It would be easy to zoom past Thatcher Woods in the fast-moving traffic on North Avenue in Melrose Park.
The brick-faced sales center pretty much fills the frontage on the busy four-lane thoroughfare so if a visitor isn’t paying attention, she might miss the construction taking place behind the sales center on the equivalent of two city blocks south toward a timber-shrouded curve in the Des Plaines River.
Tucked between a Menard’s home improvement store and an assisted living center, this project is designed to have 18 townhouses and 120 condominiums in two seven-story buildings and a clubhouse with pool when completed.
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The homes are the second phase of redevelopment of the 10-acre property that could be a veritable poster child for in-fill housing. When completed there will be 464 residential units on the site where a motel and a local haunt called the Homestead restaurant once stood.
The density is offset somewhat by the campus-like layout of the project and the fact that more than half the units are occupied by senior citizens; so presumably there is little hard partying.
The first phase of the project included the assisted living center, an independent living building and the eight-story Riverwoods condominium for people 55 and older along one side of the property. The second phase of the project is the Thatcher Woods homes for all ages.
On the border of Melrose Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park, the development is drawing buyers from Oak Park, River Forest, Chicago and those who work at O’Hare International Airport, said sales associate Julie Umecker.
The proximity to transportation — it is about three miles from Interstate Highways 290 and 294, a short drive to the heart of Oak Park and the Green Line, and less than a dozen miles from the Loop — have been assets.
Franklin Park, Northlake and Forest Park are nearby and it is a direct drive up River Road to O’Hare, she noted.
In addition, the property is buffered on two sides by Thatcher Woods, part of the band of wooded preserves hugging the river which serve as a flood plain.
“You don’t even feel you are in Chicago,” said Anthony Tiritilli, president of Renzi Corp., developers of the property and the homes.
The earlier, seniors phase of housing got the prime sites and views of the trees; so only one side of one of the two new condo buildings will face the woods and river directly.
The woods provide a pleasing backdrop, especially for a development where the home prices are about $200 a square foot.
The largest of the condo floor plans is recreated as a model in the brick-front sales center. A two-bedroom, two-bath corner unit with about 1,760 square feet, the floor plan has a somewhat convoluted path to the living/dining room and kitchen, but once in those rooms there is a nice payoff in natural light.
The front door to the unit opens to a generous foyer with a good-sized coat closet to the left of the front door.
Visitors will have two choices from the foyer: go left into the master suite or right down a short hall past a closet for a full-size washer and dryer and the secondary bath.
At the end of the hall is a slight dogleg past the entrance into the secondary bedroom before arriving at the combination living and dining room, about 29 by 13 1/2 feet.
A few steps into the living and dining room and a door to the left opens into the kitchen.
While I might prefer a more direct way to lug groceries into the kitchen from the front door, I am one who likes lots of natural light and the windows with deep sills on two walls on the living/dining rooms make that space appealing. The standard 9-foot ceilings help.
Furthermore, the builder has wisely decided to show the kitchen as a separate room but with two wide doorways for easy circular traffic flow between the dining and living areas.
To the left of the living/dining room, the kitchen is about 20 by 9 feet. It is shown with a built-in banquette surrounded by shelving, a smart and savvy interior design touch, in the breakfast area next to a large window.
The floor plan in the prospective buyer’s kit shows the space divided into a small interior kitchen, 12 by 9 feet, and cut off from the natural light by a wall for a tiny 8 by 9-foot den.
For non-cooks that might be an option, but I doubt even those who use only a microwave would have enough cabinet and counter space in such a layout. The large window in the breakfast area of the kitchen overlooks a small covered balcony, 7 by 8 feet, with a door to the living room and a door to the master bedroom. It’s a nice touch and smart use of a tiny space.
The main entrance to the master bedroom suite is from the condo foyer. A short hall leads past the generous bathroom with standard two sinks, soaking tub and separate shower. The hall continues past a decent-sized walk-in closet into the bedroom, about 17 1/2 by 12 1/2 feet. The room has a large window on the outside wall and the door to the balcony.
The second bedroom, adjacent to the living/dining area, is 15 1/2 by 9 feet and is shown as a den/guest room. It has a closet along one wall.
While there is much to like in this plan, about $311,000 for a second floor unit, it is storage challenged. There are three good-sized closets and the standard kitchen cabinets are 42 inches.
Buyers who like the larger kitchen shown in the model will pay for additional cabinets, however, and no provision is made for a pantry or broom closet or linen closet.
Storage is no problem in Plan A, a corner townhouse and the largest plan available.
Only two units will be built with this layout, but for those looking for space this attached home comes with four bedrooms, including a first floor master suite, 2 1/2 baths, and attached two-car garage.
Priced from about $560,000, it has 3,100 square feet of living space on two floors and plenty of room to stash stuff in the 1,700-square foot basement.
The front door opens from a wrap-around porch into a two-story foyer with the stairway along the wall leading to the second floor. Directly ahead of the front door is the hallway which leads past the dining room, 10 by 13 feet, to the open kitchen and two- story great room.
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The kitchen is about 14 1/2 by 15 feet and the living/great room is another 20 by 15 feet. To the right of the kitchen is a powder room and the walk-through laundry and mud room with a door to the two-car garage. Beyond the powder room is the first-floor master suite with a sizable master bath, two closets — one a walk-in — and bedroom, about 13 1/2 by 15 feet.
The second floor has three bedrooms, two walk-in closets — one the size of a small room — and a loft which could be enclosed as a fifth bedroom or library. There is only one bathroom, though I would ask if a portion of the big walk-in closet next door might be converted to a third bath.
One second-floor bedroom, has a step up to allow a higher ceiling below for the first floor master bedroom.
It may seem charming when the lights are on, but it could be a safety concern for a middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom.
And I’d ask the builder what steps were taken to insure energy efficiency. This is a large home with high ceilings, many windows and the potential for hefty utility bills.
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Thatcher Woods
Address: 8305 W. North Ave., Melrose Park
Developer: Renzi Construction and Development and New West Realty
Phone: 708-338-1500
Web: www.renzicorp.com
Description: In-fill development of 18 townhouses and 120 condominiums in two buildings. Townhouses, two to four bedrooms, 2 to 2 1/2 baths with 2,130 to 3,810 square feet of living space from $298,400. Two seven-story condominiums with 60 units each ranging from one bedroom to two bedrooms with den, 1 to 2 baths, from 959 square feet to 1,768 square feet priced from $187,900. One deeded indoor parking space per unit. Monthly assessments $180 to $320. Prices as of April 1.
Amenities: Ceramic tile foyer, solid core doors, 42-inch kitchen cabinets, GE appliances, patio or balcony, clubhouse with indoor heated pool.
Neighborhood: Overlooking Des Plaines River and Thatcher Woods forest preserve, near Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, restaurants, stores, public transportation.
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