Hazel Crest, Illinois

Chicagoland municipality
muni-name = Hazel Crest
muni = Village
date = 1911
state = Illinois
county = Cook
tcounty = Cook
tcounty2 = Cook
township = Bremen
township2 = Rich
township3 = Thornton
gov = Council-manager
head_label = Mayor
gov_head = Dr. Robert B. Donaldson
pop = 14,816
density-km = 1,692.5
density-mi = 4,381.5
status = up
percent = 11.11
prevyear = 1990
white = 19.47
black = 76.32
hispanic = 3.33
asian = 0.93
islander = 0.02
native = 0.12
other = 1.48
zips = 60429
acode = 708
area-km = 8.8
area-mi = 3.4
pci = 19,908
geocode = 33695
mhi = 50,576
mnhv = 97,200
mhv = 113,545 (2000)
website = www.villageofhazelcrest.com

Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,816 at the 2000 census. The Village is located in the Chicago Southland region and is approximately convert|25|mi|km|sing=off from the Chicago Loop.

History

Hazel Crest was first settled in 1870 in a farming community known as South Harvey. An enterprising newspaper editor named William McClintock moved here from Ohio in 1890, buying 80 acres from farmer Fred Puhrman.

McClintock built a depot so that the local milk train would stop here, and this single move opened up transportation opportunities to Chicago and beyond. The little depot which he built served as the area’s first real estate office, a public meeting place, a Sunday School room, a day school, and eventually, the post office.

In 1900, the name was changed to Hazel Crest to reflect the large numbers of hazelnut bushes that grew on a rise of land just South of town. At the time, the southern border was 175th Street and the western edge of the Village was Kedzie Avenue.

Hazel Crest was incorporated in 1912. Many of the families of the early residents still live in the Village, and they continue the founders’ tradition of community involvement and commitment to excellence.

Over the years, significant developments have occurred because groups of residents joined together for common goals. Examples of this spirit range from the construction of the Community Church in 1894 to the 1984 adaptation of an elementary school building which has now become the Martin J. Kauchak Municipal Center, named for President Kauchak who served the Village for twenty years.

Geography

Hazel Crest is located at coor dms|41|34|23|N|87|41|9|W|city (41.573084, -87.685870)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²), of which, 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.59%) is water.

The village lies on the Tinley Moraine.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 14,816 people, 5,067 households, and 3,729 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,381.5 people per square mile (1,692.5/km²). There were 5,303 housing units at an average density of 1,568.2/sq mi (605.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village is 23%% White, 72.4% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.33% of the population.

There were 5,067 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 22.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the village the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $50,576, and the median income for a family was $54,049. Males had a median income of $40,482 versus $33,243 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,908. About 5.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Federal, State and Local Government Elected Officials
*Illinois' 2nd congressional district - Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. D-Chicago
*19th State Senate District - Senator M. Maggie Crotty D-Oak Forest
*38th State Representative District - Representative Al Riley D-Park Forest (former State Rep. Robin Kelly, now Chief of Staff for Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois State Treasurer)
*15th State Senate District - Rev. James T. Meeks D-Calumet City
*30th State Representative District - Representative William Davis D-East Hazel Crest
*Cook County Board Commissioner - Deborah Sims, 5th District, D-Chicago

As of January 2007, the Village Board's members are:

*Mayor Dr. Robert "Bob" Donaldson
*Clerk Dr. Florine Robinson
*Village Manager Robert L. Palmer
*Mayor Pro Tempore/Trustee Dr. Jane P. Brown
*Trustee Elizabeth Wakefield-Waldren
*Trustee Lee Fantroy
*Trustee Roderick Bashir
*Trustee Vernard Alsberry
*Trustee Debra McGee

All Trustees are elected At-large.

Transportation

Several modes of transportation serve the Village of Hazel Crest.

Major Arteries
*167th Street
*175th Street
*183rd Street
*Kedzie Avenue
*Pulaski Road
*Wood Street
*Dixie Highway
*Governors Highway

To the east, in Hazel Crest Proper, are portions of the Canadian National / Illinois Central intermodal facility. Along on the train tracks, is the Metra Electric Line. The Hazel Crest station moves commuters either north to downtown Chicago at the Millennium Station or south to University Park, the last stop on the line.

Hazel Crest serves as the locale of where Interstate 80 merges with the Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294).

The village also has an extensive array of state highways. The intersection of 175th Street and Kedzie Aveneue is located the center of the village. Also, 167th Street intersects with Kedzie on the north side of the village and Kedzie Avenue also intersects at 183rd Street to the south, all are divided four lane highways except for 167th Street before intersecting at Park Avenue.

Economy

The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC), now known as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), projects that by 2030, Hazel Crest will have 15,786 residents and 3,570 jobs compared to the 2000 U.S. Census Estimate of 14,816 and 2,933 respectively. Major employers in the Village include:
*Mi-Jack
*Advocate South Suburban Hospital
*Graycor Construction
*Giercyzk Real Estate
*Waterford Estates RetirementTwo of the companies listed above are located within the Palmer Lake Corporate Business Park at 175th Street and Governors Highway.

Education

Hazel Crest is served by three elementary school districts which include, Prairie-Hills Elementary School District 144, Hazel Crest Elementary School District 152.5, and Flossmoor Elementary School District 161. Three high school districts service the village, they include;
*Bremen High School District 228.
*Thornton Township High School District 205
*Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233
*Robert Frost Middle School District 152
*Warren Palm Middle School District 152
*Woodland Elementry School District 152

School District 144 operates Mae Jemison, Highlands, and Chateaux Elementary Schools in Hazel Crest and six others in surrounding areas. School District 152.5 operates Woodland Elementary School in Hazel Crest and two others, Warren Palm MIddle School,Robert Frost Middle School. School District 161 operates five elementary schools outside that serve the village.

There are no high schools in Hazel Crest. High School District 205 operates three high schools; Thornton Township High School, Thornwood High School (which some village residents attend), and Thornridge High School. High School District 228 operates four high schools; Hillcrest High School, a combination of names (Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest) in neighboring Country Club Hills (where the majority of Hazel Crest high school students attend), Bremen High School, Oak Forest High School, and Tinley Park High School.

Hazel Crest sits in two community college districts, South Suburban College in South Holland and Prairie State College in Chicago Heights.

Housing

There are a number of subdivisions in Hazel Crest, but there are only six people really identify with, Hazel Crest Proper, Chateaux/Versailles, Pottawatomie Hills/Twin Creeks, Highlands, Dynasty Lakes, and Stonebridge.

There are many condominiums in Hazel Crest. English Valley, Stonebridge, Gingko, Ironwood, and Water's Edge Condominiums range from $34,000 to $128,000 in pricing.

Housing prices range anywhere from $30,000 to $450,000.

Hospitals

Hazel Crest is home to Advocate South Suburban Hospital. This hospital was once located at 171st Street and Dixie Highway in Hazel Crest Proper in 1946 and was known as Hazel Crest General Hospital. The hospital is located at 177th & Kedzie Avenue. Advocate South Suburban Hospital underwent a $20 million expansion project as of 2005.

References

External links

* [http://www.villageofhazelcrest.com Village of Hazel Crest Official Website]
* [http://www.chicagosouthland.com Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.cscvb.com Chicago Southland Convention & Visitor's Bureau]