Bartlett subdivision good spot for families
When Kari and Dan Kenna needed a larger home for their growing family, they knew they wanted to stay in Bartlett.
The couple looked at several houses in Fairfax Crossings and fell in love with a two-story home with an open floor plan and basement. "We have four children, so we needed more room and a basement," Kari Kenna said.
The subdivision is also near many sporting venues, and with their children in travel basketball, baseball, soccer and cheerleading, this is a big plus for the family.
"It keeps me busy, and it's nice that everything is so close," Kari Kenna said. "I can be dropping off and picking up within 10 minutes of each other. Struckman Basin is right behind our house; we're very lucky to have a soccer field behind us. We also have a new baseball facility, so the kids can go up there and practice baseball.
"Our location is great. Grocery stores are close. And our older son is 14, so he can ride his bike up to a movie rental store and hot dog stand. It's nice for him to get some exercise and do something rather than just ride around.
"There are kids all over the place. And with the schools so close, all the kids' friends live close by, so they can ride their bikes to each other's homes."
Built by Lexington Homes, Fairfax Crossings features three series of homes -- Classic, Signature and Premier -- with sizes ranging from 1,700 to 2,700 square feet. Homes are mostly two-stories, with some split-levels, with three to four bedrooms, 2½ to three baths, and two- or three-car garage, said Dennis Toomey, real estate agent with RE/MAX Territory in Elk Grove Village.
"Fairfax Crossings is a family-oriented neighborhood and a nice place to raise kids," Toomey said. "Soccer and baseball seem to be big in Bartlett. There are soccer fields all over the place. And there's a new indoor baseball training facility that recently opened called The Hitting Zone. I've seen it, and it's really a cool setup with an infield inside the building. It's a private facility located near the subdivision just north of Stearns Road."
Located in the Brewster Creek Business Park, The Hitting Zone is a state-of-the-art training facility that offers individual, group and team training programs for hitting, pitching, catching and fielding. There are lessons, leagues and camps. A party room is available for birthday parties.
Other recreation includes the village-owned Bartlett Hills Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course with a golf shop and banquet facilities. In the winter, residents enjoy cross-country skiing.
Operated by the park district, Apple Orchard Golf Course and the Bartlett Aquatic Center are both part of the huge Apple Orchard Community Park in the heart of the village.
The revitalization of downtown Bartlett is drawing people to the downtown area. Residential development, new retail and dining establishments, and an upgrading of public infrastructure, including streetscape and a new Metra Station, is helping to create a vibrant town center.
Bartlett Town Center is a mixed-use development in the heart of downtown consisting of condominiums, lofts, and retail and office space.
Bartlett, 31 miles west of the Loop, overlaps into Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. Route 20 feeds into I-290 and Route 59 connects with I-90 and I-88. Drive time to the Loop is one hour while O'Hare International Airport is 35 minutes away. Commuters can reach the Loop by train in 57 minutes.
Price range: $285,000 to $442,500
Age of homes: 17 years old
Schools: Prairieview Elementary, Sycamore Trails Elementary or Hawk Hollow Elementary, Eastview Middle and Bartlett High schools in Elgin Area School District U-46
Parks: Bartlett Park District