10 Great Neighborhoods in Chicago
By Sabrina Wu, FrontDoor.com | Published: 12/05/2008
Chicago's Humboldt Park is a diverse community that is experiencing a lot of development.
Bronzeville
Boundaries: Between 26th Street south to 47th Street, from Federal Street east to Cottage Grove
Once known as the "Black Metropolis," Bronzeville was the center of African-American culture in the 1940s and was home to historical figures such as Duke Ellington, Ida B. Wells and Daniel Hale Williams. It's believed an editor of the Chicago Bee in the 1930s was the one who coined the name "Bronzeville" to refer to the skin color of the residents who replaced the white upper-class community members who lived there in the 1870s.
Primarily a working-class neighborhood in the first half of the 20th century, the area hit a period of decline in the 1950s when several public housing projects were constructed, including the Robert Taylor Homes. Banks and lending institutions stopped investing in the community, and crime increased dramatically between the 50s and the 90s. In the 90s however, real estate in Bronzeville began to make a comeback. The demolishing of the Robert Taylor Projects opened up land for fresh developments, and people moved back to the area to take advantage of its proximity to the Loop and the reasonably-priced brown and graystones that had been built for wealthier residents before the area fell into disrepair.
"It's an up-and-coming area," says Michael Bradley, a real estate broker with Bronzeville Realty. "There's been a tremendous amount of construction and rehabs in the past five years. You can pretty much find new construction on many of the blocks in the Bronzeville 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."
Bucktown Real Estate Listings
Wicker Park Real Estate
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 lives on the border of this high-priced community, where homebuyers can pay millions for a two-bedroom condo. "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 Chicago. 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.
Humboldt Park
Boundaries: Between North Avenue south to Chicago Avenue, from Pulaski Road east to Western Avenue
Home values are rising in Humboldt Park, a diverse community on the city's west side that is home to a large Puerto Rican community. "Five years ago this was a totally different neighborhood," says David Diaz, a research analyst for JLSA Investment. "There's been a lot of new construction in the area."
The neighborhood, known for high crime and gang violence in the 1970s and 1980s, is seeing a lot of development where it borders Wicker Park. The neighborhood is named after the 207-acre park within it, which was named after German naturalist Baron Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt in 1869. The area was a mix of Polish, Italian and German before urban renewal programs brought Puerto Ricans and low-income residents to Humboldt Park during the 1950s and 1960s. Many Puerto Rican rights organizations were formed as a result of deteriorating economic conditions and racial tension in the mid-1960s. Although more business is coming to the area, the community is determined to keep taxes low and resist the efforts of large chains to open in the neighborhood. View Humboldt Park Real Estate
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. Browse Lincoln Park Homes for Sale and Lakeview Real Estate
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