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Originally Posted by jackhowellluksic View Post
Hi again, hopefully some of the original responders will see this and know that I immensely appreciated the feedback to my query or Frankfort vs. Crown Point or St. John of about 50 days ago. Things got crazy for a while and I never remembered to check back for replies!
I should have added some detail as to why we weren't considering Valpo or other towns closer to Burns Harbor: Had to rule out Valpo, as two of our primary criterion are a 1) community that has nearby competitive youth hockey. Valpo would require a good 45-to 1 hr. drive to such an org'n and rinks and 2) A competitive Winter Guard/Color Guard at Jr. High and HS levels. Top notch academic reputation is also important. Munster was an original consideration, but we desperately want a home with at least .70 ac. lot size and it's a tall order there, we are finding (there and in Frankfort). Our price range was quoted a little off, even though I never stated one. To better inform your replies, know that our range is $725K to $950K.
We hate that Frankfort would be such a prodigious drive for my husband, but absolutely love the overall "feel" of Frankfort/Mokena to Crown Point and St. John. We have visited the entire area four times now and have educated ourselves with a broad range of information and overall "snapshots" of each town, FYI. Here are our latest decision-making considerations and findings:
Frankfort: killer taxes and a higher cost of living, though this isn't a deal-breaker, it is a consideration. Really long commute for husband (I am a School Counselor and wouldn't be impacted on the commute front.) He's not one who will want to regularly have to stay in a hotel or apt. a few nights a week. Offers excellent public school district, though the ongoing district financial mayhem and buildings' flux is of concern. Area offers our needed extra-curriculars. LOVE the city village and neighboring Mokena and New Lenox "vibe", as well.
Crown Point: lower cost of living. Shorter commute for husband. Offers excellent public school district. Dyer Hockey is close. Winter Guard and Color Guard are in limbo at moment, as former coach vacated the job this past season, and no hire appears to be in sight, so that's troubling (plus band and guard are non-competitive)...Community "feel" ok, but not as nice as Frankfort. Should we decide to build vs. buy in the next month, CP has some attractive options for lots that are oversized, not so in Frankfort.
St. John: Just added this back into the mix. On initial drives through town and subdivisions with a realtor, my husband did not like the hugely-populated school district nor especially the seeming lack of any town center/village/decent shops and restaurants in the town proper. Academic quality appears to be pretty strong...thought perhaps not quite on par with CP and Frankfort according to state report cards and other indicators. Community "feel" ok, but not as appealing as Frankfort. Kids' #1 activities are available in spades (Dyer rink and neighboring IL hockey towns are closer than if in CP). Shorter commute than Frankfort.
Munster: An initial strong consideration, but husband wasn't very wowed when he drove through it in Jan. (on first drive-through), so I had crossed it off the list. A Munster search is now included again, as he admits he didn't give that particular drive-through proper attention and we should re-assess together, next visit up there. Costly, but less than Frankfort. Excellent school district, with kids' main activities either there or not far. Most of lots/homes in the various subs are very close together on too-small lots. Shortest commute.
And there you have it. Any feedback you can provide is so very appreciated!! We have been stuck in limbo amongst these communities and are hoping for some good local opinions.
Originally Posted by jackhowellluksic View Post
Hi again, hopefully some of the original responders will see this and know that I immensely appreciated the feedback to my query or Frankfort vs. Crown Point or St. John of about 50 days ago. Things got crazy for a while and I never remembered to check back for replies!
I should have added some detail as to why we weren't considering Valpo or other towns closer to Burns Harbor: Had to rule out Valpo, as two of our primary criterion are a 1) community that has nearby competitive youth hockey. Valpo would require a good 45-to 1 hr. drive to such an org'n and rinks and 2) A competitive Winter Guard/Color Guard at Jr. High and HS levels. Top notch academic reputation is also important. Munster was an original consideration, but we desperately want a home with at least .70 ac. lot size and it's a tall order there, we are finding (there and in Frankfort). Our price range was quoted a little off, even though I never stated one. To better inform your replies, know that our range is $725K to $950K.
We hate that Frankfort would be such a prodigious drive for my husband, but absolutely love the overall "feel" of Frankfort/Mokena to Crown Point and St. John. We have visited the entire area four times now and have educated ourselves with a broad range of information and overall "snapshots" of each town, FYI. Here are our latest decision-making considerations and findings:
Frankfort: killer taxes and a higher cost of living, though this isn't a deal-breaker, it is a consideration. Really long commute for husband (I am a School Counselor and wouldn't be impacted on the commute front.) He's not one who will want to regularly have to stay in a hotel or apt. a few nights a week. Offers excellent public school district, though the ongoing district financial mayhem and buildings' flux is of concern. Area offers our needed extra-curriculars. LOVE the city village and neighboring Mokena and New Lenox "vibe", as well.
Crown Point: lower cost of living. Shorter commute for husband. Offers excellent public school district. Dyer Hockey is close. Winter Guard and Color Guard are in limbo at moment, as former coach vacated the job this past season, and no hire appears to be in sight, so that's troubling (plus band and guard are non-competitive)...Community "feel" ok, but not as nice as Frankfort. Should we decide to build vs. buy in the next month, CP has some attractive options for lots that are oversized, not so in Frankfort.
St. John: Just added this back into the mix. On initial drives through town and subdivisions with a realtor, my husband did not like the hugely-populated school district nor especially the seeming lack of any town center/village/decent shops and restaurants in the town proper. Academic quality appears to be pretty strong...thought perhaps not quite on par with CP and Frankfort according to state report cards and other indicators. Community "feel" ok, but not as appealing as Frankfort. Kids' #1 activities are available in spades (Dyer rink and neighboring IL hockey towns are closer than if in CP). Shorter commute than Frankfort.
Munster: An initial strong consideration, but husband wasn't very wowed when he drove through it in Jan. (on first drive-through), so I had crossed it off the list. A Munster search is now included again, as he admits he didn't give that particular drive-through proper attention and we should re-assess together, next visit up there. Costly, but less than Frankfort. Excellent school district, with kids' main activities either there or not far. Most of lots/homes in the various subs are very close together on too-small lots. Shortest commute.
And there you have it. Any feedback you can provide is so very appreciated!! We have been stuck in limbo amongst these communities and are hoping for some good local opinions.
Thank you!!
The rink is not in Dyer, it is in the town limits of St. John, but it has a Dyer address. Avoid Illinois, IMO due to taxes, but if you're a believer in living in the same community you work, only then would you choose any Illinois community. You'll be able to get the cheapest home in Crown Point or the Hanover Community School Corporation portion of St. John (south of 101st) of the communities you mentioned. You can't go wrong with these communities. Frankfort though, is in Lincoln Way HSD 210, which is very good, but in a lot of turmoil right now because the district built new schools in 2007 and 2008 to accommodate population/enrollment growth, only to announce closing one of those (LW North) after this school year.
Originally Posted by jackhowellluksic View Post
Hi again, hopefully some of the original responders will see this and know that I immensely appreciated the feedback to my query or Frankfort vs. Crown Point or St. John of about 50 days ago. Things got crazy for a while and I never remembered to check back for replies!
I should have added some detail as to why we weren't considering Valpo or other towns closer to Burns Harbor: Had to rule out Valpo, as two of our primary criterion are a 1) community that has nearby competitive youth hockey. Valpo would require a good 45-to 1 hr. drive to such an org'n and rinks and 2) A competitive Winter Guard/Color Guard at Jr. High and HS levels. Top notch academic reputation is also important. Munster was an original consideration, but we desperately want a home with at least .70 ac. lot size and it's a tall order there, we are finding (there and in Frankfort). Our price range was quoted a little off, even though I never stated one. To better inform your replies, know that our range is $725K to $950K.
We hate that Frankfort would be such a prodigious drive for my husband, but absolutely love the overall "feel" of Frankfort/Mokena to Crown Point and St. John. We have visited the entire area four times now and have educated ourselves with a broad range of information and overall "snapshots" of each town, FYI. Here are our latest decision-making considerations and findings:
Frankfort: killer taxes and a higher cost of living, though this isn't a deal-breaker, it is a consideration. Really long commute for husband (I am a School Counselor and wouldn't be impacted on the commute front.) He's not one who will want to regularly have to stay in a hotel or apt. a few nights a week. Offers excellent public school district, though the ongoing district financial mayhem and buildings' flux is of concern. Area offers our needed extra-curriculars. LOVE the city village and neighboring Mokena and New Lenox "vibe", as well.
Crown Point: lower cost of living. Shorter commute for husband. Offers excellent public school district. Dyer Hockey is close. Winter Guard and Color Guard are in limbo at moment, as former coach vacated the job this past season, and no hire appears to be in sight, so that's troubling (plus band and guard are non-competitive)...Community "feel" ok, but not as nice as Frankfort. Should we decide to build vs. buy in the next month, CP has some attractive options for lots that are oversized, not so in Frankfort.
St. John: Just added this back into the mix. On initial drives through town and subdivisions with a realtor, my husband did not like the hugely-populated school district nor especially the seeming lack of any town center/village/decent shops and restaurants in the town proper. Academic quality appears to be pretty strong...thought perhaps not quite on par with CP and Frankfort according to state report cards and other indicators. Community "feel" ok, but not as appealing as Frankfort. Kids' #1 activities are available in spades (Dyer rink and neighboring IL hockey towns are closer than if in CP). Shorter commute than Frankfort.
Munster: An initial strong consideration, but husband wasn't very wowed when he drove through it in Jan. (on first drive-through), so I had crossed it off the list. A Munster search is now included again, as he admits he didn't give that particular drive-through proper attention and we should re-assess together, next visit up there. Costly, but less than Frankfort. Excellent school district, with kids' main activities either there or not far. Most of lots/homes in the various subs are very close together on too-small lots. Shortest commute.
And there you have it. Any feedback you can provide is so very appreciated!! We have been stuck in limbo amongst these communities and are hoping for some good local opinions.
Thank you!!
Seems like you have weighed as many pros and cons as possible! As much as I like Munster (obviously biased) as well as Frankfort and Mokena area, I would cross of your list. Frankfort and Mokena due to the cost in Illinois (and taxes only getting worse) and distance to husbands work (additional transportation costs) and cross of Munster because although it has a top school system, is closer to husbands work, extra-curriculars, and has nice housing stock, the only area of town where you can get a lot size close to 0.71 acres is in Park West, a newer gated community. There is a 0.71 acres pie shaped lot going for $325k which drastically reduces your housing budget and the lot is bordered by homes on each side and to the back with an AT&T easement outside of the fence which also backs White Oak Ave. It is lot 29. Lot 15 has a wooded back which is a buffer in between Park West and White Oak Park. It is 0.85 acres but is listed at $385,000 and it actually may not be available because I believe the western half of the lot was sold to the owner of a home on lot 14 and the eastern half was combined with lot 16 and the developer may be building a home there which would probably be a $1M plus home.
Overall, I think that St. John would work best for you. Specifically in the Cardinal Cove subdivision. It somewhat resembles Park West as in you have to drive into an older less upscale subdivision before you reach the entrance but Cardinal Cove is not gated and while the homes so far are very very nice, the lot and home prices are not nearly as high as Park West and the lots are bigger since it is a smaller subdivision (lots are 0.75-1 acre). You would also be in Lake Central schools which are very good. The high school is big, but with the reconstruction and additions, I have been told it feels much less crowded. Also due to having a large pool of students, sports and extracurriculars are very strong and competitive. Commute to Burns Harbor would be a little annoying but still manageable. Regarding the lack of town center, although St. John has received some notable opposition with their proposal for a town center area along Joliet Rd and points south, it seems like it will be on the horizon at some point. There are also some other developments going on near lake central that will be nice.
jackhowellluksic - You can't go wrong with any of these communities, really. They all have very good schools, all have color guard and good band programs, and all offer competitive club hockey. Northwest Indiana is right about how Munster will make it really tough to find the lot size you want. There should be plenty of options in St. John and Crown Point. Dyer or Schererville will keep you in the Lake Central district and may have a handful of options here and there, but those two towns by and large are almost entirely built out. I don't blame you for splitting hairs on such an important decision, but at the end of the day, you're splitting hairs
I think you'd be happy with any of these towns based on your criteria.
I don't know if you have considered this as an option, but Marian Catholic High School has the best marching band/color guard in the entire area. I personally went there, and now my cousin is going there. Marian is nationally known for its marching band/color guard, as they have won 36 consecutive Illinois Marching Band state championship, and been to Grand Nationals 32 times. Being a part of the band, I can tell you that if you are serious about being in guard, Marian by far has the best program in the area. I had many friends who were a part of guard, and they all loved it. Altough the cost and location are more, I can tell you that it is an excellent school, both academically and in terms of the color guard. Driving from Schererville, my hometown, to Marian, which is in Chicago Heights, IL, would usually take about 25 minutes, so maybe it wouldn't be a consideration for you. It would be just about the same commute from any of the other towns you mentioned, all of which are excellent towns too.
I don't know if you have considered this as an option, but Marian Catholic High School has the best marching band/color guard in the entire area.
Marian Catholic is one of the top marching programs in the nation historically.
Being a part of the Thornton Fractional South Marching Rebels 1998-2001 myself (Trumpet!), Gregg Bimm is an astounding director and show crafter for Marching. We always had him write our competition pieces knowing to go with the best. It's such a shame to see Lansing go down the tubes, force a great director out in Mike Madonia and take all that momentum I had coming in and left even higher go to pot.
I am unsure as to who writes the colorguard routines for Marian, but they have someone spectacular as well! I always thought of them as dancers more than I did traditional colorguard which is impressive when looking at the norm.
Hi, came across your post. We currently live in Naperville ansd are moving yto St. John in May. I have children who will be going to the Lake Central elementary and middle schools. Stay away from Frankfort and Mokena. I have relatives living in both towns and the schools are going downhill fast! Property taxes continue to rise as the state keeps cutty funding for schools. It is correct that Frankfort is closing a high school! Corrupt politicians in Illinois are to blame and Illinois is currently they only state without a budget which is stopping funding to many programs. IMO, stay away from Illinois! I also have relatives in NWI who love it. For what you're looking for, I would look into St. John!
The choice is made...thanks for your feedback everyone
Hi All and CGab, who most recently replied to my post...we have chosen St. John and are going to build a home in Rose Garden at Willow Ridge. Came together rather quickly after my last drive up to do final re-con. Ruled out Munster mainly b/c of the lack of space. Also had concerns over the surrounding big-city traffic (will have a timid 16 y/o cutting her teeth on driving in just a few years)...Frankfort ruled out b/c of the distance being too prohibitive for my husband's commute and tax concerns...Finally, Crown Pt. ruled out b/c their Color/Winter Guard programs appear to be in disarray in that the Band Director said the current coach left (before season ended, hmmmm)...and while he stated he is keeping his eyes out for a replacement (coldly and dismissively, I might add, as though we were wasting his time), it was clear it was at the bottom of his priority list. It's too important to our daughter, so we had to factor that in, plus my favorite building lot had just been snagged by someone else...
When I stumbled upon these unadvertised building lots in St. John and met the builder we'll use, and got personal e-letters from the Band Boosters Pres. and also the Winter Guard/CG Director at St. John, who were both incredibly helpful with information, it all came together.
Where will you live in St, John, CGab?
THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! Locals' feedback helps so much.
Glad you made a decision! It took us a while as well. We will be moving to North Point which is a subdivision near Hal E Clark middle school. We are not building, but buying a new spec home instead. We are downsizing from what we currently have and are very excited to be moving out of Illinois! I was originally worried about the large size of Lake Central, but I have met with some of the school personnel and everyone seams wonderful! It sounds like even though the schools are large, my daughter will have less children in her class than she does now! Our home will sit on a 1/2 acre lot and we'll be paying about $7k less in taxes then we pay on our current home so we are ecstatic!
Good luck with your move and in your new home!
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The choice is made...thanks for your feedback everyone
