Near North

Bordered on two sides by the Chicago River and on a third by Lake Michigan, the neighborhood of Near North (sometimes referred to as River North) would see its occupants evolve in two divergent directions. With Clark Street as a dividing line, Near North developed into an pricey residential area in the east and an industrial, low-income region in the west, though the infamous Cabrini-Green projects are being torn down and that area is already seeing the construction of new businesses and condominiums. Near North loft properties reflect the unstructured warehouse element from which the area has evolved and the area has an established art community, due to the high number of galleries, photography studios, production companies and interior-design specialty shops.

Near North is also home to the heart of Chicago’s design industry, the Merchandise Mart and the Apparel Center, located along the north side of the Chicago River, but this is only the beginning of the shopping opportunities, for just blocks away is the Magnificent Mile.

There are dozens of clubs in Near North, offering plenty of variety in entertainment and nightlife. Near North has a restaurant to suit any appetite or occasion, with the Hard Rock Café and the Rainforest Café, to Excalibur and Butterfield 8, to Coco Pazzo and Gene & Georgetti’s. This neighborhood is a hub of social interaction and avant-garde businesses.

The Illinois Institute of Art and a campus of Northwestern University are in the area, which also supports some other schools. Transportation is plentiful, with train stops and busses seemingly every few blocks, and cabs everywhere.