The Near North Side is one of the most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. It is home to a variety of attractions, restaurants, and cultural offerings. Located just north of the Loop, it is bordered by Lake Michigan and the Chicago River.
The Near North Side is known for its spectacular skyline views and its unique mix of old and new buildings. The Near North Side is a great place to live and work, as it is home to some of the city’s most prominent businesses and institutions.
It is also a popular destination for visitors, as it offers a variety of restaurants, bars, and cultural attractions. There is something for everyone in the Near North Side, including galleries, performance venues, and parks.
Additionally, the area is home to some of Chicago’s best restaurants, bars, and nightlife. The Near North Side is a great place to call home. With its vibrant culture and diverse attractions, it is sure to please anyone looking for a great place to live or visit. Whether you are looking for a place to enjoy a night out or a place to call home, the Near North Side has it all.
Here is everything you need to know about living in the Near North Side.
Overview of the Near North Side Neighborhood
The Near North Side is a bustling neighborhood located in Chicago, Illinois. This diverse area is home to a mix of culture, history, and local businesses. The Near North Side is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Chicago, due to its convenience and proximity to Lake Michigan, the Magnificent Mile, and downtown Chicago.
It is a lively and vibrant community that offers residents a variety of activities and amenities. The area is known for its unique architecture, ranging from historic brownstones to modern high-rises. Many of the buildings in the Near North Side were built at the turn of the century and feature intricate details such as terracotta ornamentation and ornamental ironwork. The area is home to a variety of restaurants, cafes, and retail stores. There are also plenty of parks and green spaces for residents to enjoy.
Transportation Options in the Near North Side
The Near North Side of Chicago is a great place to live, offering plenty of transportation options. Whether you’re a commuter, a student, or just want to explore the city, there are plenty of options to get around.
One of the main transportation options in the Near North Side is the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). This includes buses and the L train, both of which offer convenient, affordable transportation around the city. The CTA also offers connections to Metra, which is the commuter rail service in the Chicago area. You can use the CTA to get to downtown and many other areas of the city. If you’re looking for an alternative to public transportation, there are plenty of ride-sharing services available in the Near North Side. Uber, Lyft, and Divvy are all available, and they are a great way to get around the city quickly and easily. If you’re looking to get around on two wheels, there are plenty of bike lanes in the Near North Side. This makes it easy to get around the city without having to worry about traffic or parking.
And, of course, if you’re looking for a more traditional way of getting around, you can always drive. The Near North Side is well connected to the rest of the city, meaning you can easily drive to downtown, the suburbs, or anywhere else you need to go.
Popular Attractions in the Near North Side
The Near North Side of Chicago is a vibrant area with plenty of attractions to explore! Whether you’re looking for a cultural experience, an outdoor adventure, or just an afternoon to relax and soak up the city atmosphere, you’ll find it all in the Near North Side. Here are some of the most popular attractions in the area:
1. Millennium Park: Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Millennium Park is a must-see destination. This expansive park features lush green spaces, sculptures, architectural works, and a variety of cultural events and activities. Be sure to check out the famous Cloud Gate sculpture, also known as “The Bean”, as well as the Lurie Garden and Crown Fountain.
2. Navy Pier: Take a walk down the historic Navy Pier and explore its many attractions, including shops, restaurants, and rides. Visitors can ride the iconic Ferris Wheel, take a boat tour, or just take in the views of Lake Michigan.
3. Magnificent Mile: This stretch of Michigan Avenue is home to some of Chicago’s most luxurious shopping, dining, and entertainment. Shop in designer boutiques, visit the Art Institute of Chicago, or explore the iconic architecture along the mile.
4. Chicago Riverwalk: Take a stroll along the Chicago Riverwalk and experience the city from a different perspective. The Riverwalk is lined with restaurants, bars, and shops, and offers stunning
Dining and Shopping in the Near North Side
The Near North Side of Chicago is home to some of the city’s best dining and shopping experiences. From upscale restaurants to down-home diners, the Near North Side offers something for everyone. There is a variety of cuisines to choose from, including Italian, Mexican, American, and more. For those looking to grab a quick bite, there are plenty of fast food options, as well as take-out and delivery services.
Shoppers will be delighted by the abundance of stores in the Near North Side. From big-box retailers to independent boutiques, shoppers can find anything they need, from clothing and accessories to electronics and home goods. The area is also home to several art galleries and antique shops, offering unique finds for those looking for something special.
The Near North Side also has plenty of entertainment to offer. From the bustling nightlife of Rush Street to the beautiful lakefront, there is something for everyone. There are also a number of cultural attractions, from the Museum of Contemporary Art to the Chicago History Museum. Clearly, the Near North Side has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for great food, unique shopping, or entertainment, the area has it all. Come explore the Near North Side and experience all that it has to offer!
Nightlife and Entertainment in the Near North Side
If you’re looking for a vibrant nightlife and entertainment scene, look no further than the Near North Side of Chicago. This vibrant neighborhood is home to some of the best bars, restaurants, and clubs in the city. Whether you’re looking for a lively night out or a more relaxed evening, there’s no shortage of things to do in the Near North Side. For a night out on the town, head to the Rush & Division nightclub area that’s home to some of the city’s most popular bars and clubs. From swanky rooftop bars to dive bars and lounges, there’s something for everyone.
Music lovers should head to the Jazz Showcase on the south side, a renowned jazz club that’s been serving up music in the city since 1947. Afterward, grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants nearby, such as the Italian-inspired Topo Gigio, the seafood restaurant R.J. Grunts, or the classic diner Diner Grill.
If you’re looking for more relaxed entertainment, there are plenty of movie theaters and comedy clubs in the area. Catch a show at the renowned Second City comedy club or the Laugh Factory, or take in a movie at the AMC River East 21. For more outdoor activities, take a stroll along the lakefront and make your way to Navy Pier, where you can enjoy rides, attractions, and more.
Map
Three sides of the Near North Side are surrounded by water. The neighborhood is situated to the north and east of the Chicago River, while Lake Michigan lies to the east. North Avenue, Chicago’s early 19th-century municipal border, lies north.
Near North Side consists of famous neighborhoods, including Old Town, Goose Island, River North, and Streeterville. The most famous region in the Near North Side is Gold Coast, bordered by Lake Michigan to the east, Clark Street to the west, North Avenue to the north, and Chicago Avenue to the south.
The neighborhood lies in parts of 60611, 60610, 60654, and 60642 zip codes.
Population
Near North Side ranks among Chicago’s most thickly populated residential districts. The Near North Side overtook Lake View as the most populous Chicago neighborhood, with a total population of 105,481 in 2020. The neighborhood’s early inhabitants included Europeans and some other ethnic groups. They started settling here due to the numerous residential high-rises that rose along the shoreline on the eastern side of the North Side.
83.1% of Near North Side’s 105,481 people comprise natives, while 16.9% of the people have a foreign nationality. Even though the neighborhood has a rich cultural profile, 70.1% of the population is white. Asians secure second place in Near North Side’s population structure at 13.4%. African-Americans are the third-largest majority at 8.2%. Hispanics and Latinos (5.6%) and people from other non-Hispanic races (2.7%) are among Near North Side’s minority ethnicities.
Real Estate
Near North Side has 66,685 households. The neighborhood is famous for its architecture; it has the second-most skyscrapers in Chicago after the Loop. It is primarily a renter-occupied community (57.8%); owners inhabit 42.2% of the Near North Side real estate.
The Great Chicago Fire wrecked the major architecture in Near North Side in 1871. This necessitated extensive reconstruction. The Frances Cabrini Homes and William Green Homes were the earliest attempts at public housing in the neighborhood’s western section. This gave rise to a new neighborhood, Cabrini-Green. It is one of the world’s most well-known and infamous public housing complexes. Gold Coast is also a wealthy neighborhood on Lake Shore Drive, bordering Lake Michigan, predominantly high-rise apartment complexes.
Mansions and public housing have given way to rentals, condos, townhouses, and single-family homes on the Near North Side today. Near North Side’s residential real estate is dominated by apartments and condos (88.3%). Single-family detached houses account for 2.3% of the neighborhood’s real estate. Due to high demand, several rentals have lately been converted to condos.
The average real estate sells for $500K, compared to Chicago’s average of $335K. This amount raised by 6.4% compared to the previous year.
Schools
Near North Side ranks among those Chicago neighborhoods with the highest literacy rates. Most Near North Side residents have an undergraduate degree (42.3%), while 39.3% have a graduate or professional qualification.
Some top-rated schools and colleges operate in the Near North Side neighborhood.
Crime Ratings
Located in District 018 of the Chicago Police Department, Near North Side ranks among the safer Chicago neighborhoods, with the exception of a few areas. However, the crime rates have been higher in 2022 compared to 2021.
The locals reported 3 murder cases and 76 criminal sexual assault cases in the first five months of 2022. The police reported 110 robbery and 75 burglary cases. Theft and motor vehicle theft incidences increased by 109% and 70% in 2022 compared to 2021.
History
Chicagoans’ various uses of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River split the Near North into an affluent residential region to the east and an industrial, low-income district to the west. Clark Street was surrounded by a residential and business corridor that served as a border between the two.
In the 1830s, New Yorker William B. Ogden was shocked to see the marshy condition of the estate his family had purchased on the Near North Side of the Chicago River. Despite this, he purchased enormous tracts of land along the river because of rapidly rising real-estate values and the potential for industrial expansion.
Industrial expansion was followed by residential usage. Even though Irish industrial workers settled at the river’s North Branch junction, known as Kilgubbin or the Patch, Ogden’s plan to create the city’s first railroad there in 1848 forced them northward along the river. German and Swedish farmers and merchants occupied the interior of the Near North Side. Finally, when members of the McCormick family constructed homes in the eastern portion of the neighborhood.
Chicagoans began to understand the value of lakefront property in the 1850s. The sandy river mouth was not yet appropriate for residential construction. Thus it became the Sands, a vice district with a fitting name. Squatters occupied the land, and Ogden and other homeowners convinced Mayor John Wentworth to evict them in 1857.
Despite damaging most of the structures on the Near North Side, the 1871 fire did not affect current land use. Fashionable Chicagoans relocated from Prairie Avenue to Astor Street, where they erected lakefront houses. Meanwhile, the western district was becoming increasingly poor and untrustworthy. Smoky Hollow got its name from the increasing industrial pollutants. A colony of Sicilians joined the Irish in the 1880s. The neighborhood had bad credibility for crime, and city cops were so afraid of “Death Corner” that they declined to investigate several homicides there.
The Burnham Plan of 1909 spurred the building of the Michigan Avenue Bridge in 1920, which safeguarded the eastern part of the Near North Side for the wealthy. On North Michigan Avenue, the colossal bridge spawned a posh shopping zone. Investors constructed high-rise apartment buildings and lavish hotels. The affluent were separated from the chronic poverty in the west by the middle area of the Near North Side, becoming a district of rooming houses.
On the Near North Side, the equilibrium between wealth and poverty shifted following the Great Depression. City officials attempted to diminish the western slum by erecting the Frances Cabrini Homes in its place. Cabrini-Green was formed in 1982 when the high-rise Cabrini Extension and William Green Homes were built. However, deterioration moved eastward, and Chicago’s goal of public housing was not accomplished.
The neighborhood experienced an urban renovation in the 1950s. The central stretch between Clark and LaSalle Streets was cleared and sold to Sandburg Village developer Arthur Rubloff. Rubloff was also a driving force behind the redevelopment of North Michigan Avenue, dubbed “The Magnificent Mile.” The popularity of these projects prompted the construction of more high-rise apartments and fresh investment on the Near North Side. The River North neighborhood became a hub for art galleries in the 1980s. Living in River North Chicago grew in popularity.
With the Cityfront Center construction, the Chicago Dock and Canal Trust, still managed by William Ogden’s grandchildren, made riverfront property accessible for additional residential and commercial use. They converted old warehouses into the North Pier shopping mall and constructed new buildings. Cabrini-Green was surrounded by valuable land by the mid-1990s, but its occupants were poor individuals determined to stay in their area. According to Mayor Richard M. Daley and other authorities, part of the complex was to be demolished and replaced with mixed-income housing, according to Mayor Richard M. Daley and other authorities.
Near North Side is recognized as the eighth neighborhood district of the 77 Chicago community areas. Out of the three regions that make up central Chicago, the other two are the Loop and Near South Side. Near North Side is situated in the northernmost corner. The neighborhood occupies a total land area of 2.72 square miles (7.04 km2).
The Near North Side neighborhood was established in the 1780s when Jean Baptiste Point du Sable established the first permanent community in “Eschecagou” on the northern banks of the Chicago River. Numerous generations of the McCormick household built their homes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Thus, the Near North Side neighborhood was previously known as McCormickville.
Near North Side is one of the most affluent Chicago neighborhoods. It has a per capita of $101,727 compared to Chicago’s average of $37,103. The Magnificent Mile, Gold Coast, Navy Pier, and world-famous skyscrapers portray the neighborhood’s extreme luxury.
The neighborhood features some excellent pieces of architecture along with museums and theaters. The famous Chicago Water Tower, Marina City, Chicago Children’s Museum, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater are all located in this community area.
Near North Side has a central location; it is located at a 1.4 miles (2.25 km) distance from the downtown Chicago Loop. The average travel time is only seven minutes – commuters can take the bus or direct train that serves the region.
