Archive for the ‘Chicago neighborhoods’ Category

Clark Condominiums

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

The frigid wind is whipping off Lake Michigan this winter but soon we will be enjoying the delightful spring breezes.  That is the time to visit Chicago.  But rather than follow all the tourists to Michigan Avenue, consider discovering North Clark Street.  On Clark street you will find Japanese art stores, unique second hand boutiques Clark condominiums, Wrigley Field, and Swedish pancakes that melt in your mouth.  A five mile journey north on Clark takes you through three distinct neighborhood – Lincoln Park, Lakeview/Wrigleyville, and Andersonville.  In each you can experience Chicago’s past, its people and its gusto.

At Clark and Addison is a dramatic thing to stumble on – Wrigley Field.  It is one of those neighborhood parks that brims with sentimentality, tradition, and a love for the great American pastime.  Built in 1914, it’s the oldest stadium in the National League.  It is known for the thick ivy that grows along the outfield wall.  Fans sit in old-fashioned bleachers, and a 1930’s scoreboard still keeps tabs manually.  Many people live in the area in newly built or re-furbished condos surrounding the historic field such as Clark Condominiums.  Cubs games are enjoyed on neighborhood rooftops and their cheers often echo up and down Clark Street.  The area around Wrigley is just not for baseball.  It is one of the premier party areas in Chicago.  The 3400 block of Clark Street, just south of Wrigley Field is home to an eclectic group of stores , restaurants, and bars.  Win-loss flags after each game signals to El riders whether to get off and join the celebration.

Going a little farther north on Clark Street at the northern edge of Wrigleyville is Graceland Cemetery.  The father of the Chicago school of architecture, Louis Sullivan, designed several tombs and is buried there with notable such as George Pullman and Marshall Field. 

About a mile north of Graceland is the Andersonville neighborhood.  Banners read, “Valkommen” at Clark and Foster streets.  Welcome to Swedish America.  Between 1890 and 1930, Swedish was the most prevalent language spoken.  After the depression the community suffered from neglect until it was rededicated in 1964.  In the late1980’s Andersonville became a revival as professionals discovered it’s housing stock and proximity to downtown and the lakefront.  Andersonville is now considered one of Chicago’s “hot” neighborhoods.  It enjoys national renown for its unique commercial district comprised almost entirely by locally owned, independent businesses.  Communities everywhere now look to emulate Andersonville as a model of a thriving urban neighborhood.

Clark condominiums offer excitement and entertainment is some of the most historic areas of Chicago and is not a place to be missed.

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Bucktown

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Chicago has over 77 different communities and over 210 neighborhoods within its boundaries many of which are of ethnic origin.  Bucktown is one of these communities which were established mainly by Polish immigrants early in the 1800’s seeking refuge from their war-torn country.  It is believed the name originated from the large number of goats the early settlers raised in their backyards, (male goats are known as bucks).  Today you will not see any goats but the neighborhood is full of Bucktown condos and lofts. 

The neighborhood bounded by North and Fullerton Avenues is a slightly less expensive alternative to many other areas in Chicago, although prices are rising for Bucktown condos.  In the mid 1980’s a growing group of artists emerged creating an artist colony which identifies the neighborhood today.  Bucktown’s past is seen through its one-hundred year old buildings, cobblestone paths, and historic churches, remnants of the early Polish immigrants.  The neighborhood’s past is evident but so is its future.  Contemporary architecture is found next door to vintage buildings in this neighborhood.  Because of its status as a hot spot to live real  estate developers moved in and started converting older buildings into loft spaces and constructing new low-rise condominiums and Bucktown condos were off and running.   The new construction and refurbishing of buildings in the area lead to widespread gentrification and an increasing number of young working professionals.  Most of these buildings offer home and condo buyers updated features like granite kitchen counter tops, new stainless steel appliances, hardwood flooring and remodeled bathrooms, not to mention private balconies and rooftop patios.   With this renewed interest in residential property business was soon to follow.  Businesses such as upscale stylish stores, trendy restaurants, and bars dot the area and are considered one of the most fashionable places in Chicago to live.

Primarily a residential neighborhood, Bucktown is a mix of single-family homes, converted lofts and Bucktown condos.   The average price for a one bedroom condo runs in the mid $200’s and a two bedroom can run up to $300,000.  A three bedroom single family detached home runs about mid $650’s.  Bigger places that have been completely rehabbed with upgraded amenities can run as high as $800-$900,000.  Private residences with more than three bedrooms in Bucktown can push upwards of a million dollars.  Today young adult professionals are flocking to Bucktown in droves.  Its status as a hot spot to live has made this Chicago neighborhood one of the most sought after residential areas in which to live.

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Lincoln Park Neighborhood

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Lincoln Park rates as one of the finest urban playgrounds in the country.  It is not just grass and trees; you can spend a whole day here and visit the zoo, beach, conservatory, and nature museum.  The neighborhood is primarily made up of young urban professionals, recent college graduates and young families. It is a great place to live with many activities to enjoy.

The area now known as Lincoln Park in Chicago used to be mostly forest with stretches of grassland until the Europeans arrived. In 1837, Chicago was incorporated as a city and North Avenue was established as the northern boundary. Lincoln Park’s boundaries are defined in the city’s list of official community areas of Chicago. It is bordered on the north by Diversey Parkway, on the west by the Chicago River on the south by North Avenue and on the east by Lake Michigan.

Lincoln Park is also the home to four beautifully architected churches including; St. Vincent de Paul Parish, St. Clement Church, St. Josaphat’s and St. Michael’s Church, which is located in the Old Town Triangle area of Lincoln Park. These churches tower over the neighborhood, creating much of the charm that Lincoln Park maintains.
The neighborhood also houses the Children’s Memorial Hospital and the Lincoln Park Hospital, which is currently closed and slated for redevelopment. The plan is to add condos, senior housing and retail and commercial developments. The neighborhood contains many upscale national retailers, unique boutiques, bookstores, restaurants and coffee shops. There are also many bars and clubs as well.

Lincoln Park has many attractions as well including; Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory, an outdoor theater, a rowing canal, the Chicago History Museum, and many ponds and playing fields. You will never get board in this town with the variety of activities that this community has.
As far as transportation is concerned, the neighborhood is accessible via mass transit, including the CTA’s Red, Brown and Purple lines at the Fullerton Station, the Purple and Brown lines at the Armitage and Diversey stations, as well as the CTA bus service. The neighborhood is also accessible by car from Lake Shore Drive or interstate 90-94.

Lincoln Park is one of the wealthiest and most prominent neighborhood to live in. It is considered a very upscale neighborhood because of its location and charm.  There are many activities and sights to see, so whether you are planning on living there or just visiting, it appears your time or money will not be wasted!

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Hyde Park

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Until recently unless you were familiar with Chicago you might not have heard much about Hyde Park.  Today with president Barack Obama among other notable residents the area is in the news and a resurgence of popularity has ensued.  The area known as Hyde Park was first settled in the 1850’s by successful businessman Paul Cornell, a real estate speculator, with the hopes of attracting Chicago’s business leaders who wanted homes near the lake but within easy reach of the city’s financial district in the Loop.  By the early 1890’s the area grew with the founding of the University of Chicago by John D. Rockefeller and later in the decade with the area hosting the World’s Columbia Exposition.  Today one of the original structures still stands, once known as the Charles Atwood’s Palace of Fine Arts which was converted into the Museum of Science and Industry, a well known museum of Chicago’s school children for over a century.

Hyde Park has seen its troubles over the past 100 years but has always managed to survive most notably with the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference which initiated one of the largest urban renewal projects in the nation.  The project resulted in the demolition and redevelopments of entire city blocks of decaying housing with a goal of creating an interracial community of high standards.  As a result the average income soared and middle class Blacks were offered increased opportunities for employment and home ownership. 

Today Hyde Park is considered one of the most prestigious areas in Chicago in which to live.  The proximity to the lake and the rich history of the area has encouraged residential development along side the vintage buildings and architectural gems designed by famous architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe.  The area is known for a mix of ethnic restaurants, coffee house bookstores, live theater and historic landmarks.  The atmosphere of the entire area is one of a multi-cultural mix of an interracial community with the academia of the University of Chicago and the Chicago Theological Seminary.  The area is second only to the downtown museum campus with the most extensive list of cultural organizations in Chicago.  There is no place quite like it anywhere in Chicago which is why property values continue to soar.  The area dubbed by the Chicago Sun Times as “Hot Hyde Park” and listed by Money Magazines as “Top Neighborhood” in 2002 has made Hyde Park one of the most desirable neighborhood in Chicago.  

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Chicago Neighborhoods

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

So I have been thinking about moving into the city but I am unsure as to what Chicago Neighborhood I want to live. I know I want a condo unit in a complex as opposed to a brownstone, and I know I want the neighborhood feel but at the same time I want there to be a night life in close proximity. I also want to be close to a gym and grocery store. The last thing on my agenda is that I want my place to be close to all major highways. I don’t want to have to travel 20-30 minutes just to get on the highway. So the question is…what Chicago neighborhood would be the best fit for me? I have narrowed my search by two Neighborhoods, Buck town/Wicker Park or West loop.

 I have done a lot of research and it seems that West Loop has the proximity to the highways and it is also close to the lake as well. It would be nice to be a bike ride away from being at the lake. West loop also has many complexes in the neighborhood. The only thing that I don’t like about the units is that most of them are lofts because the West Loop area used to be mostly warehouses that are now converted into condos.  I don’t like the idea that you don’t really have any privacy because your wall doesn’t go to the ceiling. The other thing I am not too sure about is the nightlife. This Chicago Neighborhood seems quaint and cozy, but there really is no nightlife, besides a couple of restaurants. The other thing about West Loop is that it is a little pricey because most of the units are fairly new. There are many pros to this area but there are still a few cons, which is why I don’t have my mind made up.

I also like the Wicker Park/Buck town area. It has the neighborhood feel and it is close to a lot of shopping. There are many cute boutiques on the streets and the area has nice character. There is a good night life in Wicker Park so I know there would be plenty to do there. Also, the prices seem much more reasonable than West Loop, although the West loop condos were much nicer. At least in Wicker Park you have a choice. The only cons would be that it is farther from the highway, and also it has many brownstones in the area. There are really not that many complexes to choose from.  So again, there are many pros and cons to this area, but it seems to still make it on the top of my list. Narrowing down which Chicago Neighborhood to live in, is definitely not easy!

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Chicago Neighborhoods

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Chicago is one of the most culturally rich cities in America containing over 77 distinct neighborhoods.  Chicago neighborhoods maintain a strong identity from when early settlers grouped together because of their language and familiar customs and because of this two different neighborhoods in close proximity can sometimes seem like different parts of the world.  One neighborhood can have high end single family homes or condos while a bordering neighborhood may be the smaller single family style bungalow in which Chicago is known.

Chicago is sectioned off into four quadrants or sections.  There is the downtown area which contains the main financial district and Loop.  Next are the North Side, South Side and West Side, each having their own flavor regarding cultures, businesses and types of properties.  Early in the twentieth century the Chicago area was subdivided into 77 distinct communities with over 215 neighborhoods so long term population and sociology studies could be conducted.  There was a distinction made between Chicago neighborhoods and communities at that time because the cultural diversity was changing.  Now it is difficult to know where one neighborhood begins and ends in many of these communities.

Each section of Chicago contains a diverse sense of culture reflecting the business or ethnic population of the area.  The center of Chicago or downtown is mostly commercial and financial institutions but in the recent past more and more residential properties have become available.  The North Side is the most densely residential populated section in the city due to its proximity to the Loop and River North areas.  River North is a one of the most culturally rich areas in the country for contemporary art galleries only exceeded by New York City.  The area has also become a center for condo developments in the past few years with the Trump Tower as its anchor.  The South Side boasts one of the most prestigious universities in the country, University of Chicago.  The area was home to the World Columbia exhibition of 1893 and hopes to be a part of the site for the 2016 Summer Olympics which will be decided in October, 2009.  Possibly the most famous of residents in the area is our current president Barack Obama.  The West Side of Chicago is where you can find the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.  The area is currently being gentrified with much rehab and new construction for condos and townhomes. 

No matter which Chicago neighborhood you choose there is always something to offer in single family homes, condos or townhouses.  Chicago is such a diverse city with a cultural heritage unsurpassed by most cities in the United States.

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