Elmhurst
With a convenient location close to everything, a
vibrant downtown in the midst of a major expansion,
and quiet tree-lined residential streets, this city has
an attractive blend of the best community attributes.
by Lynn Petrak
City Centre Plaza (above right)
has become a popular gathering
point for residents and visitors alike.
But Elmhurst also boasts a variety
of other business districts as well
as numerous parks, museums,
and is home to the 3,300-student
Elmhurst College.
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T
aglines are meant to sum
up, in a pithy way, the
attributes of a particular
place, thing or person.
In the case of west
suburban Elmhurst, the tagline,
“Close to Everything, Unlike Anything,”
splashed around town in a variety of
materials and sites, is more than apt.
Elmhurst has long been a draw for
its accessibility to downtown Chicago,
nearby expressways, O’Hare Airport and
other hubs. In that sense, its geographic
location is a benefit. In another sense,
Elmhurst is a distinct community
because of its wide range of amenities,
services and businesses and, say those
who live there, its people.
Indeed, Elmhurst is the kind of place
in which people are born, raised — and
stay. The current mayor, Steve Morley is
an Elmhurst native and underscores the
fact that many of its current leaders,
homeowners and business owners are
lifelong residents. “With my generation,
it’s a running joke that when you meet
someone new in a group you ask, ‘Now,
which one of you was born in Elmhurst?’”
Morley says with a laugh.
Scott Ahlgrim, a leader of the Spring
Road Business Association, was born in
town and continues a family legacy that
began when his grandfather opened
Ahlgrim Funeral Home in 1956. “Elmhurst is a magnet, with great
schools, infrastructure, park district,
hospital, library and all of those things
that add to the quality of life, while the
interstates and airports are close by,” says
Ahlgrim. “Even when people move away
for a while, when they think of settling
down with a family, it’s a great place to
come back to because of the tremendous
things that Elmhurst has to offer.”
Longtime resident Richard Blass, who
runs a law office and is a contender for
the DuPage County Board, agrees that
Elmhurst has always been close-knit. “I
can remember as a child just walking out
my front door to find a driveway full of
neighborhood kids. We played baseball,
went to York Commons Pool and stayed
outside until the street lights went on.
All the neighborhood kids and parents
got along,” he says, adding that his wife,
Katherine, also grew up in Elmhurst, and
that their hometown remains a great place
to raise their own children.
While Elmhurst retains many of the
inherent qualities that have long made it
a popular place to live, visit and work, it’s
also changing with the times. “Elmhurst
has evolved by holding on to a tradition
that is so hard to maintain these days. In
so many ways, Elmhurst has also progressed,”
observes Blass.
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TOWN FOCUS
Elmhurst
Photo courtesy of Elmhurst Park District
Resources
WILDER MANSION
Elmhurst Public Library
n Total
Holdings - 306,780
n Items Checked Out
Per Year - 1,296,435
n Visitors Per Year - 579,525
Attractions
Elmhurst Choral Union
630 758-1100. Auditioned
volunteer choir performing
classical pieces as well as
working with professional
orchestras and soloists.
n
n Elmhurst College – 190 S
Prospect Ave., 630 617-3000.
Founded in 1871, it is a four
year private liberal arts
college with more than
3,000 students.
Elmhurst Symphony
Orchestra – 630 941-0202.
Mix of professional and
accomplished volunteer
musicians has for 54 seasons
played a series of concerts,
now mostly at the Elmhurst
Christian Reformed Church.
n
theatre restored and
expanded to 10 screens.
Events
n Art
in the Park – 175 Prospect
Ave., 630 993-8900. Festival
featuring arts, crafts and food
vendors in May.
n Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot:
A 5K Fun Run – Downtown
Elmhurst, 630 415-2816. Annual
5K run to raise money for
Thanksgiving meals for those
in need in November.
n Festival of Lessons & Carols
190 S Prospect Ave.,
630 617-3000. Annual holiday
event featuring the Elmhurst
College Choirs singing carols
with prayers in December.
n Jaycees Charity Carnival
Downtown Elmhurst. Annual
event featuring carnival, rides,
games and more, this year
set for June 9-12.
n Jazz
GreenMan Theatre Troupe
630 464-2646. Local theatre
troupe performing original
plays, classics and more.
n
Mansion – 211 S
Prospect Ave., 630 993-8186.
Historic property that formerly
housed the town library, now
used for special events
and weddings.
Festival – 190 S Prospect
Ave., 630 617-3000. Annual
4-day jazz festival in February
sponsored by Elmhurst College
featuring local professional
and student musicians.
n Wilder
n Wilder Park Conservatory
225 Prospect Ave., 630 993-8186.
83-year-old conservatory
featuring flower shows and
a variety of unusual plants.
n York
Theatre – 150 N York
St., 630 834-0675. Historic
n St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Wilson St. & Spring Rd.,
630 834-0300. Parade
featuring floats, marching
units, animated characters,
dancers and more.
Museums
n American
Movie Palace
Museum – 152 N York St.,
630 782-1800. Features a
variety of objects from the
great movie palaces of
the past. Also home to the
Theatre Historical Society.
Elmhurst Art Museum
150 S Cottage Hill Ave.,
630 834-0202. Art museum
providing many different
kinds of exhibitions, events
and programs.
n
n Lizzadro Museum of
Lapidary Art – 220 S Cottage
Hill Ave., 630 833-1616. Features
gemstones and promotes
the study of earth sciences.
Also offers a variety of weekly
activities and programs.
n Elmhurst Historical Museum
120 E Park Ave., 630 833-1457.
Collects and interprets original
materials about the history
of the town, housed in the
former home of Elmhurst’s first
village president, Henry L. Glos.
Recreation
n Courts
Plus – 186 S West Ave.,
630 833-5064. Community
recreation facility featuring an
indoor lap pool; indoor tennis,
racquetball and basketball
courts; and a climbing wall.
n The
Hub at Berens Park
493 N Oaklawn Ave.,
630 782-4955. This park
features a playground, four
batting cages, 18-hole mini
golf, and more.
n Skate
Park – 665 S York Rd.,
630 993-8900. Year-round
skate park featuring 10
ramps, two rails, a half pipe
and more.
n Wilder
Park – 175 Prospect
Ave., 630 993-8900. 17-acre
park featuring a playground,
tennis courts and picnic areas.
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Downtown: Elmhurst City Centre
The fusion of tradition and progress
is apparent in the heart of the community.
The main business district in Elmhurst has
been called different things over the years
— downtown Elmhurst, “uptown”
Elmhurst and now, City Centre. Although
businesses have come and gone — and many
are remembered fondly in places like the
“I Remember Elmhurst when I was a Kid”
page on Facebook — the retail landscape
in City Centre remains vibrant.
Here, decades-long and often
multi-generational businesses like York
Furrier, Tellefsen Realty, Fruitful Yield,
J.C. Licht Co., West Suburban Office
Products, Unique Travel Services and
others, mix with newer businesses like
Kilwin’s Elmhurst and Hayzl Boutique,
among others.
In the face of competition from nearby
shopping malls like Oakbrook Center and
various big box stores in the vicinity,
Elmhurst City Centre has distinguished
itself with its boutiques and smaller stores
that offer an array of goods — from
apparel and jewelry (RedE, Cottage Hill
Diamonds, Hartmann Jewelers, Enzee
Boutique) to gifts and home décor (the
Uptown Shop) to foodstuffs (Tannins
Wine Bar & Boutique and Fuego Loco
Sauce Merchant).
If you visit Elmhurst City Centre on
any given night, you’ll see people strolling
along the streets on their way into and out
of various eateries in town. Those interested
in fast-casual meals can patronize chains
like Meatheads and Chipotle, while others
can order up a world of fare (including
globally-inspired ethnic foods) at places
from A, as in Armand’s and Angelo’s,
to Z, as in Zanzi’s Italian Deli and many
points in between.
Throughout City Centre, there are
also veritable institutions like Hamburger
Heaven, Pizza Palace, Rainbow Restaurant
and Two Brothers from Italy as well
as newer spots like OMG Brunch &
Boutique, Pazzi di Pizza and Nu Crepes
(see review on page 74), among others.
Coffee lovers can fuel up at the always
popular Starbucks or order up any number
of drinks at the independent Brewpoint
Coffee or Elijah’s Specialty Coffee and Tea.
Searching for snacks, sweet or otherwise?
You can pop into places like Chow,
Courageous Bakery, Fannie May and
Brain Freeze, to name a few.
Elmhurst City Centre offers multiple
entertainment options as well, first and
foremost of which is the York Theatre, a
visual icon thanks to its historic marquee. It
boasts 10 screens for first-run movies and,
during the summer, offers a free series of
weekly children’s matinees. Those looking
for a more active form of entertainment
can check out Fitz’s Spare Keys, which
provides bowling and live music throughout
the year.
In an effort to help connect people
with things to do and see in the heart
of Elmhurst, the Elmhurst City Centre
organization is offering a free “Elmhurst
Express” trolley this summer that runs
on weekends from the beginning of June
through mid-September. The trolley
connects businesses in the main district
with other points of interest around town.
Summertime events also draw crowds
to Elmhurst City Centre — even more
than the usual throng of people who gather
in City Centre Plaza. The plaza — which
includes decorative fountains as well as
plenty of places to sit — will be home
to a series of summer concerts on the first
Friday of the month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,
with performances by groups such as the
School of Rock in Elmhurst and various
musical groups affiliated with York High
School, among others. Live music will also
take place on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m., as part of the downtown’s
Block to Block parties.
If you’ve driven in downtown Elmhurst
recently, you might notice some new and
in-progress developments. A new mixed
use retail development and parking garage
recently opened on Addison Avenue and
the historic Plass Appliance building was
razed this spring to make room for another
development. Closer to North Avenue is
an additional new development, aimed at
attracting new residents and businesses.
Morley says that building for the future
is essential, because more residences and
businesses — done in a controlled and
thoughtful way — expand the tax base and
hence provide some relief to homeowners.
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TOWN FOCUS
Elmhurst
Photo by Ed Ahern
Population
2014 est - 46,832
g Increase from 2000 – 3.2%
g Median age – 39.9
g 19 and under – 29.6%
g 20-24 – 5.6%
g 25-34 – 9.2%
g 35-44 – 13.3%
g 45-54 – 15.2%
g 55-64 – 12.2%
g 65 and over – 14.9%
g % Male – 49.4%
g % Female – 50.6%
g % White – 89.2%
g % African-American – 1.9%
g % Asian – 5.8%
g % Hispanic – 6.8%
East End Pool is one of two outdoor pools in town.
Veterans’ Memorial
Education
g % High school degree
or higher – 95.2%
g % Bachelor’s degree
or higher – 57.2%
g % Graduate or Professional degree – 21.5%
Income
g Median Household
Income – $94,148
Housing
g Gross median rent – $1,380
g Total households – 16,316
g % Family Households – 71.9%
g Avg. Household Size – 2.8
g Mean Price for Detached Business/Employment
g % Residents Employed – 97.2%
g % Residents Unemployed Houses – $362,860
– 2.8%
g Owner-occupied units – g Avg. Travel Time to work
13,224
g Renter-occupied units – 3,092
“My preference is to maintain growth,
and also foster a positive environment,”
he says. Adding luxury residences for new
commuters and empty nesters is one way
to do that, the mayor adds.
For more information, including
listings and descriptions of stores, services,
restaurants and special events in Elmhurst
City Centre, visit elmhurstcitycentre.com.
Tree Town Meets Boomtown:
Other Commercial Districts
In addition to Elmhurst City Centre,
this western suburb of some 42,000
residents boasts several other areas of
commerce. The north edge of town,
dubbed the North York Corridor, has seen
some redevelopment recently, with the
teardown of the former Holiday Inn hotel
and the building of new places like a large
Mariano’s supermarket. A freestanding
LA Fitness facility is also in the works.
At the intersection of Route 83 and
St. Charles Road, the Elmhurst Crossing
shopping center includes a newly-opened
Whole Foods, Kohl’s, Petco, Bath & Body
Works, Chick fil A, Portillo’s and Nothing
Bundt Cakes. Other businesses rim this
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Photo courtesy of Elmhurst Park District
Statistical Snapshot
– 28.6 min
are dentists, chiropractors, real estate agents
and attorneys. The Spring Road area also
boasts popular eateries like Roberto’s
Ristorante and Pizzeria and Silverado Grill.
In March, Spring Road is awash in
green and lined with thousands of people
who come to watch or march in the annual
St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Other events in
this part of Elmhurst include an annual
Easter Egg Hunt, concerts at the Gazebo
on Thursday nights in the summer, and
Spring Road Day on the third weekend
in September.
Sources: U.S. Census, City-Data.com and usa.com
western edge of town, too, including Back
Alley Burger, Total Hockey, MOD Pizza,
and Smashburger.
In the south part of York Road, near
Valette, other businesses thrive, like the
HB Jones and a new adjoining indoor mini
golf facility called Halfway House. Here,
too, are longtime businesses like Verlare
Cleaners, Luscombe Music, Mama Maria’s
Pizza, Riley’s Gathering Spot and
Bachabee’s Flowers & Gifts.
The Spring Road Business District, in
the southwest part of Elmhurst, is a unique
area as well. Set along the Prairie Path,
this part of town was built up along the
Aurora-Elgin electric railroad line that ran
there at one time. “A lot of the businesses
represented the things you’d find in a small
town — a hardware store, bakery, bike
shop, grocery store, meat market, gas
stations, liquor store and carry-out pizza,”
says Ahlgrim. “Some of the businesses here
today have been here a long time, like Alan
Heating and Cooling and Elmhurst Auto
Partners, but now there are a lot of new
service-oriented businesses. That’s probably
been the biggest change.”
Among these newer services providers
Modern Works: Elmhurst Art Museum
Giving new meaning to a museum
housed in an important building, the
Elmhurst Art Museum is located inside
an actual house that was a fixture in
Elmhurst for decades. Built by famed
architect Mies van der Rohe, the McCormick
House was built as a residence on Prospect
Avenue in 1952. It was moved and turned
into the Elmhurst Art Museum in 1997,
thanks to a collaborative effort led in part
by Elmhurst painter and art teacher
Eleanor King Hookham.
“The house by Mies is one of only three
in the country, and in fact is one of only
three houses by Mies in the world in his
iconic, mature style. It is the cornerstone of
our collection,” explains Executive Director
Jenny Gibbs. “In addition to the Mies
house, we offer changing exhibits of art
and design in our beautiful galleries, free
public programs most weekends, and a
robust year-round roster of arts and crafts
classes for kids and adults, plus our popular
spring break and summer camps.”
This season, visitors can browse
through exhibits on “Playboy Architecture,
1953-1979” (May 6-Aug. 19); “New
American Paintings: Midwest Edition”
(May 21-Aug. 28) and “The Art of
Science Learning” (June 11-Sept. 4).
According to Gibbs, the Playboy
Architecture installation has been
custom designed for this museum.
The Elmhurst Art Museum can
be a work in progress, much like some
other artworks and exhibits there. “Last
year we opened both wings of the Mies
van der Rohe house for the first time
since the Museum opened in 1997,
and we have expanded our programs
to showcase the house,” notes Gibbs.
Set in Stone, Amid a Green Jewel:
Lizzadro Museum, Elmhurst
Conservatory, Wilder Mansion
and Wilder Park
There are hidden gems, and then there
are gems that are right there for open
appreciation. That’s the case at Lizzadro
Museum of Lapidary Art, built in 1962
by local businessman and avid lapidary
collector Joseph Lizzadro. (Lapidary is
the art of cutting and polishing stone.).
In addition to its collections of minerals,
stones and gems from around the world,
the Lizzadro Museum offers special exhibits,
such as “Symbolism in Chinese Jade” that
runs through Aug. 21. Children can take
part in programs like a stone hunt on
June 4, which allows children and adults
to search for gems and minerals among more
common rocks. On June 18, the museum
offers a Fossil Collecting Field Trip to
the Mulford Quarry in Rockford, where
participants can collect marine fossils
from the Ordovician Period.
The campus, if you will, on which the
Lizzadro Museum is built, includes other
attractions for which Elmhurst has become
known, including the Wilder Park
Conservatory. Run by the Elmhurst Park
District, the conservatory was remodeled in
2014 and hosts floral displays, in addition
to offering youth education programs. “The greenhouses provide a temperate
growing space for plants that are utilized
throughout the community and the formal
gardens offer a beautiful setting for a quiet
stroll or wedding ceremony,” says Ginger
Wade of the Elmhurst Park District.
The visual centerpiece of the campus
is Wilder Mansion, formerly the site of the
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Elmhurst
Photo courtesy of the City of Elmhurst
TOWN FOCUS
its batting cages, miniature golf course
and playground.”
In addition to outdoor fun at pools
and water playgrounds, the Elmhurst Park
District has a thick catalog of programs
and attractions for both residents and
non-residents. The 85,000-sq-ft Courts
Plus is a fitness, health and sports center
as well as a tennis facility that is a non-tax
supported, fully self-sustained business.
“If City Centre is the
pulse of Elmhurst, then
The touring Colgate University Chorus performs with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra.
Check us out
online
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Elmhurst Public Library. The grand 9,000sq-ft mansion, with its elegant white façade,
hosts a variety of special events throughout
the year and is available for private rentals,
including weddings.
The mansion sits within the 17.3 acreWilder Park, which features a playground,
a large open green space with picnic tables,
and a park district building. “If City Centre
is the pulse of Elmhurst, then Wilder Park
is its heart,” maintains Wade. “Children
enjoy the recently renovated playground,
families walk and bike the pathways, and
groups of all ages gather on the greenspace
for games, activities and picnics.”
Also nestled in this space is the Elmhurst
Public Library, which moved into its current
building in 2003. More than just a repository
for 300,000 books, magazines, newspapers,
audio books, DVDs and a vast number
of other types of electronic resources, the
library is an educational center, offering
programs for preschoolers, elementary
school students, middle schoolers, teens,
adults and seniors.
Time After Time:
Elmhurst History Museum
Near Elmhurst City Centre — not far
from the railroad tracks leading to the city
of Chicago that spurred development in
this suburb in the 19th century — is the
stately Glos Mansion, a home belonging
to an early Elmhurst leader that is now the
site of the Elmhurst History Museum.
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The Elmhurst History Museum
has become known for its creative exhibits
in recent years, such as the recent “Patios,
Pools and the Invention of the American
Backyard” and “But Wait, There’s More:
Ron Popeil,” which will run from June 17
to Sept. 18, featuring the story of a famous
Chicago area inventor and pitchman.
Mayor Morley says that one of his
favorite exhibits at the History Museum
is called “By All Accounts,” an interactive
timeline of sorts for different periods in
Elmhurst history. “One of the best things
about the museum is how they have
figured out how to make history come
alive,” he says.
Making a Splash: Elmhurst Park
District Pools, Places and Programs
In the brief-but-blissful time of year
that is summer, Elmhurst offers fun in
the sun at its aquatic centers. Norman
P. Smalley Pool features a zero-depth
entrance, water bikes, geysers, umbrella
waterfalls, a diving board and water slide,
and, across town, East End Pool has two
diving boards and a drop slide within its
12-ft diving well.
“Between the two pools there’s
something for every water lover on a hot
day,” says Wade. “And for those looking
for the excitement of running through a
sprinkler on a much larger scale, The Hub
at Berens Park offers a “spray ground” with
nine exciting water features in addition to
Wilder Park is its heart.”
“Profits generated go back to the community
to finance capital projects throughout the
Park District,” explains Wade.
Elmhurst Park District offers programs
for all ages, adds Wade. “The District
reaches nearly every neighborhood and
touches countless lives, from the very
youngest who play at its playgrounds and
participate in early childhood programs,
all the way to its active adults who spend
their time in social activities at The
Abbey,” she notes.
The range of audiences is also evident
in the many programs that the Elmhurst
Park District puts on throughout the year.
This summer’s events, most of which are
outdoors, include the Eldridge Adventure
Day on June 12 in Eldridge Park with a
fishing contest, petting zoo and guided
nature walk; the 27th annual Elmhurst
Jaycees Charity Carnival in Elmhurst City
Centre from June 9 through 12; a Kite Fest
in Berens Park on Aug. 6; and Park Palooza
in Berens Park on Aug. 20 with food
trucks, live entertainment and a beer and
wine garden. A series of movies in the park
— a tradition dating back a generation —
take place in Wilder Park beginning at
dusk on June 17, while Concerts in the Park
enliven Wilder Park on July 12 and 14.
Finding Harmony:
Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra
In addition to its vibrant museums,
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Elmhurst
Photo courtesy of Elmhurst College
TOWN FOCUS
Authentic Italian Cuisine
Popular events include June Jazz at Elmhurst College, this year slated for June 18 and featuring Patti Austin.
OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER
PRIVATE PARTIES AVAILABLE!
105 S. York St. • Elmhurst
630.279.2323
www.pazzidipizza.com
DINE-IN • TAKE-OUT
DELIVERY • CATERING
Elmhurst is known for other cultural
attractions, including the Elmhurst
Symphony Orchestra (ESO). Comprised
of musicians who hail from Elmhurst and
other parts of the Chicago areas, the ESO
performs several concerts a year, including
five “main stage” concerts at Elmhurst
Christian Reformed Church and three
Chamber performances at the nearby
Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook.
The reputation of the ESO has led
to performances beyond the ‘burbs as well.
“We did back-to-back concerts with the
Apollo Chorus of Chicago, performing at
Rockefeller Chapel on the University of
Chicago campus. We have also performed
with them at the Harris Theater in
Chicago,” says Executive Director Cynthia
Bergquist Krainc.
The ESO has also collaborated with
other performing groups, including the
Spirito! Singers, also based in Elmhurst;
Agape Ringers, DuPage Dance Academy,
District 205 Brass Players and First
Folio Theatre, among others. “We
have commissioned new works and
new arrangements to perform in these
collaborations,” reports Krainc.
Although the ESO does not offer
summertime concerts, its new season kicks
off Oct. 1 with an event featuring the music
of the Beatles, Billy Joel and Elton John.
Other highlights of Elmhurst include:
• Elmhurst Hospital moved from its
original home on Berteau Avenue near the
eastern border of the city to a sprawling
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new facility along the southwest part of
town just off York Road in 2011. Another
major change was the merger with Edward
Hospital, resulting in the new EdwardElmhurst Health system. Currently,
Elmhurst Hospital offers 259 patient
“suites” and a new state-of-the-art cancer
center, in addition to an on-site Starbucks
and hotel-like lobby, complete with a piano.
• Elmhurst College, a four-year liberal
arts school with around 3,300 full- and
part-time students, makes Elmhurst a
college town of sorts. The College also
offers programming and events to the
general public, from lectures and workshops
to performances by the well-regarded
Elmhurst College Jazz Band.
• Elmhurst’s award-winning public
school district includes eight elementary
schools, three middle schools and York
Community High School. Elmhurst is
home to private and parochial schools as
well, including Immaculate Conception
grade school, Immaculate Conception
Catholic Prep high school, Visitation grade
school, Timothy Christian grade school
and high school, and Immanuel Lutheran
grade school.
• If there’s an interest, chances are
Elmhurst has a club for it. The community’s
many clubs include the Elmhurst Artists
Guild, Elmhurst Bicycle Club, Elmhurst
Garden Club, Crestview Garden Club,
Elmhurst Running Club, Elmhurst Model
Railroad Club, Elmhurst Neighbors &
Newcomers, Elmhurst Jaycees, Rotary
Club of Elmhurst and many more. n