JACK HOFFMAN 1923-2008
Hoffman Estates was named for him. Developer aimed to offer affordability.
Died December 16th. Bought 300 acres of rolling farmland northwest of Chicago and covered it with three bedroom ranch-style homes.
Mr. Hoffman got into the house-building business in the boom following World War II. With his father Sam, he formed the F & S (Father and Son) Construction in Phoenix, Arizona and put up 5,000 homes while also expanding into Salt Lake City, Denver and Albuquerque.
With the expansion of O'Hare Airport and construction of Interstate 90 in Chicago, they entered the market with construction beginning in 1954 with the first residents moving in a year later.
Eventually they would build 5,000 homes and the town of Hoffman Estates was incorporated in 1959.
In the early days, he would negotiate with the area's German farmers over schnapps. Today, the town has over 50,000 residents.
So, that's where Hoffman Estates got its name.
From December 19, 2008 Chicago Tribune, by Trevor Jensen.
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