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10 Great Neighborhoods in Chicago
From River North to the Gold Coast, to Wicker
Park and the South Loop, discover some of Chicago's best neighborhoods
and find out which one is right for you.
Photo via Wikipedia
The 88,000-square-foot Flat Iron Arts building in Wicker
Park intersects three points: Milwaukee, North and Damen Avenues, in the
heart of one of the artsiest Chicago neighborhoods. Artists, musicians,
actors and other theatrical types began leasing up the cheap rentals in
the area in the '90s. But the neighborhood has moved through expected
gentrification as the hip factor spread and more Chicagoans
re-discovered the area.
Bucktown/Wicker Park
Boundaries: Bucktown: Between Fullerton Avenue south to North
Avenue, from Western Avenue east to Kennedy Expressway/Ashland Avenue;
Wicker Park: Between North Avenue south to Division Street, from Western
Avenue east to Ashland Avenue
Goats used to graze in what is now considered one of the hippest and trendiest neighborhoods in Chicago -- if not the
country.
The popular theory is that Bucktown got its name from the male goats, or
bucks, that were raised by the Polish immigrants who fled their war
torn country in the 1800s. Throughout the years, Bucktown saw many waves
of immigration, primarily Polish until World War I, then Jewish in the
early 1900s and Latino around 1960.
It was in the 1980s that Bucktown began to evolve into the artistic
community that it is known as today. The lower rents in the undiscovered
area and its proximity to downtown made it a natural choice for
musicians
and artists looking to stretch their bucks a little further. As the
area became more popular, rents began to climb, pushing people south to
Wicker Park. The dividing line between the two is North Avenue, with
Bucktown to the north and Wicker Park to the south.
“Because of its infrastructure, [Bucktown’s] one of the easiest
neighborhoods
to get in and out of,” says Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of @properties, a
Chicago real estate brokerage firm. “It’s a very diverse economic
neighborhood. You’ve got $2 million homes scattered throughout the
neighborhood with condos, lofts and townhomes.”
Serious rehabbers seek out Wicker Park for the unusual, for instance,
this converted firehouse and a "pod" house located here was the grand prize architectural winner for a "
small spaces" exhibit. And you can
trade up your old threads for cash at the Crossroads Trading Company.
Photo via Coldwell Banker Real Estate
Probably the most famous photo-op spot in the Gold Coast, or
all of Chicago. The Oak Street Beach gets bodies tanning and runners
and bikers hitting a stretch of the nearly 19-mile Lakeshore Trail.
Rents are steep but property values remain constant in this wealthy
enclave. At one point, the Gold Coast had the highest reported income in
the country.
Gold
Coast/Old Town
Boundaries: Between North Avenue south to Chicago Avenue, from LaSalle Avenue east to Lake Michigan
Old money and stunning lake
views
characterize this hot neighborhood that runs contrary to the Chicago
phrase: “cooler by the lake.” Oprah once lived on the border of this
high-priced community, where homebuyers can pay millions for a
two-bedroom condo. And if you're into "intentional living," or sharing
humongous spaces commune style, this area has some of
Chicago's largest old homes
that could fit the bill. “People are drawn to this area because of the
nightspots, the good food, its proximity to the lake and to the business
district,” says Prudential Preferred Properties Realtor Carla Walker.
The main commercial center for this neighborhood is Oak Street, the
Rodeo Drive of the Midwest. Hermes, Versace and Gucci clothing stores
mingle with four-and five-star restaurants offering outdoor seating in
the
summer.
Oak Street runs right through the heart of an area known as the “Viagra
Triangle.” This slice of the city, bounded by Rush Street, State Street
and Chicago Avenue is nicknamed for the affluent, white-haired men that
can be seen courting well-dressed women in their 20s at area singles
bars. Coincidentally, Hugh Hefner’s original playboy mansion, at 1340 N.
State St., is just down the street from the Viagra Triangle.
During summer,
Rush Street Concerts at the landmark St. James Cathedral showcase live performances for an hour.
University of Chicago in Hyde Park. It's still considered a
college town and attracts professors and world-class minds. The South
Shore neighborhood hosted the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (the
world's fair). Many of the resort hotels that lined Lakeshore Drive have
been converted into apartments and condos.
Hyde Park
Boundaries:
Between 51st Street/Hyde Park Boulevard on the north, 59th and
60th streets on the south, Washington Park on the west and Lake Michigan
on the east
Without question, one of the most
famous
residents is the 44th President Barack Obama. Seven miles from the Loop
on the South Side of Chicago, you'll find several of the country's more
prestigious institutions. The University of Chicago, renown for
producing over 87 Nobel Prize laureates, including two 2013 award
recipients for economics, is here. Chicago
Blues legend Muddy Waters played the standing-room-only gig with the Rolling Stones at the Checkerboard Lounge in 1981.
Lakeview is host to the annual Chicago Pride Parade on the
Halsted strip and the two-day PrideFest, usually held the final weekend
of June. The event draws crowds upwards of 750,000 lining the streets
and is one of the largest and well-known in the world.
Lincoln Park/Lakeview
Boundaries: Between Diversey Parkway south to North Avenue, from Clybourn Avenue east to Lake Michigan
In the 1800s, the area that is now one of the most fashionable
places to live in Chicago was mostly swampland and forest. Now, it’s a
magnet for singles in their 20s and 30s, many of whom stay to start
families here. The neighborhood is home to two private schools with
great reputations for the education they offer
kids from
junior kindergarten through 12th grade. The community is very much like a
college town within the big city, with a large variety of shopping,
restaurants and nightspots all in close proximity.
People who live here don’t really need a car to get around, which is
a good thing, because parking here is scarce. Residential streets are
lined with cars bumper to bumper, and most of the streets require a
permit to park. The neighborhood’s young energy is fed by the 3,000
students who attend DePaul University’s oldest and largest campus in the
heart of Lincoln Park. Named for Chicago’s largest park (with more than
1,200 acres), the neighborhood offers an abundance of outdoor
activities, including bike trails, jogging paths and athletic fields.
There really is not a main artery in Lincoln Park, because every major
street running through the neighborhood is a hub of commercial activity.
A brand new
upscale retail and luxury living development, New City,
is underway in the busiest shopping corridor in Chicago. And for the
bargain-hunter, Lincoln Park is headquarters to a truly unique
enterprise:
Millionaire Rejects is the ultimate resale shop. Want a great place for a
first date? North Pond restaurant made the
list of six best romantic spots in Chicago.
Photo by: Alan Koppel Gallery
Several walking tours are available for the River North Gallery District. Here, Lille Boulevard de la Marne
by Jacques Villeglé on display at the Alan Koppel Gallery on Dearborn
Ave., which introduces and features work of European and 20th Century
American artists.
River North
Boundaries: Between Michigan Avenue to the east, Chicago Avenue to the north and the Chicago River to the south and west.
This area of Chicago was uncharitably called a slum until real
estate developer Albert Friedman began leasing out buildings to art
galleries, photographers and agencies, all looking for economical office
and display space. The transformation has been exceptional.
Today, River North has the greatest concentration of art galleries
in the country -- over 100 clustered in the gallery district on Superior
and Huron -- trailing only New York. The world's largest commercial
building,
the Merchandise Mart, at 4.2 million square feet, is here. (Google Inc.
is a tenant.) And Donald Trump built Trump Tower on Wabash, the
tallest residential skyscraper in the western hemisphere and popular home for athletes and
celebrities (Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose bought a condo).
Photo by: Ribfest
This town is a meat town. Behold the summer Ribfest Chicago
event, held in Northcenter neighborhood of Roscoe Village where
carnivores indulge in serious Ribmania -- an amateur rib-eating contest
as part of the sauce and music and smoking cookout.
Roscoe Village
Boundaries:
Between Addison Street south to Belmont Avenue, from Western Avenue east to Lincoln Avenue
German and Swedish workers settled in what is now Roscoe Village in
the late 19th century when it was between two industrial areas on its
eastern and western borders. Tough economic conditions during the Great
Depression closed many factories and businesses in the area, and
development slowed. The real estate market began to pick up in the
1980s, however, when developers began to see the advantages of its
location only four miles away from the Loop.
Like a village within the city, this quaint community is very popular
with young families. Parents are often seen pushing strollers past the
shops with colorful awnings, small restaurants and trees that line
Roscoe Street, the neighborhood’s main thoroughfare.
Vintage
brick walkups and well-maintained frame houses with front porches help
maintain the atmosphere of this family-oriented community. Along with
the newer designer boutiques that have sprung up in the area, residents
of Roscoe Village can enjoy the largest concentration of antiques stores
in the Midwest, located along the neighborhood’s Southern border.
This neighborhood was featured in our How Much Does $1 Million Get You in Chicago series.
South Loop
Boundaries: Between Jackson Boulevard south to 16th Street, from the Chicago River east to Lake Shore Drive
In the early 1900s, the area that is home to some of Chicago’s top tourist attractions and the country’s largest
media and
arts college was filled with brothels, saloons and pawnbrokers. Known as
the Levee District, the neighborhood housed one of the world’s most
famous bordellos at the time. Prostitution flourished in an area
protected from law enforcement by organized crime and crooked
politicians.
Today,
luxury high-rises and
modern
townhomes are being built in an area once known as “Satan’s Mile,” a
stretch from Van Buren to 22nd that was so crime-infested an 1896 judge
ruled that a man deserved whatever he got for entering it. Generally
considered a slum, the South Loop was a far cry from the expensive
neighborhood it is today. Now a thriving community where visitors flock
to tourist spots like the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the
Field Museum, the South Loop is an area that draws executives who enjoy
its proximity to Lake Michigan and the downtown
business district.
“For many of my clients who choose to buy in the South Loop, this is not their
first home,” says Walker of Prudential. “It’s the next step up for young people.
A lot of people who have homes in Indiana or the suburbs, and they want space
downtown, that’s where they’re buying.”
That South Loop has become a premium destination is reinforced by the continuing
developer buzz and re-imagining of high-rise living.
Photo by: Navy Pier
A bright, sunny day at Navy Pier in the Streeterville
neighborhood, with iconic Ferris Wheel in background. It's one Chicago's
biggest entertainment draws and walking distance from high-end shopping
on the Magnificent Mile.
Streeterville Boundaries: Between Grand Avenue south to the Chicago River, from Michigan Avenue east to Lake Shore Drive
Development and home sales in Streeterville, southeast of the
Gold Coast, remains strong. “Anytime you’re within a few blocks of
Michigan Avenue, home values will be higher,” says Gail Lissner, a vice
president of Appraisal Research Counselors. “More established, more
well-located areas will do better even in a soft housing market.”
The
most spectacular apartment space in the country debuted here, located at 500 N. Lakeshore Drive. The people who live in Streeterville are
moving up,
literally, with taller highrises being built every year. Nicknamed the
“platinum coast” by some Realtors, apartment buildings and
condos in
this area come with more than the usual amenities. Some come attached to
banks, athletic clubs, convenience stores, hotels and in one case --
the Residences at River East Center -- a 21-screen movie theater and
bowling alley.
Parking in this neighborhood, which has Northern Michigan Avenue as
its western border, is expensive. Expect to shell out about $250 a month
to rent a parking space. Residents can save the $3,000-a-year parking
expense by taking advantage of the taxis that come right to their door.
Photo by: BellyQ
Former Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan partnered with
Belly Shack ventures and Cornerstone Restaurant Group on Chef Bill
Kim's Asian barbeque joint BellyQ in the West Loop on Randolph Street.
West Loop
Boundaries: Between Lake Street south to Eisenhower Expressway, from Kennedy Expressway east to the Chicago River
Oprah built her Harpo Studios empire here, before this former warehouse district became an up-and-coming neighborhood of
contemporary
lofts, midrises and art galleries. “Most buildings are between five to
seven stories,” says Jeneane Ally, a Realtor with Rubloff Residential
Properties and a West Loop resident. “Developers are taking the existing
buildings, gutting them and making them look like new.” The West Loop
Community Organization has fought to control density and limit the
number of high-rises that can be built here.
With larger units, two parks in the area and more parking available
than other neighborhoods near the Loop, the West Loop is a draw for
young families. Within its borders is the prestigious Whitney M. Young
Magnet High School, alma mater of first lady Michelle Obama. Enrollment
for this public school, which consistently ranks as one of the top high
schools in Illinois, is highly selective and determined through test
scores and academic standing.
Not to be missed is the SoHo of the Midwest, the monthly
Randolph Street Market, a one-of-its-kind outdoor and indoor arena for the collector, antique shopper and flea market connoisseur.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia
Ukrainian Village on the West Side has an envied
architectural treasure: Louis Sullivan's Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
on Leavitt St. is open for tours. And while you've got your eyes full
of Sullivan wonder, tune in to the landmark district on Hoyne and Thomas
Streets for some 1880s cottages.
Ukrainian Village
Boundaries: Between Division Street south to Grand Avenue, from Western Avenue east to Damen Avenue
Chic boutiques and trendy nightspots continue to pop up in this west
town village south of Wicker Park. Decorated with beautiful, ornate
churches, the neighborhood has preserved the cultural heritage brought
to it by German, Polish and Ukrainian immigrants in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. Although most of its residents are not of
Ukrainian descent, the Ukrainian food here is some of the best in the
city, and visitors can still hear the language spoken on backyard stoops
and in neighborhood businesses.
Division Street and Damen Avenue are the community's commercial
centers with a variety of shops and restaurants that are transforming
this quiet village into a hot neighborhood for
homebuyers.
“In the last two years, we’ve seen a lot of younger professionals
moving here,” says Helen Sobel, a broker associate for Baird &
Warner. “It’s usually a young couple starting out with their dog. They
can get a three-bedroom condo for $350,000 in the area that they can
grow into.”
The Ukrainian Village is a very
eclectic neighborhood containing low-rises, single-family homes and older
Victorian
homes that are inhabited by families who have lived here for decades.
“It’s got a very Chicago feel to it,” Sobel says. “There are a lot of
front
porches still in the area, and people saying ‘hi,’ when you walk by.”
"King of Concept," Restaurateur Jerry Kleiner and Chicago, who brought style to dining on Randolph Street,
converted a brick garage into a show home in the West Town section of Ukrainian Village.
By Sabrina Wu, FrontDoor.com
Ron Goldstein,MBA
Certified Luxury Broker@Berkshire Hathaway Chicago & St. Petersburg
chicagoluxuryrealty.com stpeteluxuryrealty.com
(o)312-264-5846 (c)312-771-7190 (f)312-264-5746
Offices in Chicago
and St. Petersburg
2014 BHHS President's Circle - Top 4% in Nation
