Trinity Lakes in neighborhood profile
Trinity Lakes sits on land that was once owned by the coal baron Frances S. Peabody. After his death, the family sold the Mayslake estate to the Catholic Franciscan Order of Friars. Then, in the 1930s, the Franciscans began selling off the property, including 300 acres in the 1970s for development of the Trinity Lakes and Whitehall subdivisions.
Today, Trinity Lakes features more than 200 exceptional custom homes, mostly traditional or Georgian style. These houses have three to six bedrooms, two to six bathrooms and 3,327 to 7,300 square feet of living space. Houses sit on quarter- to half-acre homesites.
Situated north of 35th Street and east of Midwest Road in Oak Brook, Trinity Lakes is not a gated community. It is a smaller subdivision with an intimate ambience, winding streets and beautiful landscaping.
Oak Brook is made up of a collection of subdivisions, each with its own distinct characteristics. Trinity Lakes offers beautiful lake views, and some residents can look out at the Peabody mansion and Mayslake Forest Preserve, said Carol LaCrosse, real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
Homes in Trinity Lakes feature high-end, custom designs and interiors that include multiple fireplaces, exercise rooms, game rooms, wet bars, sunrooms, top-of-the-line appliances, custom cabinetry, alarm systems and built-in sprinkler systems.
LaCrosse is marketing a home on St. Stephen Green, a cul-de-sac where homes have magnificent views of a lake.
Twenty-five years ago, Ron and Beth Cullum moved from Tokyo to Trinity Lakes. They were attracted to the subdivision because of "location, location, location," and the phenomenal school district, Ron Cullum said.
"I absolutely love the lake behind us where our land slopes down, and the lower level walks right out to it. We have a lot of trees, and we just fell in love with the lot. This is our dream house. We have a screened-in sunroom and deck, and we live out there in the summer and look out at the trees and the lake, and we can see the Peabody mansion from here."
The mansion and Mayslake are now part of the DuPage County Forest Preserve system.
Is there an unusual room in the Cullum home? "My wife and I like to dance, and we have a dance floor on the lower level," Cullum said.
LaCrosse said many original homeowners still live in Trinity Lakes because they love the area and the central location, 20 minutes from Midway and O'Hare airports, as well as downtown Chicago.
"We have world-class shopping and Fortune 500 companies that grace our community," she said.
For sports activities, residents have the village-owned Sports Core and park district facilities. The Core includes tennis courts, a swimming pool, wading pool, golf course, driving range and a polo field that put Oak Brook on the map.
The park district owns the Family Recreation Center, which includes an aquatic center, fitness club, basketball courts and indoor running track, plus the Racquet Club, which has tennis and handball courts, saunas and whirlpools.
While other suburbs head to Main Street for community festivals, Oak Brook residents look to the mall. Oakbrook Center presents such events as the Spring Art Festival and Fine Art Festival. Last year, it hosted a Christkindl market, which was a popular holiday event.
The Oak Brook Library also offers many special events such as concert and choir performances, travelogues and educational programs related to current events, finances, gardening, interior design and more.
Listing sheet
<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $1 million to $3 million
<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 26 to 32 years
<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Brook Forest Elementary and Butler Junior High schools in Butler Elementary District 53 and Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale Township High School District 86.
<span class="fact box text bold">Parks:</span> Oak Brook Park District