Mundelein on the move with newer developments

Realtor Donna Cockrum remembers when her 81-year-old father was one of the few grain farmers left in the Mundelein area. But in the last 20 years, Cockrum and her family have seen grain farming disappear as Mundelein continued grow, with homes and businesses sprouting up around town.

"My husband and I have lived here all our lives and have seen a lot of changes," Cockrum said. "When I was a kid, we didn't even have a McDonald's; now there are five."

Housing in Mundelein has changed as well. In the downtown area, choices include luxury townhouses, waterfront condominiums, rehab opportunities, starter homes and high-end single-family neighborhoods.

"Some old farmhouses on Seymour (Avenue) date back to the 1920s, and the old part of Mundelein - Park (Street) and Seymour - reflects a variety of architecture," said Janine Walsh of RE/MAX Showcase in Long Grove. "Coming in from the west on Route 176, and also on Park Street, you'll see several Victorian homes, which include a bed and breakfast."

Mundelein's diverse housing mix allows buyers to find something in any price range.

"A lot of people who come from the city look for brick ranches built in the 1950s. Homebuyers can get a nice single-family ranch in the low $200,000s, which is appealing to first-time homebuyers," said Walsh, a buyers' agent and accredited staging professional who works with her husband, Kevin Walsh, at RE/MAX Showcase.

"For downsizers, we have the Grand Dominion for 55 and better with lots of amenities and Sunrise senior care for independent or assisted living. We also have homes on Diamond Lake and on the little-known Countryside Lake. A lot of people don't realize that Mundelein has a lot of lakes," Janine Walsh continued.

Local lakes provide a lot of recreation such as boating, fishing, ice skating and swimming. Other amenities include the Park View health and fitness center, the family aquatic center, community park and sports complex, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and more than 30 neighborhood parks.

Also, Mundelein is known for its fine golf courses, with seven public golf courses within or adjacent to the community.

Another Mundelein gem is the gorgeous property at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, with lakes and buildings that date back to the 1920s and one of the largest collection of historical items and books dating back to the 1600s, Kevin Walsh said.

The Walshes are lifetime residents of Mundelein; Janine is a graduate of Carmel High School and Kevin from Mundelein High School.

Community activities include the popular Park on Park, an antique auto show that attracts 400 or more pre-1977 classic cars. The event, held downtown once a month May through September, is very well attended and people come from miles around, Kevin Walsh said.

Really a nice part of the community feel is the Mundelein Munch, which coincides with the Fourth of July festivities, Kevin Walsh added.

"We have the carnival and showcase all the Mundelein restaurants. Music, entertainment, parades," he said. "Everyone is out in Mundelein at least that one time a year. It's a wonderful event - and it's huge."

Mundelein has some good restaurants, including the Gale Street Inn, which is known for its ribs and open buffet salad bar, and a new casual restaurant called the Caboose because it is next to the railroad tracks, Kevin Walsh said.

Both Cockrum and Kevin Walsh agree that Bill's Pub on the south end of town has the best pizza around.

"It's a family-oriented place," Cockrum said. "We (my husband and I) went on dates there before we were married."

Mundelein is a good place to do business. The community has five attractive, well-located industrial parks and is home to nearly 800 small and medium size businesses.