The South Loop is quickly becoming known for its nightlife, proximity to downtown and the Museum Campus, and of course, its luxury high rises featuring spectacular views. The Sun-Times highlights some of the South Loop’s signature buildings and new developments in this feature.
Rogers Park Manor on the North Side has been added to the bungalow districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, making it the fourth such neighborhood in Chicago. Homeowners in the neighborhood benefit from added prestige, and can also now apply for an 8-year property tax freeze if they are completing major home renovations. You can find out more about historic bungalow neighborhoods at the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association.
A residential development revivial on the South Side–and not just in the South Loop–is attacting buyers away from the North Side and the suburbs. Years of undr-investment in the area has left dozens of high-quality buildings and vacant lots ripe for development. Neighborhoods like South Shore, Woodlawn, and Bronzeville offer more bang for the buck, with prices down to $100 per square foot and assessments in the $200 a month range.
The Historic Pullman Foundation is hosting its annual Candlelight Housewalk from 4:30 to 8 PM Saturday in the Pullman Historic District on the South Side. The housewalk will tour five 1880s row houses deckded out for the holidays. The Pullman District is a landmark neighborhood located near 111th and Cottage Grove, and features almost 1000 homes designed by architect Solon Berman in the late 1800s. The area was originally built by railroad magnate George Pullman as a planned community for workers at his luxury railroad car company. The tour starts at the Pullman Visitor Center at 11141 S. Cottage Grove, and tickets are $25.
A revival of Rogers Park has been fueled by a number of new condo developments.
The Fulton Market and Fulton River Districts are becoming two of the city’s hottest neighborhoods, as a flurry of residential development and restaurant, club, and art gallery openings make this erstwhile warehouse district a popular destination for young professionals. Fulton Market is bounded by Grand, Ogden, Madison, and the Kennedy Expressway. The Fulton River District is nearby, bounded by the river, Kinzie, Halsted, and Randolph. Both areas have experienced and influx of residents in the past 10 years, which developers attribute to its central location and accessibility to downtown.
Chicago’s downtown housing market leads the nation, as the downtown population jumped by a third over the past decade. A report by the Brookings Institution in Washington shows that as of 2000, over 72,000 people lived in the immediate downtown area, not even including the latest wave of development in the South Loop and Streeterville in the last five years. Forty percent of these residents own their homes.
Lofts in landmark buildings in the South Loop, Priner’s Row, the Historic Michigan Boulevard District, and the University Center will be on display Sunday as part of the South Loop Neighbors Loft Walk. The self-guided tours are open from noon to 5 PM. Tickets are $20, $15 in advance and $10 for students and seniors. For more information, go to southloopneighbors.org.
At the turn of the 20th century, Prarie Avenue, just a few blocks south of the Loop, was one of the toniest streets in the country. Industry barons like Marshall Field, George Pullman, and Philip Armour called it home, but over the years the area fell out of favor. Now, amidst more development in the South Loop, Prarie Avenue’s legacy is being restored.
What can you get for $350,000 in Chicago? The answer varies wildly, depending on where you look. The same money can get you a one-bedroom condo in a high-rise near the lakefront, or a single-family home on the west side. Buyers should understand the differences in areas, and those willing to consider many neighborhoods will be likely be rewarded.
The web never ceases to amaze, but lately there’s been an explosion of innovation in mapping services. Google’s new mapping service and Amazon’s A9 maps have raised the bar on Map Quest and Yahoo! Maps. One of the most amazing things you can do now comes from A9, with their Block View images, actual street level pictures that let you “walk” the street to find what you want. Check out this view of the North & Damen intersection.
