<<

THE OF

LEMONT,MADE OF MARBLE IL

WWW.LEMONT.IL.US AT A GLANCE THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT,

WHAT: A village of 17,000

WHERE: 28 miles southwest of in Cook, DuPage, and Counties

WEBSITE: www.lemont.il.us THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, IL MADE OF MARBLE

he Village of Lemont, a suburb located finally to the Gulf of . Almost all the some 28 miles southwest of Chicago early town pioneers came to work on the canal, Tin Cook, DuPage, and Will Counties, is either as contract holders or laborers. The one of the oldest American communities in contractors were mostly from New England or northeastern Illinois. Lemont’s first settlers the border towns; the unskilled laborers arrived in 1833, when the town, then called were the newly immigrated Irish, German, , began its development along the site Scandinavians, and French and English of & (I&M) Canal. The Canadians. canal, begun in 1836 and completed in 1848, provided a continuous waterway stretching The canal workers settled along the corridor from New York, via the , , of the canal, and the farms and communities , and , to Chicago, that sprang up nearby helped transform the then through the I&M Canal for 97 miles, northern region of the state from a sparsely entering the at LaSalle, Illinois, settled frontier to a commercial, agricultural, to the River, to , and and industrial region that supplied Chicago

Nestled on the banks of the famous Illinois and Michigan Canal, Lemont’s old quarries hold historical significance for both the town and the greater Chicagoland area alike. As a key of economic development in the mid-1800s, the quarries and the dolomite limestone they produced, cemented Lemont’s place in history. Fast-forward to 2020, and the quarries are beginning to play a momentous role in raising the profile of the town again thanks to the launch of The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park.

Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is an innovative public/private partnership designed to exhilarate, educate, and entertain adventurers of all ages and abilities through outdoor recreation. Regardless of their ability or experience, everyone age 3 to 93 is sure to find activities that will get their heart racing, fill them with energy, and put a smile on their face.

Lemont Quarries Adventure Park features the largest aerial adventure course, tallest climbing towers, and longest ziplines in the tri-state area. It also offers mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboat excursions that feed the appetite of adventure enthusiasts looking for unique challenges. There is even a designated kid’s activity zone that promises to bring to life the wildest imagination of every young adventurer.

Aside from the physical challenges, the park also provides a community-focused space that celebrates the local natural environment and enables guests to pursue personal achievement while connecting with a passionate community of outdoor enthusiasts. People seeking an authentic yet accessible experience will find serene fishing spots as well as miles of running, biking, and walking trails that are free and open to the public.

In addition to promoting an active outdoor lifestyle, the park offers opportunities for guests to engage in educational and entertaining activities through skills development programs, school field trips, environmental education programming, customizable team-building events, birthday parties, weddings, and more. Throughout the year, the park will also play host to a series of concerts, music & film festivals, and unique cultural and holiday-oriented events.

As part of its unique private/public partnership with the village and township of Lemont, Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is committed to the restoration and preservation of the historic natural landscape found at the quarries. Our team is proud to support conservation and restoration efforts in the quarries so that future generations can enjoy and engage with its vibrant natural ecosystem.

...... For more information, please visit our website www.theforgeparks.com THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, ILLINOIS and areas beyond with . By 1848, of the other structures constructed of Lemont the town’s population had reached 3,000 people; limestone. by 1850, it had changed its name from Athens to Palymra, and finally, to Lemont. The quarry industry, like the canal before, attracted more immigrant groups, mainly from In digging the I&M Canal, workers discovered southern and south central : , Lemont (French for “the mountain”) yellow Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and . In dolomite, a harder and finer grained version the second half of the , two rail of limestone, and the quarrying industry soon lines - the Chicago & Alton, and the Santa Fe became the main economic factor of the town’s - began to replace the canal as the main mode growth. During the period from about 1850 of transportation for goods and people. The to 1900 this stone, known as Joliet-Lemont Village of Lemont incorporated in 1873, and limestone, and locally as Athens Marble, became by this time, it had become an important cattle, one of the building materials used in grain, and dairy shipping point. In the , many landmark buildings both locally and in the construction began on the wider and deeper surrounding area. Today, 38 buildings constructed Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, built parallel to of Lemont limestone remain in the Village’s the I&M Canal, and capable of carrying waste downtown district. The Chicago Tower, the away from Chicago, as well as more modern gate to the Stockyards, Holy Name Cathedral, barges. All use of the I&M Canal ended in part of the Auditorium Building in Chicago, Old 1933, with the opening of the canal’s modern Main at , and part of successor, the , of which the the Capitol building at Springfield are some Sanitary and Ship Canal is a part.

I&M Canal THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, ILLINOIS

The 20th century brought industrialization to Lemont with the growth of steel, chemical, and oil companies, as well as newer, high-tech complexes, including the Argonne National Laboratory, a science and engineering research facility operated by the for the Department of Energy, and employing some 5,000 people. On the edge of town is a Petroleum refinery, and along the Sanitary & Ship Canal, there are several manufacturing firms, such as the Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete Company.

By the early 1900s, Lemont’s quarries declined as styles changed and builders began to use Bedford limestone from and less expensive materials like concrete. Over time, the quarries filled up with water and, along with the unused I&M Canal and its adjacent trails and paths, as well as the , which runs through the Village, the area, which was christened the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area, Quarry became a recreation destination with fishing, boating, hiking, and biking opportunities that has attracted, and continues to attract, both residents and visitors, alike.

“So that’s been a wonderful amenity that Lemonters have enjoyed for ,” says Jason Berry, Lemont’s Economic Development Director. “People love to come out to Lemont to recreate, and we’re a great weekend destination. We get kayakers coming out to the Des Plaines River; we have our Du Page County Forest Preserve and Cook County Forest Preserve to our north and to our east, and Will County Forest Preserve to the west has a trail system, as well. From downtown Lemont you can hop on your bike and you have 260 miles of trails to play on.” Mayor John Egofske agrees. “We have these natural assets so outdoor recreation is at the top of the list,” he notes. “We really want to focus on what makes us distinctive and what separates Lemont from the rest of Chicagoland,” says Berry.

An upcoming project that will further capitalize on Lemont’s recreational opportunities is the Quarry new Forge at Lemont Quarries Adventure Park, set to open in 2020. The Forge will encompass nearly 300 acres of mostly vacant land and natural areas adjacent to the I&M Canal and comprising several abandoned quarry sites. A public-private partnership between Lemont Village, Lemont Township, and The Forge Group, the new park will have the largest ropes course in Illinois, , Michigan or Indiana. There will also be cross-quarry ziplines, mountain biking trails, trails for running and hiking, water sports, and more.

“We’re really excited,” says Berry. “It’s a $10 million project for Phase 1, and Phase 2 can be up to $35 million. The owners have their headquarters in downtown Lemont, and they’re with some of the best architects and landscape architects in Chicago. They expect 250,000 visitors in year one. So, we’ve been at work trying to make sure that our business community and residents are ready for this incredible jolt of visitors into the downtown. Biking Trails THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, ILLINOIS

Pete’s Fresh Market

We’re really lucky to have it.” also experienced somewhat of a renaissance over the past few years. “Several buildings were Regarding downtown Lemont, Berry notes that vacant,” he reports, “but they’re pretty much all the area, which is on the National Register of full, right now. We’re also getting a high-end Historic Places is “really the heart of Lemont” luxury development that just broke ground with many old and wonderful buildings made of in downtown. That’s about a $25-30 million Lemont limestone. “It’s a real gem,” he declares. investment for about 80 luxury apartments. “When the canal workers started building the Having a destination, such as the Forge, is huge, I&M Canal, they started building buildings next and as the Forge continues to develop, we have to it to help with the commerce. So, along those other businesses going in.” Over the past few same quarries, we have a dozen or more all- years, several new restaurants have opened up; a limestone buildings, as old as the 1840s. There hometown grocery that first opened in the 1940s was a second wave of development with the has been repurposed into a Pete’s Fresh Market; construction of the Sanitary & Ship Canal. That and an old that was closed for brought more development to downtown, which seven years, reopened a year ago. is beautifully situated in the Des Plaines River valley. North of downtown are forest preserves Berry says that part of the city’s economic plan and as you come down the valley bluff, you see is to bring more residents to downtown in downtown Lemont along the canals and the order to continue to support Lemont’s ongoing river, and then, housing and churches go up the business growth. The Village is on ’s of the bluff. So, it’s a really pretty Line, the regional commuter sight.” rail line out of Chicago, so supporting Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is key. “It’s been a According to Egofske, downtown Lemont has boon in the Chicago suburbs over the last two years,” he explains. “Some of our neighboring communities have seen a lot of apartment growth in their station areas, and Lemont has been planning for TODs since 2002; there’s a 2004 plan, and a 2015 plan. In the last two years, we’ve picked up these plans and started running with them. We’ve met with multi-family developers, contacting our neighbors to find out who’s developing in their communities, having them come in and sit down with us. So, we try to be proactive - not wait for the opportunity to come to us, but to go out and find it. A local developer, Rob Abbinante of Addison Properties Development and Management LLC, is doing a really special, adaptive reuse of an historic building, St. James Academy. This is a building that was threatened with demolition and he came in and saved it. It’s a Lemont limestone building and he’s converting that to nine apartments. The same group took

Pollyanna on the challenge of TOD housing for Lemont. It’s

Downtown Lemont - Stephen Street THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, ILLINOIS going to help support our downtown businesses, to help make sure that they can survive seven days a week.”

Another part of Lemont’s economic plan concerns the use of TIFs – Tax Increment Finance Districts. “In the ‘90s and 2000s, we had a couple of TIFs in place as an incentive tool,” says Village Administrator, George Schafer. “They were used, primarily, to bring our infrastructure up to snuff - a lot of new water mains, sewer mains, and storm sewers – underground utilities. Now we’re at a point where we’re utilizing TIFs for vertical development.”

“We have several TIFs,” adds Egofske. “There’s the TOD, another one that we just implemented downtown, and they’ve been an incredible tool to drive continued and new economic growth. And it’s just not in the downtown; we’re using it in the northeast part of town, as well. We have two TIFs located in what was St. James Academy considered a highly industrial area 40 or 50

Stonecutters Mural years ago. We’ve been able to rejuvenate that land and it’s going to be turned into commercial and light industrial.” In addition, Lemont’s residents recently approved a one percent to help support infrastructure improvements and construction throughout the Village.

Today, Lemont’s population hovers around 17,000, and according to Berry, it has been growing mostly through single-family, residential construction. “We have about a hundred new homes a year, and we have around 300 homes entitled, so we always make sure we have a pipeline of development ready to go. We have some fantastic local builders, and some national builders, as well. A couple of years back, Chicago Magazine described Lemont as ‘a mecca for Millennials.’ We see a lot of folks, who have grown up in the area, head to Chicago’s hip neighborhoods, and then, once they start to have kids, they come back to Lemont. We have two blue-ribbon schools in town: St. Cyril’s & Front Street Methodius, and . So we are

Lemont Housing THE VILLAGE OF LEMONT, ILLINOIS high on the list for young parents; they see the schools, the incredible park district, and our fantastic library. It’s a very family-friendly place and we have a lot of first-time homebuyers and a lot of people that stick around, as well. We’re also seeing a lot of development, right now; they’re aiming at that 55-and-up market, for the most part. So, we’ll continue to see housing development and growth over the next few years.”

“Over the years, Lemont has always been a great place to raise a family,” Schafer says, in conclusion. “Lemont residents enjoy the ideal balance between big city amenities and small town charm. They embrace their heritage and welcome innovation. There are many one-of-a- kind family restaurants ready to serve any palate, unique shops nestled within late 19th century buildings, and murals and works of scattered throughout the downtown. Locals enjoy mingling with visitors in our mix of taverns, pubs, and Northview Park brewery to share what makes Lemont so special.

Heritage Fest Amenities such as state-of-the-art recreational facilities and programs, top-performing schools, a premier golf course, numerous festivals and events, and excellent outdoor recreation activities offer something for everyone. We continue to leverage these strategic advantages to recruit and support small businesses and bring new residents and visitors to town. We’re a very safe community and we have access to transportation - the rail line and several interstates. So, if you live here, you can work just about anywhere: Chicago, up in the northern and western suburbs, even further east. It’s a great place to live.” Lemont Abby - Kayaks

PREFERRED VENDOR n Lemont Quarries Adventure Park [email protected] | 630-326-3301 Nestled on the banks of the famous Illinois and Michigan Canal, Lemont’s old quarries hold historical significance for both the town and the greater Chicagoland area alike. As a key driver of economic development in the mid-1800s, the quarries and the dolomite limestone they produced, cemented Lemont’s place in history. Fast-forward to 2020, and the quarries are beginning to play a momentous role in raising the profile of the town again thanks to the launch of The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park.

Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is an innovative public/private partnership designed to exhilarate, educate, and entertain adventurers of all ages and abilities through outdoor recreation. Regardless of their ability or experience, everyone age 3 to 93 is sure to find activities that will get their heart racing, fill them with energy, and put a smile on their face.

Lemont Quarries Adventure Park features the largest aerial adventure course, tallest climbing towers, and longest ziplines in the tri-state area. It also offers mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboat excursions that feed the appetite of adventure enthusiasts looking for unique challenges. There is even a designated kid’s activity zone that promises to bring to life the wildest imagination of every young adventurer.

Aside from the physical challenges, the park also provides a community-focused space that celebrates the local natural environment and enables guests to pursue personal achievement while connecting with a passionate community of outdoor enthusiasts. People seeking an authentic yet accessible experience will find serene fishing spots as well as miles of running, biking, and walking trails that are free and open to the public.

In addition to promoting an active outdoor lifestyle, the park offers opportunities for guests to engage in educational and entertaining activities through skills development programs, school field trips, environmental education programming, customizable team-building events, birthday parties, weddings, and more. Throughout the year, the park will also play host to a series of concerts, music & film festivals, and unique cultural and holiday-oriented events.

As part of its unique private/public partnership with the village and township of Lemont, Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is committed to the restoration and preservation of the historic natural landscape found at the quarries. Our team is proud to support conservation and restoration efforts in the quarries so that future generations can enjoy and engage with its vibrant natural ecosystem. WWW.LEMONT.IL.US

WWW.BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE.COM AS FEATURED IN