Near West Side, Chicago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Community Area 28 - Near West Side Location within the city of Chicago |
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| Latitude Longitude |
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| Neighborhoods | ||
| ZIP Code | parts of 60606, 60607, 60608, 60610, 60612 and 60661 | |
| Area | 14.89 km² (5.75 mi²) | |
| Population (2000) Density |
46,419 (up 0.48% from 1990) 3,117.0 /km² |
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| Demographics | White Black Hispanic Asian Other |
25.3% 52.9% 9.51% 10.5% 1.87% |
| Median income | $29,588 | |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | ||
The Near West Side, one of the 77 well-defined community areas, is located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois (west of the Chicago River), adjacent to the downtown central business district (the Loop).
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[edit] Neighborhoods
[edit] Greektown
The Greektown section of Chicago is located roughly between Van Buren and Madison Streets, along Halsted Street, within the Near West Side community area of Chicago. It was popularized in the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which was actually filmed mostly in Toronto. The neighborhood is known for its plethora of excellent Greek restaurants, including the famous Parthenon, and its 24 hour foodspots.
[edit] West Loop Gate / West Loop
Often called just "the West Loop," West Loop Gate makes up the north central area of the Near West Side, west of Chicago's Loop. It is bordered by the Kennedy Expressway to the east, Grand Avenue on the north, the Eisenhower Expressway to the south, and Ashland to the west. The neighborhood also extends to the Chicago River south of Madison Street.
A former manufacturing corridor turned art-edgy neighborhood, the area is made up primarily of warehouses that are still in use or have been converted to loft condominiums, "loftominiums," restaurants, night clubs, a growing number of art galleries and some retail. It's also the home of Harpo Studios, owned by well known talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and the production site of her syndicated show.
Chicago Union Station, the city's only remaining intercity rail terminal, is a well known West Loop landmark.
[edit] Fulton River District
The Fulton River District makes up the north east area of the Near West Side, just west of the Loop. It is bordered by the Chicago River to the east, Ohio Street on the north, Madison Street to the south, and the Kennedy Expressway to the west. The Fulton River District is a former manufacturing and current transportation corridor turned residential neighborhood. The neighborhood is made up of warehouses that have been converted to loft condominiums, new construction high rise condominiums and apartments, high rise and mid rise business offices, retail and restaurants. The Fulton River District is also the home of The Boeing Company, and the Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly Northwestern Station), a major commuter rail terminal. The neighborhood is known for the scent of chocolate emanating from the Blommer Chocolate Company.
[edit] University Village Chicago
University Village is a renamed near west Chicago community consisting of newly constructed residential and retail properties. The University Village/Little Italy community cherishes its rich past as one of the first neighborhoods of Chicago. The community is home to mixed-income residents from ethnically diverse socio-economic backgrounds as a result of immigration, urban renewal, gentrification and the growth of the resident student and faculty population of the University of Illinois at Chicago.
University Village, Chicago, consists of major new residential developments over old known Chicago neighborhoods. One such development is the Ivy Hall development, over the area once-known as the Maxwell Street neighborhood. This development took one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago and made it into a middle to upper class income area.
The University Commons development and University Station were created from the defunct South Water Market, historically known as the distribution point for Chicago's produce and agriculture market. The Roosevelt Square development was created over the remains of the now demolished public housing area that was under the auspices of the Chicago Housing Authority called the ABLA homes.
University Village, Chicago also includes the established neighborhood of Little Italy, with a rich history of its own.
University Village surrounds the University of Illinois at Chicago, located south and west of the campus. The Illinois Medical District borders the area on the west. The Pilsen community borders the south, the Dan Ryan expressway I-94 borders the area on the east.
[edit] Little Italy
Encompassing about 12 blocks on Taylor Street and the nearby area, Little Italy is home to the landmark restaurants Rosebud, Pompei and Francesca's. Those coming for the full Italian-American experience should enjoy a visit to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (and nearby Joe DiMaggio plaza), a frozen lemonade from Mario's Italian Lemonade, a beef at Al's No. 1 Italian Beef, a visit to Conte di Savoia Italian grocer and deli, buy some pasta and cannoli at Scafuri's bakery and a stroll in Arrigo (Peanut) Park to see the statue of Columbus. The neighborhood lies between the Illinois Medical District and the UIC campus.
[edit] Tri-Taylor
Tri-Taylor consists of the area bordered by Harrison Street to the North, the diagonal Ogden Avenue to the East, Roosevelt Road on the south and Western Avenue on the west. It is shaped vaguely like a triangle and hence "Tri-Taylor." The neighborhood is traditionally an extension of the Little Italy neighborhood to its east, although it has consistently been one of the most diverse 'neighborhoods' in Chicago as it was situated on the borders of heavily African American, Irish, Hispanic, and Italian areas. Recently it has been composed mostly of Mexican-Americans and students from nearby the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The neighborhood is also home to the Chicago Technology Park research center as well as the West Side Center for Disease Control, the office for the Medical Examiner of Cook County, and the Chicago Hope Academy (a private high school which opened in 2005).
[edit] Illinois Medical District
The Illinois Medical District is the 6th largest medical district in the United States. John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County (formerly known as Cook County Hospital), one of the largest county-run hospitals in the U.S. and inspiration for the TV shows ER and The Fugitive, is located here. The District had its start in the 1870's when Cook County Hospital, Rush Medical College, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons were established on the Near West Side following the great Chicago Fire of 1871. The cornerstone for the Medical Center was the building of Cook County Hospital in 1876. In 1877, Rush Medical College erected a building next to County at Harrison and Wood. Presbyterian Hospital (affiliated with Rush) was built in 1883. The University of Illinois at Chicago's origins in the District can be traced to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, founded in 1881. In 1917, the State acquired the vacated West Side Park located at Polk and Wolcott for the University.
The district is also home to: University of Illinois hospitals, Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, University of Illinois College of Medicine, UIC Eye & Ear Infirmary, UIC College of Dentistry, UIC School of Pharmacy, Jesse Brown VA, The Neuropsychiatric Institute, Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Illinois Forensic Science Center, West Side CDC, the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center, Chicago Dept. of Public Health and the Cook County Coroner's Office. Recently, the FBI Division Headquarters for Chicago was erected on Roosevelt Road.
[edit] Landmarks
Designated Chicago Landmarks in the Near West Side include:
- First Baptist Congregational Church
- Groesbeck House
- Hull House
- Jackson Boulevard District and Extension
- Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church
- St. Ignatius College Prep Building
- Union Station
- United Center
[edit] External links
- Official City of Chicago Near West Side Community Map
- Chicago Arts District
- Chicago Greek Town
- West Loop
- Fulton River District
- Illinois Medical District
- Rush Medical Center
- University Village
- UIC Eye Center [1]
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