a program for resurfacing the streets. We hope to resurface every one of the streets every 15 or 20 years, which we’ve calculated is the useful life of a street in our town. So we’ve taken some pride in actually having a formal capital improvement plan to get that stuff done.” The city also has two TIF districts, one at Lake Katherine, originally there to support the development of the nature center and botanical garden. “Right next to that is a couple of shopping centers and office buildings,” expands Mayor Straz. “We’ve got another TIF in the town, which was done to repurpose a Jewel-Osco building into a brand new building.” Incentives are also in place to encourage facade and parking lot improvements throughout the community. On the subject of housing, Mayor Straz says that although Palos Heights is landlocked, there has been reinvestment in the city.“It’s encouraging that we’re seeing a lot of younger individuals who grew up here, and now they’re moving back into town after they’ve had a family and decided they needed to have a place to raise their kids,” he recounts. “What we’re seeing are a lot of the older, smaller, cottage type houses being either torn down or totally remodeled.” EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND SAFETY Education and healthcare are two major pillars of the community.“We have Lake Katherine nature preserve and botanical garden. We have a golf course. We are home to Northwestern Medicine’s Palos Hospital campus. Northwestern is rated one of the highest ranking hospitals in the United States.” Strong school systems and medical presence not only serve residents but also attract professionals. “We have two high schools and two grammar school districts, and they are premier districts,” he adds. “We have a great educational system, with a concentration of professionals who can work in a lot of those institutions.” 180 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 PALOS HEIGHTS, IL
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