St. Cecilia is focus of neighborhood profile

While driving along Golf Road, you may not notice the sought-after St. Cecilia subdivision because it's tucked away off the main thoroughfare behind Clearwater Park and St. Cecilia Catholic Church.

Situated on Meier Road just north of Golf Road, the subdivision offers homes by Kaplan-Braun that sit among older, mature trees in a prime Mount Prospect location.

"This is a very well-established area and a great family neighborhood known for its well-constructed homes," said Mike Machlet, real estate broker with RE/MAX Destiny. "Although people are so mobile today, this isn't a transient area. There is very little turnover, and many longtime residents have stayed in the neighborhood."

St. Cecilia's features a variety of home styles - many with brick construction - that give the area a nice curb appeal. You'll see two-story and split-level homes along with several ranches, including U-shaped ranch styles. Homes generally offer three or four bedrooms, two to three baths and two- or three-car garage, while many have basements.

The well-kept homes sit on interior streets and cul-de-sacs.

When Connie and Hank Lassen lived in Norridge and needed a larger place to live, they looked in several areas including Deerfield and Northbrook. They almost settled on Glenview until they came upon the home they purchased in Mount Prospect.

"We chose Mount Prospect because we saw the good construction in the neighborhood and the strict village codes," Connie Lassen said.

"This is a very friendly neighborhood with really nice people and long-term neighbors. Mount Prospect is a great place to live, and the village responds quickly to whatever needs to be done in the community."

Many homes in the neighborhood have not just been remodeled, but totally updated with all new products and materials.

For example, today Machlet is marketing a beautiful four-bedroom home that has been gutted and redone with marble and granite and hardwood flooring. It has a finished lower level, which is also nice, livable space.

Other great aspects of the neighborhood are the good schools, park districts and convenient location.

"The schools are great," Lassen said. "My children went to the schools, and both went on to college and are doing well. The park districts are great, too, and we use them a lot."

The subdivision is convenient to everything. Two churches flank the entry street into the subdivision while several grocery stores are five minutes away, so you're not wasting gas or time, Lassen said.

Residents also enjoy all the nearby amenities, including Woodfield Mall on Golf Road in Schaumburg, and the redeveloped Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights downtowns.

Arlington Heights offers a thriving downtown with an eclectic mix of restaurants and pubs, live theater performances, outdoor concerts and shopping at boutiques, specialty shops and galleries.

In Mount Prospect, Randhurst Village features national and regional retailers, several restaurants, offices and a state-of-the-art AMC Cinema with 18 screens in an inviting streetscape

"Everything is so convenient that we never have to travel far," Lassen said. "And we're very close to I-90, so it's a quick trip to the (O'Hare International) airport."

Listing sheet

<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $400,000 to $1 million

<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 25 to 40 years old

<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Forest View Elementary and Holmes Junior High schools in Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59; Rolling Meadows High School in High School District 214

<span class="fact box text bold">Parks:</span> Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights park districts