o
worked hard to make Mirjam feel welcome. "It's
a very, very warm and lovely neighborhood,"
she said.
Their new home may contribute to that feel-
ing. According to the city of Oak Park, their
house has the highest fair market value of any
home in the city — $1.68,800.
"If it was a mile east, in Huntington Woods,
it would be $300,000 plus," said Oak Park
Deputy Assessor Barry Kraemer. "It might be
overbuilt for the rest of the neighborhood, but
these people are here to stay. The neighborhood
is stable and appreciating, and they're doing
it and improving the neighborhood."
All of Oak Park enjoyed a 9 percent increase
in property values last year. In north Oak Park
— bounded by Greenfield, Coolidge, 10 and 11
Mile roads — the average increase was 8 per-
cent.
The entire city has five new homes recently
completed or under construction. Mr. Kraemer
believes they may be the last in Oak Park un-
less more old homes are removed to make way
for new.
Big additions to existing homes seems to be
the more common way to go. Within the last
two years, city records show, the Ellenberg, Tor-
gow, Schon, Flatt and Kroll families, among oth-
ers, have added up to 1,200 square feet to their
Oak Park homes. Most of these homes were
built in 1965-67 and are now valued above
$100,000.
Oak Park records show that major home re-
modeling and expansion projects in the north
end in 1993 ranged in cost from $13,000 to
$40,000.
Dr. Joe and Glenda Weiss began a 1,000-
square-foot expansion of their Stratford Place
colonial the day after Passover this spring. Af-
ter nine weeks of construction, they still face a
few more weeks of workmen and debris before
the job is complete.
The Weisses have extended the front of their
home 20-22 feet to the front of the garage, cre-
ating a new entry, a library and a larger kitchen.
The construction reflects "a renaissance of
the neighborhood," Mrs. Weiss said. "We were
the third Jewish family on this block when we
moved in 10 years ago. Now, there have been
20 Jewish families here."
She said that "everybody knows what's cook-
ing in everybody's pot, but I don't mind it." Re-
cently, while her husband was away on a trip,
she and their three children were invited by
neighbors for every meal on Shabbat.
"We felt very comfortable in investing in this
(expansion of their home) now. The organiza-
tions have invested in the community, and it
gave us the strength to do it. It has snowballed."
Major investments in the area have includ-
ed Rothstein Park and a park in Southfield that
provide recreational space and easier access
over Interstate 696 for residents walking to syn-
agogues along 10 Mile Road or to Yeshiva Beth
A new baby and a
new home for the
Schwa rczes.
Hot streets In Oak Park.
A new home under
construction on Raine.