Montclare is not Gold Coast-grand or Lincoln Park-lively, but that's fine with its residents. This tidy, mostly residential enclave is as quiet as city living gets.
Nine miles northwest of the Loop, Montclare is a neighborhood where people put down roots, said 36th Ward Ald. John Rice, who governs his native neighborhood with a black SUV and cellphone that rarely leaves his ear. "We have a lot of families with two, three relatives on the same block," he said.
The diverse community comes to life in the summer, as the cracks of bats hitting baseballs sound in its parks, while its side streets host dozens of block parties. Independent sports leagues keep kids booked through the spring, summer and fall.
Rice's to-do list includes filling empty storefronts on the main corridors such as Grand and Diversey avenues, but keeping the neighborhood flavor the same. Requested by residents, speed bumps on the side streets tell visitors to slow down and watch for kids.
Tops on residents' want lists are more restaurants, said Rice. "Restaurants, yes. Bars, no," he said. "Everyone wants a liquor license, but I don't want this to turn into a neighborhood of taverns. We don't want people making noise at 2 a.m."
The "if it ain't broke" rule works here, said Mike Antonopolous, who has not changed his Mr. D's Shish-Kabobs since he bought it 40 years and 110,000 pounds of potatoes ago from a Mr. D. "Same menu, same people," he said. "All orders come with fries. It works."
History
Named after Montclair, N.J., Montclare owes its beginnings to William Sayre, a determined farmer who laid claim "by right of possession" to 90 acres here. Montclare was a thriving farming district before its transition to a residential community. The family name endured as the name of a park, school and street.
Like many of Chicago's outer-ring neighborhoods, Montclare once was a suburb. After it was annexed to the city in 1889, its first wave of residents included English, German, Italian and Polish immigrants. Today, Hispanics are Montclare's fastest-growing population.
Montclare still is like a suburb in the city, with few major employers. Most of its residents work outside the neighborhood, commuting downtown or to nearby employers, including Mars Inc., Shriners Hospital for Children or The Brickyard mall.
Things to do
The Rutherford Sayre and Bell parks offer splashpads, tennis courts and playgrounds. In the summer, both parks fill with children enjoying soccer and baseball and adults playing softball.
Shopping is scarce in Montclare, but The Brickyard mall defines Montclare's eastern boundary. Big-box retailers aplenty fall within a mile of Montclare. Although Montclare's main streets still suffer from the retailers' flight to the malls in the 1970s, a few veterans such as Reuter's Bakery remain.
Montclare's locally owned eateries have loyal followings. They include the Paradise Club, Abram Gale sports bar and Agostino's Ristorante.
Transportation
Montclare residents heading to the Loop can ride Pace buses, the CTA Blue Line or the Metra Milwaukee District/West Line.
For those who commute by car, Montclare is minutes from Interstate Highways 290 and 90.
Housing
"Welcome to the Bungalow Belt," said Rice of his neighborhood. Indeed, these sturdy, brick, pre-World War II models are lined up like brick soldiers, punctuated by renegade Cape Cods and Georgians.
"In the past year, the houses have been selling to young families or to investors who are buying foreclosures," said Erica McClain, Realtor with Re/Max Vision in Chicago. The typical sale, she said, was a four-bedroom 1927 bungalow that sold for $151,000.
Before the recession hit, builders completed some mid-rise condo buildings on Montclare's main drags. A 2005 two-bedroom condo on Grand Avenue sold recently for $190,000.
Although Montclare housing is mostly single-family and owned, rentals include the mid-rise Montclare Senior Residences.
Schools
Kindergarten through eighth-grade students north of Grand Avenue attend Josephine Locke Elementary School. South of Grand, they attend Sayre Elementary Language School or Burbank Elementary School. High school students attend Steinmetz Academic Centre.
Many families of this traditionally Catholic neighborhood send their children to nearby parochial schools, including St. Patrick High School.
