A Message from Mayor Ron Serpico
Entering Melrose Park, one returns to a time when neighbors talked over the fence, moms watched out for each other’s children, and churches were central to family life. Our tree lined streets are populated with beautifully manicured homes. In the last 5 years, Melrose Park has added hundreds of new home options to meet the demands of the today’s real estate market.
But what you will really notice upon entering Melrose Park is the diversity of its residents. Walk down any street and you will be immersed in a tapestry of cultures, each with their unique language, food and customs - Melrose Park is a shining example of the ideal of the “American Melting Pot”.
No discussion of Melrose Park would be complete without telling people that we love a good party. Celebrations and festivals are synonymous with the words Melrose Park. The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been celebrated every July for over 100 years and is the longest running festival in the Chicago area. Our annual Hispanofest draws nearly 125,000 people. And every Labor Day weekend the Taste of Melrose Park draws hundreds of thousands of hungry patrons and has been ranked by the Illinois Festival Association as the second best food festival in all of Illinois.
Few communities offer its residents the amenities that Melrose Park offers. Our central location, nearby major expressway system, and our commuter train/bus routes enables residents to arrive at O’Hare Airport, downtown Chicago, pro sporting events, entertainment venues, area golf courses, excellent shopping centers and fine dining eateries in a matter of minutes. Melrose Park is one of the very few villages to have two respected hospitals, Gottlieb and Westlake, located within its village limits.
Melrose Park, thanks to its many businesses, is able to offer its residents some of the lowest water rates and real estate property tax rates in all of the Chicago suburbs. Our crime rate is one of the lowest in the western Cook County suburban area and our average home sale price soared over the past ten years.
Speaking of businesses, Melrose Park’s nickname is, “Corporate King of the Suburbs.” Corporations like Alberto-Culver, Wilson Sporting Goods, Benjamin Moore Paint, Jewel-Osco, Home Juice, Zenith, International Harvester, Navistar and many others have made or still call Melrose Park their home.
Please visit Melrose Park and experience a unique community that takes you back to a time when life was less complicated and a lot friendlier. If you have any questions, please call 708 343-4000. Hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Ronald M. Serpico
Mayor of Melrose Park
