Downtown Wheaton (Chicago, Naperville, Hoffman Estates: fit in, rental homes, low crime)

[tireddad]

After getting married my wife and I moved from the city to the far western portion of Hoffman Estates. While we don't regret the decision to move to the suburbs, we do miss being able to walk to shops and restaurants and my commute downtown is getting a bit old. We are thinking about moving to the downtown area of a suburb and have been visiting suburban downtowns with a Metra station and so far Wheaton just "feels right."

I would be looking to live within walking distance to the Metra. We need 3+ bedrooms, and are hoping to keep it around 450K. We like our current house and know that we would probably be downgrading the house itself but are willing to do that for the right location.

Does anyone here live in or near downtown Wheaton or are very familiar with the area? Can you please offer your impressions? We have two kids under 4, so schools/parks/park district programs/safety/etc. are very much of interest. Are there any issues that maybe you don't realize until you actually move in? For example, freight traffic, flooding potential, rowdy college kids, traffic gridlock, etc. I don't know if any of these are an actual concern, but just examples of the types of annoyances that could add up to make a neighborhood unpleasant.

Our impressions of Wheaton are wonderful so far just from visiting a few times. We love the mature trees, parks, architecture, library and neighborhood feel. I am just concerned that the positives may be blinding us to the potential negatives, just like the nice big house we currently have blinded us to the fact that we are 20 minutes from almost anything.

As I read this over I get the sense that my question really opens the door to some Wheaton bashing, which I guess I am asking for to a degree. The most common form of criticism that I have seen in this forum so far seems to be related to politics and religion. I consider myself to be conservative leaning, but fairly nonreligious. I don't see this as being an issue but am curious if anyone here disagrees.

[westburbsil]

Having lived in the Chicagoland area forever and now out in the western burbs I must say Wheaton is an excellent choice if you decide upon it. The downtown is very vibrant, kid and family friendly. A great deal of housing stock in the area and not a bad trip to downtown Chicago. I live out in Geneva and we are about 15 min past wheaton on the metra and have stopped and dined many times. Best of luck!

[chet everett]

I like Wheaton a whole lot, and if you have checked it out you already know there is much to like and only a little to be concerned about. There are quite a few nicer rentals in the core of downtown rentals and that gives quite a bit more legitimate "street presence" than other towns that lack the residential component.

The overall costs for a moderately sized / appropriated maintained single family are probably a bit below that of similarly desirable towns in DuPage Co and some of that "price depression" is due to simply being a bit less convenient while some is due to the nature of "stalled" improvements that are fairly visible -- former site of Jewel, the theatre, even the ooh middle school leave some gaps right near the heart of town. Odds are those things will be resolved in a positive way at some point in the future, but since developers are still literally going into bankruptcy there are just fewer people to step into projects such as these...

I literally laughed out loud at the thought of "rowdy" college students -- the kids that go to Wheaton College almost universally fit into "Ned Flanders" category and have deep commitment to the missionary obligations of the school, even if the kids don't become preachers the odds of them being more polite / courteous than most ministers is high...

Wheaton is not as affluent as Glen Ellyn or Hinsdale, and does have some odd traffic problems occasionally -- portions of town at north, south and even Roosevelt strips are not nearly as picturesque as the really desirable core, and there is some friction between those that know of those differnences -- splits over financial matters even related to local elections sometimes back down to sociology- economics. There are quite a few of "old line" residents , some of which have not adapted to change, though honestly that happens in all kinds of towns, and is often uglier than the relatively mild (or generally very polite, even cordial) sort of disagreements that simmer in Wheaton...

Shifts in the national / local alignment of politics have really dilute the old GOP / right wing mindset that once was the only view seen. Many of the religious types are very supportive of green politics. It really is a nice mix...

[Lud Kissel]

If you are looking at an area in Wheaton walkable to train/downtown I would very much suggest that you talk to current residents about flooding issues. The area south of downtown does flood at least every other year. Other parts of Wheaton flood also so do yourself a huge favor and investigate it by talking to neighbors before you sign a contract.

[chet everett]

Gee, uh, got any links to these alleged persistent "flooding" issues???

Wheaton has a VERY VERY professional staff that works extremely well with all the DuPage Co officials. Together they have developed on of the best stormwater managements in the region. A very nice cooperative spirit also exists with the DuPage Co. Forest Preserve and Wheaton Park District -- excellent "wet lands management" as well as deep knowledge of the historical land use patterns and topography is really first rate.

Here is recent presentation that highlights the kind of data collection / issue tracking that is a hallmark of just how "on top of things" Wheaton is: http://www.wheaton.il.us/WorkArea/li...816&libID=5838

As that maps clearly show there are some areas in Wheaton where storms do result in complaints about standing water, but the staff is mostly very proactive with regard to these issues and perhaps this is misinterpreted as a problem by some...

Originally Posted by Lud Kissel

If you are looking at an area in Wheaton walkable to train/downtown I would very much suggest that you talk to current residents about flooding issues. The area south of downtown does flood at least every other year. Other parts of Wheaton flood also so do yourself a huge favor and investigate it by talking to neighbors before you sign a contract.

[Lud Kissel]

Chet the fact is the area just south of downtown Wheaton floods on a regular basis. The last time this happened was 6-8-11 with the heavy rain. You seem to know a bit about Wheaton so you should know about the Hubble middle school debate about zoning as far as water management is concernd. Main st. floods south of the tracks and the water travels west to about Wheaton ave., seen it with my own eyes on a regular basis! Your link was nice but kinda said a whole lot of nothing. The OP wants to live near downtown and I was only warning them to be careful of flooding. If you think for one second that Wheaton is on top of these flooding issues you are WAY off the mark, I didn't even bring up north Main st. near the ACE hardware that also floods on a regular basis because I thought that was too far from the OP to buy a house walkable to train/downtown. Please don't think I am "bashing" Wheaton but these rain storms that happen every two years can't be called 100 year storms any more by the Wheaton council members and mayor. So to you Chet, no I do not have any links, though your link is quite weak in substance I have stood in two feet of water in these areas of town!

[chet everett]

Respectfully the immediate area around the former Hubble Middle School is part of a bigger effort by the school board to sell it to the kind of developer that understands its limitations. It is currently NOT residential.

I do agree that the area near Ace on North Main St is not really walkable to downtown Wheaton,further I owned rental homes in that area and my properties never had any water issues as they were not on low lying ground, but I know there are other folks that were not so fortunate but even then the problem(s) were mostly due to some poorly graded lots, not some kind hidden swamp...

The thing that concerned me was the tone/ suggestion that there are wide spread "flooding" that is not addressed. Honestly any house that has had water issues is going to be easy to spot -- honest sellers fill out the disclosure and spell out the extent of the problem. Banks that don't know the history generally take a big discount on the house, especially as even lazy inspectors will be able to uncover evidence of water problems and quash a deal...

Nothing wrong with chatting to neighbors, sometimes doing so can give you a honest view of things, but so too can you run into some cranks.

[Lud Kissel]

The immediate area west of Hubble is residential and walkable to downtown. Regardless of poorly graded lots north main street floods, just stand at Harrison st. and look north it all goes down hill, now stand at Geneva rd. and look south it all goes down hill to the ACE, this spills onto the streets east and west of there (no allegations of swamps). Sorry if my "tone" sounded negative but just trying to help the OP. As far as people being honest with their disclosures and having a competent inspector I wish the them the best.. Talk to your future/prospective neighbors. To the OP, feel free to PM me for more detailed info, please do not rely on a city of Wheaton report!

[tireddad]

Thank you everyone for the comments!

Chet & Lud, your conversation has been very helpful. It's good to know that flooding is something I should be aware of. Sounds to me like the issue isn't necessarily severe or widespread enough to deter me from the area in general, but definitely something I should investigate for a particular property I may be interested in.

I would consider around a mile to be walkable on most days, so yes I wouldn't consider the area around Ace Hardware a concern but that whole are between the tracks and Roosevelt was definitely on my radar, although I do think I would prefer a little north of the tracks.

Chet, I thought it might be a little silly to worry about Wheaton college kids, but just didn't want to assume. Thanks for confirming!

[ToriaT]

Wheaton is a wonderful town and has it all. The parks and natural areas are very beautiful, and the Park district and programs are great. Two great outdoor pools. It has great schools. Very low crime, there are no rowdy college students, nothing rowdy at all. The downtown is nice and has a variety of shops and nice restaurants. Wheaton is suffering the economic downturn like other towns though and there are a lot of for rent signs and stalled projects. The town is very well kept and well managed. I don't think there are generally huge traffic problems here but right now there is a little congestion from road projects going on in the Butterfield Naperville Road corridor. Most residents are aware of alternate routes and shortcuts.
Much is made about it being conservative which it is but the so called bible thumper type is not apparent in many neighborhoods except for the ones surrounding Wheaton College. Great transportation and roads to the city. As for flooding, I'm sure there is a little flooding in Wheaton...I've lived here for a couple of decades now and never had anything but a puddle of water in my basement. Various streets and low lying areas flood like the area around Hubble but I think what you would want to be concerned with is neighborhood flooding and whether it ends up in your house or basement and I don't think that is a huge problem here. Make sure you have a functional sump pump though, houses here do. Its a great area to live in and to bring up a family.

P.S. It was announced a few days ago that the Hubble middle school site has been sold and most likely will become a Mariano's Fresh Market opening in 2012.