Big subdivision would boost Hawthorn Woods' Main Street plan
The approvals aren't yet final, but it appears Hawthorn Woods is ready to welcome one of the few large new home developments to surface in Lake County in recent years.
Village officials say Pulte Home Corp.'s plan for the Hawthorn Hills subdivision on the north side of the village near Midlothian and Gilmer roads would be a big step toward what is envisioned as a walkable destination area. The proposal also calls for a 7-acre commercial site at the northwest corner of the two busy roads.
"This is our new Main Street," said Pam Newton, Hawthorn Woods' chief operating officer. "We call it Main on Midlothian."
Hawthorn Hills would be composed of 221 single-family homes in four distinct neighborhoods. More than a third of the 123-acre parcel is dedicated to open space, and the "pastoral allure" of the community would be maintained by integrating parks and wetlands, according to information on the village website.
Pulte plans to bring together "multiple generations of future residents" by offering 22 floor plans of up to 4,149 square feet and prices ranging from $350,000 to $800,000. Targeted buyers include upscale empty nesters, first-time or move-up buyers, and affluent, upwardly mobile families.
"It gives us a diversity of housing we really don't have," Newton said. "It really is a community being designed for multi-generations."
She described Hawthorn Hills as a walkable community with three parks, one active, one passive and one with a performance pavilion that is envisioned as a community gathering place.
It is the village's first large residential development since the Hawthorn Woods Country Club about eight years ago.
"It is kind of unique to Lake County. There are some that are looming that might move past 200 units, but not very many," said housing consultant Tracy Cross of Tracy Cross & Associates in Schaumburg.
He said the market is improving and the supply of homes is dropping. He described the plan as "strategic" and a "good move by Pulte."
A company spokeswoman declined to comment as the approval process, which began early this year, continues.
The village board last week was to have considered 13 ordinances and resolutions regarding the plan, but those talks were tabled pending the receipt of more information. Newton said that involves the extension of Kruckenberg Road, not the development itself.
She said related materials could be ready for review in about a month.
"Everybody's really cautious (when) the board considers a plan but it hits several targets in our comprehensive plan," she said.