Addison, IL

I had friends in every subdivision in town… Westwood, Heritage, Foxdale, Farmwood, etc; including the neighborhoods in town that don’t have well known names. If you didn’t know the kids in town that were your age by 6th grade, you surely did by the time you were in middle school, because there is only one middle school and one high school in Addison.

This is what the school looks like now that it has been remodeled. The growth in the last few years made it necessary to add on to the school, and I would love to see what it looks like inside 16 years after I graduated from Addison Trail, back in 1994.

I could help but revisit some of the old stomping grounds last week when I was in town. Especially some of the homes of my lifelong childhood friends:

This is the home that once belonged to my best friend. It’s sad to know that I don’t know many of the people that now live in my old neighborhood. At the peak of the real estate boom many of the homeowners in the area saw their property values double… and knew that it was time to cash in on their investments. Even though our childhood homes are no longer ours, Brigid and I are still best friends after all these years!

The first person I met on my first day of kindergarten lived in this house. I memorized Michelle’s phone number on the way home from lunch at Fullerton school and I still remember it to this day. Long before the village re-engineered Salt Creek Reservoir where Louie’s Restaurant used to be, this street used to flood. I remember when my dad had to take his fishing boat over to her house to rescue her grandmother from the front porch.

This is the house right next door to Michelle’s where my good friend Jennie lived most of her life too. I remember all of the sleepovers we had in her basement in the summers when we were kids. Her dad recently moved after losing her mom suddenly two years ago.

But I still know this house! My friend Tegan’s parents still own this home just blocks from where I grew up. A few years ago they completely remodeled the interior with a new kitchen and bathroom and floors. It’s amazingly beautiful! I didn’t recognize it the last time I was there to visit.

Many of the homes in the area have been remodeled several times from their original state when they were built in the 1950′s. With the exception of some of the newer neighborhoods on the west side of Addison, many of the homes were built between the mid 1950′s and early 1970′s. I still remember seeing the signs for new construction for Farmwood and Foxdale at the corner of Lake St. and Rt. 53 in the early 1980′s. Since then several new developments have popped up around town as older homes are torn down and some of the remaining vacant land has been developed.

I took these in the car so they aren’t the highest quality images but I was on a mission to capture as much of Addison as I could in one trip while my youngest napped in the van.

This was the old Addison Public Library before the new one was built. The former building is now being used as an administrative building for district 88.

And this is the new library facility:

I know I’m just being nostalgic now… but I think I like the old building better ) And that’s why I’m going to post a few photos of buildings that were once childhood icons of my environment:

This used to be a free standing 7-11 at the end of the street I grew up on. I would ride my bike, and walk my dolls up to the corner for a Slurpee and a handful of Bazooka bubble gum with quarters that I found from the cushions on the couch. Ironically this is now owned by my sister’s father in law Dennis Naples! I can hardly hold it against him for selling cabinets where Slurpee’s were once served, but it would be nice if he’d just install a Slurpee machine somewhere in there for me for old times sake.

Anyone that did not grow up in Addison might be surprised to know that the Alta Villa Banquet hall was originally the Addison Roller Rink back in the early 1980′s. My dad used to take us roller skating here every week.

This used to be Tommy’s Red Hots, and the parking lot was the place to meet up with friends after school and after a football game. It was often filled with Mustangs, Camaro’s and motorcycles.

Nardi’s pizza is still Nardi’s pizza… and I would kill for a slice right now. This was the place our family ordered from every Friday or Saturday night. And not for dinner… it was like a 4th meal we couldn’t live without.

And this is where you either worked or hung in the summer, and where all the cute boys worked as lifeguards.

And these are the two local gas stations just a few blocks from each other that were owned by owner James Krage. He owned the Amoco at the corner of Addison and Lake St. with his daughter, and still owns the service station on Lake St. with Vic Grisetto. I worked at both of these gas stations in high school and beyond, and to this day it ranks as one of my favorite jobs that I’ve ever had.

Right across the street is John’s Pizza, the other favorite place to meet up after a game or school event.

And if you didn’t get your driving permit through the school driving program because you had a late birthdate, your parents probably had to dish out the cash to put you through driving school at Michaels.

There are still many apartment complexes in Addison located throughout the town. Not much has changed in the architecture or design of these buildings throughout the years.

Based on the strength of the relationships I have made and kept as a result of growing up in Addison, I just have to say… this truly is a special place.

I will continue to highlight Addison in terms of both real estate and community experiences. Please feel free to comment and share your experiences of living in Addison IL. If you or someone you know are looking to sell or buy a home in Addison, please have call me at 630-673-6233. I’d love to be part of your Addison real estate transaction!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Addison IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233