North Riverside, Illinois

North Riverside, Illinois
Village
North Riverside Village Commons, which houses village offices and a recreation center.
Seal
Motto:  "A Small Community With A Big Heart"
Location of North Riverside in Cook County, Illinois.
North Riverside Show map of Greater Chicago North Riverside Show map of Illinois North Riverside Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°50′46″N87°49′47″W / 41.84611°N 87.82972°W / 41.84611; -87.82972
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Government
• Mayor	Joseph Mengoni
Area [1]
• Total	1.64 sq mi (4.26 km2)
• Land	1.64 sq mi (4.26 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,426
• Density	4,517.03/sq mi (1,744.46/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	60546
Area code	708
FIPS code	17-54144
Website	www.northriverside-il.org

North Riverside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 7,426. ^[2]

Geography

North Riverside is located at 41°50′46″N87°49′47″W / 41.84611°N 87.82972°W / 41.84611; -87.82972 (41.846222, -87.829585). ^[3]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, North Riverside has a total area of 1.64 square miles (4.25 km²), all land. ^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	969		—
1940	1,036		6.9%
1950	3,230		211.8%
1960	7,989		147.3%
1970	8,097		1.4%
1980	6,764		−16.5%
1990	6,005		−11.2%
2000	6,688		11.4%
2010	6,672		−0.2%
2020	7,426		11.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [5]

As of the 2020 census ^[6] there were 7,426 people, 2,626 households, and 1,681 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,517.03 inhabitants per square mile (1,744.04/km²). There were 3,012 housing units at an average density of 1,832.12 per square mile (707.39/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 58.50% White, 7.04% African American, 1.24% Native American, 3.10% Asian, 13.79% from other races, and 16.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.18% of the population.

There were 2,626 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.00% were married couples living together, 17.25% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.99% were non-families. 31.57% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.41% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 2.44.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $55,879, and the median income for a family was $72,545. Males had a median income of $44,607 versus $41,795 for females. The per capita income for the village was $35,963. About 4.5% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

North Riverside village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [7]	Pop 2010 [8]	Pop 2020 [9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	5,715	4,469	3,810	85.45%	66.98%	51.31%
Black or African American alone (NH)	197	412	513	2.95%	6.18%	6.91%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	7	2	15	0.10%	0.03%	0.20%
Asian alone (NH)	173	137	219	2.59%	2.05%	2.95%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	4	5	24	0.06%	0.07%	0.32%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	48	59	158	0.72%	0.88%	2.13%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	544	1,588	2,687	8.13%	23.80%	36.18%
Total	6,688	6,672	7,426	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Government

North Riverside is divided between three congressional districts. The area east of the Des Plaines River is in Illinois's 3rd congressional district; the area west of 1st Avenue is in the 7th district; the area between 1st Avenue and the river, consisting almost entirely of the western half of the Riverside Golf Club, is in the 4th district.

The Village of North Riverside is governed by a Village President (also referred to a Mayor), Village Clerk, and six Trustees who are all elected to four year terms. The terms are staggered, with elections being held in odd number years. The Mayor and Board of Trustees exercise policy-making and legislative powers of the Village, including adopting ordinances and resolutions, approving the Village’s annual appropriation and operating budget and enacting tax levies. In addition, the Village Board receives findings and recommendations from a number of appointed citizen advisory committees.

Name	Title/Position	First Elected/Appointed	Term Expires
Joseph Mengoni	President	2021	2025
Deborah Czajka	Village Trustee	Appointed 2013 [10]	2027
Antonio “Tony” Santucci	Village Trustee	2023	2027
Kathy Raineri	Village Clerk	2013	2025
Terri Sarro	Village Trustee	2017	2025
Jason Bianco	Village Trustee	Appointed 2013 [11]	2025
Nicholas Tricoci	Village Trustee	2023	2027
Fernando Flores	Village Trustee	2017	2025

An Illinois state appeals court ruled in 2016 that the village must pay into the fire and police pensions. The village had argued that it was unable to contribute to the pension plans because of economic hardship during the Great Recession, which lowered tax revenues. The state Department of Insurance determined that the village had not contributed to its police and firefighter pension funds for several years prior to 2013. The state ordered the village to pay into the pensions, and instead the village filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court in 2014. The judge ruled against the village, and the village appealed. ^[12]

Education

North Riverside is split into two educational districts. First Avenue, IL-171, serves as the dividing line. Komarek School District 94 serves the population on the west side of First Avenue and Riverside School District 96 serves the population on the east side of First Avenue.

Retail commerce

North Riverside Park Mall

North Riverside Park Mall is located at 7501 W. Cermak Road. The mall features three department store anchors as well as 130 specialty shops. In addition, the food court, located at the main entrance to the mall, features local favorites, as well as several chain restaurants.

Costco & Edward Don

In 2011, Edward Don, a large restaurant supply company, elected to relocate to the Village of Woodridge, citing better tax incentives and issues with the property owners. ^[13] In March 2013, Costco closed on a deal with North Riverside and the property owners of the vacated Edward Don building. Costco held their grand opening on November 25. The property also has 4 outlots slated to be sold to other companies.

Transportation

Pace and CTA provide bus service connecting North Riverside to destinations across the region. ^[14]

Notable persons

New York Times bestselling author Chris DeRose.

Bud Light spokes-dog's Spuds MacKenzie, portrayed by dog Honey Tree Evil Eye. ^[15]

Notable events

Fire Department privatization

In a letter dated June 19, 2014, to the residents of North Riverside, Mayor Hermanek pitched the idea of contracting the fire department positions to a private contact company, Paramedic Services of Illinois, Inc.. The Village currently contracts with the company to provide paramedic services, but the plan was to contract the fire fighter positions as well. The plan has drawn significant opposition from the Fire Fighters Union Local 2714, as well as village residents, and department supporters.

At the July 24 Special Meeting of the Village Board to adopt the annual appropriation, there was no vote on the privatization proposal, but the Appropriation Ordinance passed by a vote of 4 to 1. The Fiscal Year 2014-2015 (which began May 1, 2014) budget includes slashed salaries for the fire fighters. "The negotiations are not going to go on forever," said Hermanek. "This will be done by the end of the summer." ^[16]

On September 12, 2014, in a press release from the Village, Mayor Hugh Hermanek stated that he has instructed Village attorney's to file suit with the Cook County Courts, for the right to terminate the Firefighter's Contact, which expired April 30, 2014. The press release in part reads:

The law firm of Odelson & Sterk, the village's attorneys, filed the lawsuit today to affirm that, 'like any other contract between two parties, there is a beginning and an end,' according to Burt Odelson, the firm's lead partner. 'The union's contract with North Riverside expired on April 30, 2014; so, after making six good faith efforts to find a way to build a new contract while also maintaining the village's solvency, the failure to accomplish that requires us to move ahead expeditiously on the privatization plan.' ^[17]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
2. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): North Riverside village, Illinois". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
4. "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
7. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – North Riverside village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
8. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – North Riverside village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
9. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – North Riverside village, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
10. "North Riverside board names trustee's wife to post". Riverside Brookfield Landmark. May 14, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
11. "DeSantis resigns as North Riverside Trustee". Riverside Brookfield Landmark. April 17, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
12. Churney, Dan (December 23, 2016). "Appeals panel: N. Riverside can't claim hardship to skirt police, fire pension obligations". Cook County Record. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
13. "Edward Don Leaving North Riverside". Riverside | Brookfield Landmark. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
14. "RTA System Map" (PDF). Retrieved February 1, 2024.
15. "Spuds MacKenzie is dead".
16. Uphues, Bob (July 25, 2014). "Clock ticking on North Riverside fire department privatization". Riverside Brookfield Landmark. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
17. "NORTH RIVERSIDE DECLARES IMPASSE WITH FIREFIGHTERS' UNION". www.northriverside-il.org. Village of North Riverside. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.

External links

• Village of North Riverside official website
• Landmark weekly newspaper, serving North Riverside, Riverside and Brookfield