Bustling business corridor is home to Cantera Village

Eight years ago, Sean Fraser purchased a townhouse at Cantera Village because of its location just off I-88, near forest preserves and close to Naperville where he grew up. When he later married, his wife Michelle moved into the residence.

“We’re really spoiled with being so close to the expressway,” Michelle Fraser said. “It makes it convenient to visit my parents in Palatine and for both of us to get to work in Aurora and Downers Grove, which are eight and nine miles away.

“We’re close to the (Illinois) Prairie Path, which takes us to the Blackwell Forest Preserve, and a lot of people take advantage of that.”

The house itself is very spacious so the Frasers don’t feel like they’re on top of each other, and the layout allows a lot of light into the townhouse.

“We back up to the river, which is nice, and we like having the two-car garage,” she said.

Cantera Village is situated north of Cantera Business Park, which was built on the former grounds of a limestone quarry, and west of Winfield Road. The townhouse community attracts residents because of its location just north of I-88 with all the commerce along the corridor, which runs from North Aurora to Oak Brook. It is also located in the popular Wheaton Warrenville Unit School District 200, which is very highly rated, said Debra Jurgensen, a Realtor and associate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Naperville.

Cantera Village itself is also attractive, Jurgensen said. “The community is very well maintained with nice common areas and a pond and playground in the neighborhood. They’re high-end, newer construction, which is nice because a lot of townhouses in the Western suburbs are older communities.”

Cantera Village offers spacious floor plans with about 2,000 square feet of living space, two or three bedrooms and 2½ baths. A lot of homes have two bedrooms with loft, and some have a full basement. Amenities include an open three-sided fireplace, second-floor laundry and two-car garage. Some offer a first-floor master suite.

“The community draws a mixture of residents,” Jurgensen said. “Two-income younger couples that like the higher-end townhouses, empty-nesters downsizing from a single-family home to a townhouse where they have no yard maintenance, and a few families with children who like the school district.”

A 30-screen movie theater, restaurants and all the shopping at Diehl and Winfield roads are also a big plus for the community. Fraser likes the convenience of this area and says she probably takes advantage of it daily.

“I just ran into Target for five items and spent $112. We can also shoot up to Danada where there’s a Jewel and Dominick’s.”

All the big corporate headquarters in the Cantera Business Park, lots of green space and beautiful scenery make subdivisions in Warrenville ideal for outdoor lovers and those who want to work near home.

Area forest preserves — Blackwell, Warrenville Grove and Herrick Lake — surround the city offering trails for biking, hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. People can also enjoy boating, fishing and camping while off-leash dog areas allow pets to run and play. Visitors too are drawn to Warrenville’s parks and recreation.

Situated 30 miles west of Chicago, Warrenville is known as a city with a hometown feel nestled in the center of the dynamic research and development corridor that runs through DuPage County.

Listing sheet

Price: $110,000 to $240,000

Age of homes: 11 to 15 years old

Schools: Bower Elementary, Hubble Middle and Wheaton Warrenville South High schools in Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200

Parks: Warrenville Park District