Show I A DREAM COMES TRUE Unique Village Is Bs Constructed On Plains South of Chicago A dream is coming true for two men of vision on what a n little littlemore littlemore littlemore more than three years ago was nothing but 2400 acres of corn cornfields cornfields cornfields fields and grasslands 27 miles south of Chicago Their dream is taking shape in the form of one of Americas America's Americas America's Amer Amer- ica's leas most unusual communities which already has a population of The community now community now an incorporated incorporated incorporated rated village is village is the first ever built in America and perhaps in all the world from a master plan which describes situates and integrates integrates integrates in in- not only houses and apartments apartments apartments apart apart- ments but also schools hospital churches shopping center recreation recreation recreation tion areas and industrial site It is called Park Forest Illinois It is expected to have about population the majority of them children for children for it is a l place where children are wanted wanted wanted-in in two to td three more years ears when the buildIng building building build build- ing program is completed One of the most rem remarkable advances advances advances ad ad- vances in the building industry and andin andin andin in community planning Park Forest Forest Forest For For- est was basically the idea of Philip M. M an Omaha attorney who was commissioner of public housing during World War II and Nathan Manilow the biggest private private private vate builder of homes in the Chicago Chicago Chi CW- cago area These two with other associates who joined them in the idea later f for formed 0 r m e d American Community Builders Inc for the purpose of putting up a super-modern super American American Amerlean Amer Amer- ican lean city which would serve servo the needs of young families In the mid mid- income dIe range and which would fill flu not only their housing require ments but also their intellectual spiritual and recreational wants Backed by money put up by three insurance companies Klutznick and Manilow have gone far beyond the usual subdivision conception of building which normally provides only for tor housing and lets the other necessities s of living and community community community integration take care of them them- 5 selves elves Park Forest today contains rental apartments in groups of two four six and eight residences per unit Each apartment has its own private entrances lawn and community community com corn yard tot in the rear These are now fully occupied by most of the village residents S 0 OVER AND A ABOVE OVE the rental units unit arc are the first of what will be to sale houses largely two- two and three-bedroom three ranch houses each on a lot of at least 60 feet of frontage These houses are selling for from to 2500 less than comparable houses anywhere in the Chicago metropolitan itan area because of cost reductions made possible by mass purchase and construction of materials There are now 25 stores and shops in the shopping center of the village village village vil vil- vil- vil lage and there is room for 75 more The center situated around a grassy mall has wide sidewalks shielded by permanent weather all-weather canopies to protect the shopper i from the elements I The first o ot of eight schools and eight churches are now nearing completion and a hospital and a segregated industrial area are next to be developed Heated exclusively by natural gas the village is smoke free Even the industrial area will use gas Curvilinear streets a water-softening water system complete sewerage and drainage facilities and huge public recreational areas are among the other attributes of the new village Most of the of heads-of-family are employed in Chicago from which Park Forest Is situated 45 minutes by commuter train Average age of the adult population is strikingly striking striking- ly low low low-a a mere 29 Family income averages a year Perhaps the progressive spirit of the community can best be typified in two of its buildings the buildings the motion picture thea theater ter and the super super- market The theater seats 1100 and not only shows movies but also features art shows afternoon teas free ree coffee and snacks and a soundproof soundproof soundproof sound sound- proof cry room for discontented small fry The supermarket is one of the worlds world's largest It has a unique high speed telephonic out check-out system and conveyor belts which whisk the patrons patron's groceries from rom out check-out counter to the point where they are assembled for sackIng sacking sacking sack sack- ing or boxing The customer is out of the store in an average of about 50 seconds from rom the time she wheels her laden grocery-laden cart to the checkout checkout checkout check check- out counter As might be expected Klutznick who is president and Manilow treasurer of have already been asked to undertake the building building build build- ing lug of similar communities In several several sev sev- eral other areas in the country To Todo Todo Todo do so would require a gargantuan outlay of energy and but capital but they're thinking about it |