Farm and Rt.38. Its very nice for a McDonalds, with nice booths, fancy lighting, Bose surround sound, flat screen TVs, a super nice indoor playground for the kids, complete with Dance Dance Revolution mats for the kids (!!!).

[Drover]

It's a crime against culinary decency to have a "favorite" McDonald's....

...and I'd certainly rather live in West Chicago than Hanover Park.

[HOWELL_STREET]

Well, the reason why I didn't mention the Macs at County Farm and Roosevelt is that it has been torn down. However, it is being rebuilt as we speak - - perhaps to resemble the very nice Macs in West Chicago. I am also amused by Drover's comments regarding the Mac Donalds. Since I am a 'poor boy', I can't tickle my culinary cusine at expensive restaurants. Yes, I love steak like anyone but I haven't been to a steak house in about three years. The best affordable resaturant for me is an occasional visit to Portillos out in Dekalb, Illinois. Thank you for your interesting responses.


Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

It's a crime against culinary decency to have a "favorite" McDonald's....

...and I'd certainly rather live in West Chicago than Hanover Park.

I agree. No McDonalds are better than the next (cuisine wise), but there are definitely some that are nicer than the others when it comes to design. My faves are the Oak Brook McD's, Wheaton, South Elgin. Heck, the one in South Elgin has made-to-order food that they bring out to you on a tray and in baskets. Yeah, ok, Im done with the McD's talk.

Do I smell Aurelio's?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

Well, the reason why I didn't mention the Macs at County Farm and Roosevelt is that it has been torn down. However, it is being rebuilt as we speak - - perhaps to resemble the very nice Macs in West Chicago. I am also amused by Drover's comments regarding the Mac Donalds. Since I am a 'poor boy', I can't tickle my culinary cusine at expensive restaurants. Yes, I love steak like anyone but I haven't been to a steak house in about three years. The best affordable resaturant for me is an occasional visit to Portillos out in Dekalb, Illinois. Thank you for your interesting responses.


Best Regards,

Carter Glass

Im a poor boy too, but I only go to McD's when Im really broke. And the McD's on County Farm and Rt. 38 has been done for a few months now.

[HOWELL_STREET]

Well, Steve, you are correct and it is my mistake. This morning I visited the new Mac Donalds at Route 38 and County Farm Road. Since it had been closed for a while, I had assumed that it would take maybe a year to rebuild. Something like West Chicago, I suppose. But the new Wheaton Macs is even more impressive than the one in West Chicago.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

Well, Steve, you are correct and it is my mistake. This morning I visited the new Mac Donalds at Route 38 and County Farm Road. Since it had been closed for a while, I had assumed that it would take maybe a year to rebuild. Something like West Chicago, I suppose. But the new Wheaton Macs is even more impressive than the one in West Chicago.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

You should see the one in Oak Brook or the one in South Elgin, theyre even nicer.