Gurnee offers more than shopping and amusement parks
Gurnee, home to Great America and Gurnee Mills, offers everything families want -- affordable homes, good schools and plenty of entertainment and recreation.
Largely a rural, agricultural town until the 1960s, people flocked to Gurnee after Great America opened in 1976, and its population increased even more when Gurnee Mills put down roots in 1991.
I-94 splits Gurnee thereby separating its older east side from the newer west side of town, each distinguished by its housing stock.
The east side features older, more affordable homes built during the 1940s, 50s and 60s, that come in a variety of styles rather than specific tract housing or subdivisions, said Fathi Judah, real estate agent with Koenig & Strey GMAC in Gurnee.
"Gurnee is a newer town with a lot of subdivisions built mostly in the 1980s and later, and homes are still going up," Judah said. "A lot of good builders have come to Gurnee and built nice homes that are still affordable. Most new homes are two-stories and a few ranches with about 3,000 square feet on 80-by-160-foot lots. Many homes feature brick fronts and open floor plans. And each subdivision has a different character.
"The newer west side also includes very upscale subdivisions by Toll Brothers and Cambridge Homes where homes range from about $700,000 to $1.5 million, depending on the size of the house, with up to 10,000 square feet of living space and one-acre lots," Judah said. "I think everyone will find the home they are looking for in Gurnee."
There are some older homes on the west side that were there before the Holiday Inn and Great America and some smaller, less expensive homes such as in Grandwood Park, said Leslie Nauta, real estate agent with RE/MAX Showcase in Gurnee.
"In Gurnee in 2007, there were 340 sales of single-family homes at an average price of $358,000 with average market time 140 days. Now there are 406 single-family homes on the market ranging from $200,000 to $1 million. And so far in 2008, the market time has crept up to 198 days," Nauta said.
Nauta believes one of Gurnee's biggest selling points is its location close to the tollway. "A lot of people work south of Gurnee and some in Wisconsin, and they can save an extra 15 minutes getting on the tollway," Nauta said.
"Also, during the big building boom when Great America and Gurnee Mills opened, a lot of families who thought they wanted to live in Libertyville found mostly older homes there built in the 1960s and 70s. They realized they could go a little farther north and get a newer home for less money. That's what built Gurnee -- more house for the money."
When prospective home buyers choose a place to live, family recreation and activities usually rank pretty high on their wish lists, Judah said.
Formed in 1968, the Gurnee Park District maintains four community parks and 10 neighborhood parks that include all kinds of sports facilities while several parks and forest preserves have hiking and biking trails. The park district also offers programs for all ages including aquatics, fitness, athletic leagues, trips, day camps, arts and crafts and music and dance.
Lake Michigan is a haven for sailing and salmon fishing while marinas in Wauekgan and Winthrop Harbor provide docking facilities for thousands of boats including charters. To the west, there's the Chain of Lakes, with miles of waterway connecting to the Fox River. During the winter months, residents have cross-country skiing, ice skating in nearby arenas and local ponds and downhill skiing just a 40-minute drive west or north.
Tourist and family entertainment in Gurnee includes Six Flags Great America, a theme park that attracts people from all over the state and Gurnee's newest attraction -- KeyLime Cove, a new family resort hotel with island resort-style suites, a water park, spa, restaurants and retail stores. Use of the water park is limited to hotel guests.
"We have a lot of nice places to eat too," Judah said. "There are too many to list, but there are lots choices for everybody."
Gurnee's location near the tollway is a big plus for residents and businesses. The town sits midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, a 45-minute drive to both O'Hare Airport and Mitchell Field in Wisconsin. Being a little farther north, it's also close to Kenosha, which is booming, Lake Geneva and Lake Michigan, Judah said.
"Gurnee is a very nice community with affordable homes, good school district and lots of shopping and restaurants. It's a very clean and well-kept community, and the taxes are lower than in the surrounding areas."
Historical timeline
1837: Pioneers began arriving to the area by prairie schooners drawn by oxen, by horseback, on foot or via boat on the Erie Canal, Great Lakes and AuxPlaines River.
1838: First log school house, Dodge School, built in northwest Warren Township.
1873: First railroad built to cross the township was the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad.
1879: Christian Church, the community's first church built next to Gurnee Grade School -- the forerunner of Gurnee Community Church.
1904: First rural delivery route for the mail established. Mail was delivered by horse and buggy.
1920s: Main industry -- Bowman Dairy milk-bottling plant employed 25 men.
1928: Gurnee incorporated -- Mr. Holt subdivided and built homes on Clarence Avenue that people in Gurnee called Peanutville because the houses were so small.
1945: Meyer & Beemsterboer opened an IGA grocery store and Gungler's drug store.
1976: Great America grand opening May 29.
1991: Gurnee Mills, one of the Midwest's largest shopping complexes, opens.
Village facts and figures
Population:
31,170
Land use percentages:
60% residential
20% commercial
10% industrial
10% parks, open space
Largest employers:
Six Flags Great America
Woodland School District 50
Leslie Nauta
RE/MAX Showcase, Gurnee
Call: (847) 265-1300
E-mail: nautateam@comcast.net
Selling in Gurnee: 37 years
Favorite hang out: Back Yard Steak Pit
Fathi Judah
Koenig & Strey GMAC, Gurnee
Call: (847) 360-9700
E-mail: fjudah@ksgmac.com
Selling in Gurnee: 14 years
Favorite hang out: Great America