Single-family, townhouse development in Hawthorn Woods to begin later this summer
A housing development described as meeting a community need in Hawthorn Woods is primed to get underway.
M/I Homes of Chicago LLC recently announced it closed on the acquisition of 56 acres on Old McHenry Road north of Route 22 for a new community adjacent to the Kemper Lakes Golf Club.
The development was introduced in February 2025 and revised with major changes to include fewer residences, more open space and what could be the first segment in a regional trail system.
Land development will begin later this summer with construction of model homes beginning later this year. According to M/I Homes, Kemper Ridge will feature 59 single-family homes, and 108 townhouses will be offered at the Townes at Kemper Ridge.
More than half the site is dedicated to open green space and preserved wetlands, and is near forest preserves and parks with convenient access to shopping and dining.
It's the kind of area homebuyers seek, but the options in Hawthorn Woods have been limited.
“By working together, the village and the developer were able to create a community that preserves open space, provides new housing opportunities, and includes the first segment of a planned regional trail system that will connect residents to parks, open spaces, and neighboring communities in the future,” said Chris Heinen, community development director.
Townhouses will be available in traditional four-residence buildings or villa-style two-residences buildings where both are end units. Townhouses will range from 1,991 square feet to 2,436 square feet in four floor plans.
The single-family homes will range from 2,400 square feet to 4,000 square feet in six floor plans. Pricing for both housing types will be announced with the start of pre-sales in the fall.
“As everyone from young families to empty-nesters seek out Lake County, and Hawthorn Woods specifically, demand has emerged in this market for homes representing sizes and price points not necessarily available in the resale market,” Rick Champine, area president of M/I Homes, said in announcing the property purchase.
The property is near the right of way of the defunct Route 53 extension, envisioned as a 12-mile regional greenway between Long Grove and Grayslake. The trail was part of the overall evolution of the site plan in conjunction with the village and M/I Homes, Heinen said.
“I think that was great foresight on the village’s part,” said Jessica Vealitzek, president of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. “This was a key segment of land in that potential corridor.”
The path at Kemper Ridge will be public and built to forest preserve trail standards.
Earlier this year, the district received a $1 million state grant for expenses related to the former Route 53 property. The plan is for the Illinois Department of Transportation to transfer to-be-determined parcels to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and, in turn, the district for a trail.