Orland Park, IL

Located in the prairielands 25 miles southwest of Chicago, the village of Orland Park is a thriving commercial center for the "Southland," the collection of suburbs south and southwest of the Windy City. In fact, Orland Park boasts more than 70 malls, plazas and shopping centers-most notably, Orland Square Mall, a large, upscale shopping mall. In both 2006 and 2008, Money magazine ranked Orland Park as one of America's Top 100 Best Places to Live. The magazine's criteria for selection cite a blend of green space with easy access to urban amenities. With its vast parklands and commitment to open areas as well as the easy car and train access to Chicago, Orland Park fits the bill. The city also has personal and property crime risks that are fewer than half the national average, which is another important factor in the city's livability.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Orland Park housing runs the gamut from sprawling, turn-of-the-century, Victorian homes to new-build condominiums and townhomes. The majority of housing available, however, is in single-family subdivisions throughout the city. Much of the housing stock is established homes built between 1970 and 1994. Although rental units are available, Orland Park has about a 90-percent home-ownership rate. This high rate of owner-occupied homes tends to reflect a stable community. Many Orland Park households are made up of families, another marker of stability. Property values rose dramatically in Orland Park in the 2000s.

The centerpiece of the village is the Civic Center, which was named by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 150 great places in Illinois. The Civic Center sits on 15 acres of 100-acre tract owned by the village. The village hall boasts an ornate and distinctive clock tower that can be seen from LaGrange Road, where many of the city's commercial properties lie.

Village Center: Located near the railroad commuter station, Village Center houses many of the city's early stores and older, historic houses. The area is moslt comprised of single-family homes of modest size, although there are some high-rises and apartment complexes.

Wolf Road/Route 7: This family-oriented area features mostly single-family homes, and is the priciest area of the city. The houses are mostly of medium size, with three or four bedrooms.

143rd Street/Route 43: The northeastern side of the city has mostly single-family homes, and it's an area popular with families.

Robert Morris College/U.S. Route 6: This area of single-family homes also features Orland Square Mall and Orland Park Place, two of the city's largest retail areas.

Alpine: The southernmost section of Orland Park is popular with professionals with families.

U.S. Route 6/Route 43: This neighborhood features the most amenities within walking distance and has a slightly more artsy feel. It is an area popular with a range of ages.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Orland Park is a major retail center, where malls, plazas and strip malls abound. In fact, the city has more than five million square feet of retail area. All of this helps Orland Park rank fifth in total sales for Chicago-area suburbs. Orland Park's population of an estimated 55,000 includes a mixed workforce of blue-collar and white-collar workers. Many residents tend to work in sales, management or office support positions. Healthcare is also a common employer; Orland Park features a strong medical industry, including the Century Medical Park business area and Palos Primary Care Center, which is one of the city's top employers. Palos Primary Care Center offers an immediate care center as well as other health services. Other top employers include the local school district and the village government.

FAMILY FUN

Orland Park has 550 acres of recreation areas, including more than 40 baseball fields, more than 30 playgrounds, nearly 40 basketball courts and more. The city has several large recreation facilities of note:

• Centennial Park: This recreation space includes an enormous seasonal aquatic center complete with large slides, a skate park, soccer and baseball fields and a marina boardwalk along Lake Sedgewick.
• Franklin Loebe Center: This center, located within the Village Center Complex, features a large, indoor playground and walking track as well as a dance studio and wrestling room.
• Sportsplex: This fitness and recreational center includes everything from group exercise classes and basketball courts to a rock-climbing wall and batting and golf cages.

The city also boasts lots of green space through the Open Lands Fund. The fund was started in 1995 to improve residents' quality of life by buying and protecting areas of open space within the city.

Lake Sedgewick: This lake has a boat ramp and hiking paths as well as a boardwalk, gazebo and an outdoor amphitheater.

McGinnis Slough: Also known as Orland Lake, this area features a wildlife sanctuary that is a haven for birdwatchers. Fishing in the lake is permitted.

Tampier Lake: This lake offers fishing as well as canoeing and rowboating.

FOR VISITORS

Hostert Log Cabin Site: The village's early settlers are commemorated in the two log cabins in this wooded setting. One is an original structure from 1850 and features authentic period pieces; the other is a reproduction of an 1855 cabin and showcases old farm tools.

John Humphrey House Historical Site: This site-home of the "father" of Orland Park-is open for tours and also serves as headquarters for the local historical society.

Twin Towers Chapel: This former Methodist church dating from 1898 is the city's only structure on the National Register of Historic Places.

LOCAL MEDIA

Orland Park is within the Chicago broadcasting area, so local television channels include:

• WLS Channel 7 (ABC)
• WMAQ Channel 5 (NBC)
• WTTW Channel 11 (PBS)
• WGN Channel 9 (CW)
• WBBM Channel 2 (CBS)
• WFLD Channel 32 (FOX)

Local news, sports and weather are provided daily by the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, which is part of the Sun-Times News Group.