New townhouses are sprouting up at the site of the former School District 97 headquarters and Robinson’s Ribs on Madison Street.
Lexington Homes has built the first townhouse at Lexington Reserve at Oak Park, 958 Madison St., and has 20 more to go.
Lexington principal Jeff Benach said the company builds the units as they are sold. The model home became available last month.
He told Wednesday Journal that three of the units have sold already.
Marketed as row homes, the units are decorated with brick and James Hardie panels and fronted with large windows.
Lexington offers three- and four-bedroom units with 2.5 to 3.5 baths and tall ceilings and wood floors. They also feature rooftop decks with views of downtown Chicago.
The units run between 2,216 and 2,507 square feet and range in price from $459,990 to $509,990.
Benach said the company chose Oak Park, in part, because of its hybrid urban/suburban characteristics.
“Oak Park is just a cool town to begin with, and there’s so much to offer,” he said.
Benach noted that the development is four blocks from the El and Metra “and all the stuff downtown Oak Park offers.”
He said each unit also comes with the option of an in-unit elevator.
The development comes at a time when Madison Street in going through a major transition.
The village is currently putting much of the street from Oak Park Avenue heading east on a “road diet” to slim the number of car lanes and add new bike lanes on the busy commercial corridor.
Madison also is set for two new developments at the intersection of South Oak Park Avenue. The Oak Park Board of Trustees approved a proposal by Jupiter Realty, Pete’s Fresh Market, Paragon Real Estate and Essex Communities in late 2018 to build a new grocery store at 644 Madison St. and a senior living facility at 711 Madison St.
Benach said his company has no immediate plans for any other developments in Oak Park but noted that Lexington Homes would be interested if an opportunity presents itself.
tim@oakpark.com
