Dear Lincolnwood Chamber Members, Residents & Visitors:
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Lincolnwood, where successful businesses and strong values work together to support a community on the rise. In the following pages of this guide, you will find information about our village, which is committed to working as partners with the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its diverse membership, for the betterment of our village. The Chamber Board of Directors serves as a link between businesses, providing opportunities to meet, network and build local connections. For those businesses that are not yet part of the Chamber, please take this opportunity to join a group working toward an ever brighter future for Lincolnwood. If you are a resident, customer of a local business or simply a guest in Lincolnwood, please make it a point to use the services of the advertisers and Chamber members listed herein.
As the Mayor of Lincolnwood, I would like to share some information with you about the village we are proud to call home. Lincolnwood has a population of approximately 12,500 residents, with over 4,400 residences. The village’s municipal neighbors include the City of Chicago and the Village of Skokie. The community is a compact 2.7 square miles of mature, family-oriented neighborhoods on tree-lined streets and satellite parks. Our outstanding school district is a draw to young families who value education.
The village offers three major commercial corridors. The Lincolnwood Business Center offers space for light industry, warehouse and manufacturing. There are three active tax increment financing districts that provide funding opportunities for new and growing businesses. Revitalizing these areas supports the vision of modern (forward thinking) thriving business locations. I encourage you to join our flourishing business community by contacting Community Development Director Steve McNellis, whose information is listed in this booklet, and explore all of the options available.
Educationally, Lincolnwood School District 74 offers an award-winning elementary, middle school and junior high school with cutting edge facilities and an exceptional staff of educators. Niles West High School, which has been awarded honors nationally and provides one of the best public school educational experiences in the area, is located two miles from Lincolnwood in Skokie. Nearby private elementary and high school options include Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Notre Dame High School in Niles, Regina High School in Wilmette, Ida Crown and Arie Crown Jewish Academy, Hillel Torah NS Day School, Oscar Fasman Skokie Yeshiva in Skokie, MCC Academy in Morton Grove and ICC School in Chicago.
Our housing inventory runs the gamut from quaint bungalows and cottages, to ranch-style homes and the popular mid-century style split-levels. Condominium and apartment units round out the diverse offerings of residential options. Prices typically range from $300,000 to well over $1 million, appealing to first-time home buyers, growing families and empty-nesters. There has been significant gentrification of homes throughout our village, building strong communities. Residents who move to our village find many reasons to stay and establish roots. More than 30 percent of households have lived in their home for more than 20 years. The recent opening of The Carrington of Lincolnwood, joined by longtime resident Lincolnwood Place, gives the village two full-service premier independent and assisted living developments for elderly residents.
Lincolnwood residents are very proud of their rich cultural and ethnic diversity. The village has welcomed various ethnic groups from around the world, with approximately 34 percent of our residents immigrating from other countries. We celebrate the multi-cultural background which forms the patchwork that is the heartbeat of our community. In fact, approximately 47percent of residents speak a second language.
Lincolnwood is committed to the arts. We are proud of our Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra and the vibrant Youth Strings Orchestra. The chamber orchestra consists of the area’s finest professional musicians. We were one of the first communities in the area to establish an ongoing commitment to the arts by providing and underwriting space and programs for sculpture installations, and exhibiting sculptures from throughout the world in Centennial Park and the Lincolnwood Business Center. Showcasing various Chicago area artists in our municipal center earned us the title of an “Arts Friendly Community” in 2007, and is strongly supported to date. The Lincolnwood Public Library, established in 1978, underwent a complete renovation and modernization in 2017. A variety of resources and activities are offered for all ages, at its location in the center of the village.
The village has continued to experience significant redevelopment over the past 10 years. Recent openings include Stefani’s Prime Restaurant, Libanais Lebanese Eatery, Somerset Alpha shared-working space, the 383-unit Carrington of Lincolnwood senior living facility, 90 Miles Cuban restaurant, AT&T retail store, and the expansion of the original flagship Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria restaurant. In partnership with the City of Chicago, plans are in final development for a new streetscape along Devon Avenue, east of Lincoln Avenue. This project will breathe new life into an existing business district and draw interest for new businesses. Streamlining processes and permitting will help to attract new commercial tenants through that corridor in an effort to improve and grow our village.
I proudly join with the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry to welcome you to Lincolnwood, where ”Chicago’s North Side meets the North Shore.” Lincolnwood truly is Chicago’s Best Kept Secret! We hope you will take the time to experience and enjoy all that our village has to offer. Life happens here, and we look forward to you being a part of it.
Barry I. Bass
President, Village of Lincolnwood
40-Year Lincolnwood Resident