‘More than houses’: Residents fight to save neighborhood near Addison

Growing up in Addison, Steve Caputo would ride his bike through an unincorporated neighborhood called 53 Trails Estates.

Caputo “always loved the area.” So much so that he moved to a mid-century-style ranch in 53 Trails three years ago this month.

“It's not a disposable neighborhood,” he said. “It's not a neighborhood that, if you drive through it, you would ever think in a million years, it's a tear-down neighborhood.”

Caputo and other residents have been fighting to preserve their well-established suburban community for months. They say the area east of Route 53 and south of Army Trail Road has been targeted by Transwestern Development through a commercial real estate firm. Many have publicly made clear they have no intention of selling their homes.

“There's a lot of people that do not want to go. They bought into this area for a reason. They've been here for many, many, many years, and it's not about the money. It's really about a lifestyle,” said Kyle Collins, who has stayed in the neighborhood for 34 years and hopes “to be there another 34.”

The scale of the potential development is unclear. A Transwestern spokesperson could not be reached for comment. Residents say there are more than 90 homes in the targeted area.

“Our neighborhood is more than houses,” said Lisa Hinton, a grandmother. “It's family history, it's long friendships, it's quiet streets.”

It’s an all-too-familiar story for Christine Bending. She lived in Mohawk Manor, a neighborhood on the outskirts of O'Hare International Airport, for more than 40 years until her home was eventually bought out and demolished to make way for industrial development. Bending moved to nearby Medinah in 2021.

“But just eight months later, Transwestern proposed yet another phased industrial development, this time placing my new home in phase one,” she recalled at an Addison village board meeting last month. “Thankfully, because the residents here fought back, that buyout attempt collapsed. That success is proof of what happens when a community stands united and when officials stand firm.”

‘Both perspectives’

At a meeting Dec. 15, Addison Village Manager Joe Maranowicz said “there's nothing for the board to speak on or to take action on at this point.”

Village staff has advised the developer that “if 100% of the residents would be interested, then we would move to the next process,” Maranowicz said.

“Last thing we want is a community to be divided amongst each other,” Maranowicz said. “And unfortunately, I think that is what is going on, because there are some people that want to sell, some people that don’t want to sell. We understand both perspectives.”

Carlos Rosado, another 53 Trails resident, has called for a partial or phased development.

“This area is already a hub of economic activity, with expanding businesses and increased demand for industrial and commercial growth,” he said. “If we stall progress, we risk losing employers and long-term revenue to neighboring communities.”

Addison boasts one of the largest industrial parks in the state.

“We have UPS, Pampered Chef, Nabisco. Let's add Transwestern,” said Mark Dowz, citing the financial benefit to the village.

He lives in the neighborhood and objects to an all-or-nothing approach.

“We will not achieve a milestone of 100% agreement,” Dowz said, calling it unrealistic and unfair to the 53 Trails residents who “want to see progress and do want to sell their homes.”

Caputo concurs that the developer will “never have 100% — ever.”

“We are at a loss as to how to bring this to an end and restore peace in our neighborhood. Our message remains firm. There is no path forward in this development,” Cathy Sparling told Addison trustees in November.

She spent part of her childhood living in the neighborhood. Sparling returned with her husband to build their dream home on just shy of an acre.

“We know our neighbors,” she said. “We've been here over 35 years, and you watch out for one another.”

‘Want it to go away’

The community is close to Serino's Italian Deli to the west and Addison Trail High School farther east.

“When you drive down Army Trail into Addison, you’ve got both unincorporated areas on the left and right, and tons of trees. And it’s just, it’s beautiful,” Caputo said.

Residents have expressed their opposition with yard signs, T-shirts and even Christmas lights.

“This is the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night. It really has been all-consuming of my life for the last two months,” Collins said.

Caputo said they have contacted various officials, held neighborhood meetings and handed out fliers.

“Some people's reaction is, ‘Oh, well, you can make a lot of money, or well, if there's not 100% you have nothing to worry about.’ That's really easy to say, but when you're living through it, not knowing the future of your home, it's very concerning,” Caputo said. “It creates anxiety, it's created stress, and we just want it to go away.”