Elk Grove Village, IL

Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is located adjacent to O'Hare International Airport, 22 miles west of Chicago. With 33,000 residents, it is well known for housing more than 3,800 businesses, most of which are along its more than 5-square-mile business park near O'Hare. Taking up half of the village's 11 square miles, the businesses thrive by take advantage of the multitude of transportation options. Elk Grove Village residents profit with the lowest property tax rate in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

GETTING AROUND

Unlike other Chicago suburbs, Elk Grove Village was born from the highway transit system and not from the railway. This late-developing suburb didn't become established until 1956, when the village's first developer started planning homes. When the planning began, village leaders and the developer sketched out the area's major highways, commercial property, and residential subdivisions.

For commuters in Elk Grove Village, public transportation options aren't as easy to access as they are in other Chicagoland suburbs. There is no direct Metra Rail passenger line stop in the village limits, despite the fact that Elk Grove Village is home to so many businesses and its employees. However, numerous Pace Bus Service routes link nearby train stops to locations in the village and to the airport. Also, the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue line has a stop at O'Hare.

Automotive transportation is plentiful for large trucks or smaller automobiles. Interstate 90 (also called the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) runs east and west and is along the north end of Elk Grove Village. A busy thoroughfare for the village is the interchange of Interstate 290, Interstate 355, and Route 53, which is on the west edge. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway stops just before it hits the southwestern part of Elk Grove Village, but it still connects commuters via Route 53. The obvious air transportation option is O'Hare because it is in Elk Grove Village's backyard. But if travelers want other choices, Midway Airport is 23 miles from the village. A smaller option is the Schaumburg Regional Airport that is 8 miles away.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Most of the more than 3,800 businesses are situated in the village's industrial complex. Employing approximately 100,000 full- and part-time workers, these companies have been a mainstay for Elk Grove Village. Each year, around 100 new businesses strive to become successful in the largest consolidated business park in North America.

Some of the city's top employers include Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Automatic Data Processing, Motorola, Field Container, Apple Vacations, and World Color.

United Airlines, one of the largest businesses that established itself in Elk Grove Village, has changed the venue of its corporate office. Although United moved a majority of its business to downtown Chicago in 2006, it retained its operations base near O'Hare International Airport and stayed in the village.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Elk Grove Village is an upscale master-planned community. Its most expensive homes are on the west end of the village, which is the farthest point from O'Hare International Airport, around Plum Grove and Nerge roads.

In 2006, the village celebrated its 50th anniversary with a full year of special events and celebrations. Leading up to the anniversary, the village also underwent a major beautification project, with the installation of old-fashioned street lamps, brick-paved crosswalks, a 60-foot-tall clock tower, a war veterans memorial, and renovation of nearly all of the village's parks and public facilities.

HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE

Alexian Brothers Medical Center is a 400-bed hospital with more than 750 physicians on staff. It is located on Biesterfield Road, just east of Interstate 290. In operation for more than 40 years, Alexian Brothers specializes in treating strokes and heart failure and performing bariatric surgery, joint replacement, and oncology treatment.

BEST BETS

Jack A. Claes Pavilion: Located on Wellington Avenue, the pavilion offers fun for the entire family. With a fitness center, dance studios, arts and crafts, and an aquatic center, there's something for everyone.

Busse Woods Forest Preserve: This may seem like an odd attraction, but visitors can travel here to view the village's namesake: elk. A herd of elk can be seen at the corner of Arlington Heights and Higgins roads, both of which are very busy thoroughfares. Lucky for the elk -- and for visitors -- a secure fence separates the animals from the humans.

Olmstead Nature Shack: Opened in 2008, the Nature Shack at Olmstead Park provides exhibits, activities, and arts and crafts. Open only on certain Sundays from April through August, the Nature Shack offers opportunities for younger children to earn Girl Scout or Boy Scout badges through its programs.

EVENTS

Farmhouse Museum: Situated on Biesterfield Road, the museum provides a look at early pioneer living. It has an 1856 farmhouse complete with historic furnishings and a barn with 19th-century farm equipment and tools. The museum is open year-round, and exhibits rotate.

Elk Grove Village Rotary Ribfest: This recently added annual festival occurs for two days in the middle of June. Several dozen teams compete to win the prestige of best in class and some of the thousands of dollars in prizes. It's not just residents who win: Visitors win by sampling the tasty wares of the contestants.