Albany Park ( ) is one of 77 well-defined
community areas of Chicago. Located on the Northwest Side of the City of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
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, subdivision_name ...
with the North Branch of the
Chicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable because it is one of the reasons for ...
forming its east and north boundaries, it includes the ethnically diverse Albany Park
neighborhood, with one of the highest percentages of foreign-born residents of any Chicago neighborhood.
Although the majority of those foreign-born residents are from
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, mostly from
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
(especially from the state of
Michoacán),
Guatemala, and
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
, substantial numbers are from the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
,
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
,
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
,
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
Bosnia,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
and the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
(especially
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, and
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
). Over 40 different languages are spoken in its
public schools.
Due to the diverse population and immigrant population attraction, the population of the neighborhood increased by 16.5% during the 1990s.
History
The area was settled in 1893 when several investors purchased land in the area as areas closer to downtown became more heavily populated. DeLancy Louderback from
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York C ...
was one of the investors and chose the name.
The developers added electric streetcars in 1896 and the Northwestern Elevated Railroad extended the Ravenswood branch to the Kimball terminal on December 14, 1907. This led to a building boom in the area.
At this point in development, the north branch of the
Chicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable because it is one of the reasons for ...
meandered greatly, and therefore the
Chicago Sanitary District straightened the river. This expanded and defined property lines and sewage in Albany Park.
By 1930, the population of the neighborhood reached 55,000, and many schools, religious institutions, and parks opened. Haugan Elementary School became the biggest elementary school in the city and Roosevelt High School's overcrowding led to Von Steuben Elementary being converted into a high school.
Resident began moving to northern suburbs after World War II and the population declined quickly, leaving many stores uninhabited and properties empty. It wasn't until the 1970s, when a new immigration wave from Asia (mainly Korea) and Central America began to increase the population again. Today, Albany Park is the most diverse neighborhood in the city, and one of the most diverse in the entire country.
Neighborhoods
The traditional neighborhoods within the official community are (including rough boundaries):
* Albany Park: North: North Branch of the Chicago River (about 5100 N); South: Montrose Avenue (4400 N): East: North Branch of the River (about 3000 W); West: Pulaski Road (4000 W).
* Mayfair: Lawrence Avenue (4800 N), Montrose Avenue (4400 N), Pulaski Road (4000 W), and Cicero Avenue (4800 W).
*
North Mayfair: Bryn Mawr Avenue (5600 N), Lawrence Avenue (4800 N), Pulaski Road (4000 W), and Cicero Avenue (4800 W).''
Immediately to the north, in North Park, lie
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...
,
North Park University
North Park University is a private Christian university in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church. It is located on Chicago's north side and enrolls more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
His ...
, and the
Bohemian National Cemetery.
Korean commercial district
The neighborhood was once known as the "
Koreatown
A Koreatown ( Korean: 코리아타운), also known as a Little Korea or Little Seoul, is a Korean-dominated ethnic enclave within a city or metropolitan area outside the Korean Peninsula.
History
Koreatowns as an East Asian ethnic enclave have ...
" of Chicago, beginning in the 1980s. The majority of Korean shops in Albany Park were found on Lawrence Avenue (4800 North) between Kedzie Avenue (3200 West) and Pulaski Road (4000 West), and many are still there. This particular section of Lawrence Avenue has been officially nicknamed "Seoul Drive" by the city of Chicago because of the multitude of Korean-owned enterprises on the street. Although many of the
Korean Americans
Korean Americans are Americans of Koreans, Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian ...
in the neighborhood have been moving to the north suburbs in recent years, it still retains its
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
n flavor. Every year there is a Korean festival, and the neighborhood is home to a Korean radio station (1330 AM) as well as two Korean-language newspapers. There are still many Korean businesses interspersed among the newer
Mexican bakeries and Middle Eastern grocery stores. Approximately 45% of the businesses on this particular stretch of Lawrence Avenue are owned by Korean-Americans.
Demographics
After Jefferson Township was purchased and annexed by the city of Chicago and development began in the area that became Albany Park, immigrant German and Swedish farmers flocked to land. Many built their own homes. At the beginning of the 20th century, more upwardly mobile Russian Jews arrived in Albany Park to escape the crowded conditions of the very-heavily Jewish Near West Side/Maxwell Street area. This pattern continued as other residents in other Jewish-populated neighborhoods such as Lawndale and parts of West Town followed suit.
These families began moving to northern suburbs such as
Skokie after World War II. Starting in the 1970s, immigrants from Asia and Latin America, mainly Korea and Guatemala, began moving into the neighborhood's largely vacant properties and storefronts. Immigration continued from all around the world, and by the 1990s, there were large populations from the Philippines, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Poland, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Mexico (largely from the state of Michoacán), Ecuador, and Colombia. Since the 1992-1995 war in Yugoslavia, roughly 1,200 Serbians who lived in Croatia resettled in Albany Park along with more than 4,000 Bosnians of all three backgrounds. Into the 2000s, the western part of the neighborhood became home to a substantial number of Indian and East African immigrants.
As of 2019, the community area has 49,806 residents. The racial makeup of the community area is 45% Hispanic/Latino, 32.2% White/non-Hispanic, 14.8% Asian/non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black/non-Hispanic, and 3% other.
Transportation
The Chicago Transit Authority's
Brown Line terminates at Lawrence and Kimball Avenues. Albany Park is accessible through the , and stations of the
Brown Line, the nearby
Blue Line station, as well as by the Edens expressway (
Interstate 94).
CTA bus routes in Albany Park include:
53 Pulaski
,
78 Montrose
,
81 Lawrence
,
82 Kimball-Homan
,
92 Foster
, and
93 California/Dodge
.
Politics
Albany Park is divided between 3 wards; the 33rd, the 35th and the 39th. The wards are represented by
Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez
Rossana Rodríguez Sanchez (born November 13, 1978) is a Chicago politician and community organizer. She is the alderwoman of Chicago's 33rd ward, having taken office as a member of the Chicago City Council in May 2019. She won election to that of ...
in the 33rd ward,
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (born February 18, 1989) is an American politician. He has served as the alderman for Chicago's 35th Ward since May 18, 2015.
He is a member of the Chicago City Council's Progressive Reform Caucus, and was elected to serve ...
in the 35th ward and
Samantha Nugent in the 39th ward.
It is similarly divided in the state legislature. In the
Illinois Senate it is represented by
John Cullerton
John J. Cullerton (born October 28, 1948) is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 6th district from his appointment in 1991 to 2020. He served as President of the Illinois Senate from ...
,
Iris Y. Martinez,
Ira Silverstein
Ira I. Silverstein (born October 10, 1960) is a former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 8th district from 1999 to 2019. The 8th Senate District consists of Forest Glen, North Park and West Ridge in the City of Chic ...
and
Heather Steans. In the
Illinois House of Representatives it is represented by
Jaime Andrade Jr.
Jaime M. Andrade Jr. is the State Representative for Illinois' 40th District. He has served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2013. During his tenure, he has prioritized legislation that keeps pace with technology, protect ...
,
Ann Williams,
John C. D'Amico and
Greg Harris. On the
Cook County Board of Commissioners, it is represented by
Luis Arroyo Jr.
In 2016, Albany Park cast 10,590 votes for
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
and 1,558 votes for Donald Trump. Four years earlier, Albany Park cast 9,304 votes for
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
and 1,950 votes for
Mitt Romney.
Schools
; Public Schools -
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Illinois, is the third-largest school district in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles.
...
operates public schools
* Hibbard Elementary School
* Haugan Elementary School
* Budlong Elementary School
* Newton Bateman Elementary School
* North River Elementary
* Waters Elementary
* Volta Elementary
* Chappell Elementary
* ASPIRA at Haugan Middle School
* Haugan Middle Campus
* Albany Park Multicultural Academy
*
Roosevelt High School
*
Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
Von Steuben Metropolitan High School (also known as Von Steuben Metropolitan Science High School) is a public 4–year magnet high school located on the border of the North Park and Albany Park neighborhoods on the north side of Chicago, Illinois ...
* Edison Regional Gifted Center
* Global Village
* John M. Palmer Elementary
; Private Schools
* North Shore Junior Academy
* Little Angels
* Telshe Yeshiva
* Gateway to Learning
* St. Matthias Transfiguration
* St. Edward School
* Eagle's Wings Urban Academy
; Universities
*
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...
*
North Park University
North Park University is a private Christian university in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church. It is located on Chicago's north side and enrolls more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
His ...
Parks and recreation facilities
* Buckeye Playlot Park
* Buffalo Playlot Park
*
Eugene Field Park
* Jacob Playlot Park
* Jensen Park
* Kiwanis Park
* Ravenswood Manor Park
* River Park
*
Ronan Park
* Sunken Gardens Playlot Park
* Vogle Playlot Park
Culture
The ''
Chicago Shimpo'' previously had its offices in Albany Park. It is now headquartered in
Arlington Heights.
Government agencies
Libraries
*
Albany Park Branch: 3401 W. Foster Avenue
* Mayfair Branch: 4400 W. Lawrence Avenue
Police Department
* 4650 N. Pulaski Road - 17th District
Fire Department
*Engine Co. 110: 2322 West Foster Avenue
*Engine Co. 124: 4426 North Kedzie Avenue
*Engine Co. 69: 4017 North Tripp Avenue
Marine Corps
*U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2nd Battalion 24th Marines: 3034-60 W. Foster Avenue
Community gardens
* Jensen Community Gardens
* Drake Community Garden
* Turtle Park Community Garden
* Global Gardens Community Garden
* Global Garden Refugee Training Farm
Active neighborhood organizations
* Albany Park Autonomous Center
* Albany Park Community Center
* Albany Park Chamber of Commerce
* Albany Park Neighbors
*
Albany Park Theater Project
*
American Indian Center
The American Indian Center (AIC) of Chicago is the oldest urban Native Americans in the United States, American Indian center in the United States. It provides social services, youth and senior programs, cultural learning, and meeting opportunitie ...
* American Legion
* Anthem Church
* Autonomous Tenants Union
* Cambodian Association of Illinois
* Christ Church
* Church of the Beloved Albany Park
* Communities United (formerly Albany Park Neighborhood Council)
* Foresight Design Initiative
*
Friedman Place
Friedman Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for blind adults located at 5527 North Maplewood Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. A Supportive Living Facility with 81 resident apartments, Friedman Place provides specialized housing to qualifying ...
* Full Gospel Chicago Church
* Hanul Family Alliance
* Healthy Albany Park Coalition
*
Irish American Heritage Center
* King Oscar Lodge
* Korean American Community Services
* Latino Union Worker Center
* Lawrence Avenue Development Corporation
* Lawrence Hall Youth Services
* Mayfair Civic Organization
* Mexico-US Solidarity Network
* New Life Community Church
* North Branch Projects
* North Mayfair Improvement Association
* North Park Friendship Center
* North River Commission
* People of East Albany Park (PEAP) neighborhood organization
* Ravenswood Manor Improvement Association
* River Park Advisory Council
* Svithiod Independent Order
* Territory Albany Park
* True North Christian Fellowship
* Young Women's Empowerment Project
* West River Park Improvement Association
* West River Park Neighbors
* World Relief Chicago
Notable people
*
Rod Blagojevich (born 1956), 40th
Governor of Illinois
The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
(2003–2009). He resides on West Sunnyside Avenue in the community area and has done so, with the exception of
his eight year incarceration, since 1999.
*
Patti Blagojevich (born 1965), First Lady of Illinois (2003–2009). She resides on West Sunnyside Avenue in the community area and has done so since 1999.
[
* ]Neil Bluhm
Neil Gary Bluhm (born 1938) is an American billionaire real estate and casino magnate. He is a partner of Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, which owns several casinos. He had an estimated net worth of US$7 billion in October 2021.
Early life
Bluhm ...
(born 1938), billionaire real estate and casino magnate. He was a childhood resident of Albany Park.
* Carl Giammares, singer and member of The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams are an American sunshine pop band from Chicago. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top-selling acts of 1967, charting their only five top 40 hits in the U.S. that year. The band dissolved in 1970, but re-formed ...
resided at 4727 North Sacramento Avenue.
* Cecil Heftel (1924–2010), member of the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from Hawaii's 1st congressional district
Hawaii's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The district is located entirely on the island of Oahu, encompassing the urban areas of the City and County of Honolulu, a consolidated city-county that ...
(1977-1986). He was raised in Albany Park and attended Roosevelt High School.
* Randy Jackson (1926–2019), professional baseball player. He lived in Ravenswood Manor when playing for the Chicago Cubs.
* Alaric Jans
Alaric "Rokko" Jans (born January 27, 1949) is an American film and theater composer.
Career
Jans co-wrote with James Quinn the music and lyrics of the 1979 musical adaptation of John R. Powers' '' Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect U ...
(born 1949), film and theater composer. He is a past president of the Ravenswood Manor Improvement Association.
* Jerry Krause
Jerome Richard Krause (April 6, 1939 – March 21, 2017) was an American sports scout and executive who was the general manager of the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1985 to 2003.
His tenure with the Bull ...
(1939–2017), general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
of the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
from 1985 until his retirement in 2003. He was raised in Albany Park.
* Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman (November 21, 1916 – July 5, 1998) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1939 through 1950. During his twelve seasons with the Bears, ...
(1916–1998), American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears. He was a resident of Ranvenswood Manor.
* Fred Pfeffer
Nathaniel Frederick Pfeffer (March 17, 1860 – April 10, 1932), nicknamed "Dandelion" and "Fritz", was an American baseball player. He was a second baseman in Major League Baseball between 1882 and 1897. His final game took place on June 14, 18 ...
(1860–1932), professional baseball player. He was a resident of Ravenswood Manor at the time of his death.
* Elroy Sandquist Sr. (1899–1970), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1966 until his death in 1970. He resided at 2762 West Wilson Avenue during his legislative career.
* Elroy Sandquist Jr. (1922–1996), member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1977 to 1983.
* Abe Saperstein (1902-1966), founder, coach and owner of the Harlem Globetrotters. He resided at 2948 West Eastwood Avenue.
* Bob Sirott
Robert "Bob" Sirott (born August 9, 1949) is an American broadcaster. He is the morning host at WGN in Chicago. He is also a former television news anchor, most recently working in that role at Chicago's WFLD.
Professional career
Sirott began ...
(born 1949), broadcaster. As of September 2017, he is a midday radio host at WLS-AM
WLS (890 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Cumulus Media, through licensee Radio License Holdings LLC, the station airs a talk radio format. WLS has its radio studios in the NBC Tower on North Columbus Driv ...
.
* Sam Zell
Samuel Zell (born Shmuel Zielonka, September 28, 1941) is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. A former lawyer, Zell is the founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments, a private investment firm, founded in 1968. He ha ...
(born 1941), billionaire and founder and chairman of Equity International. He lived in Albany Park until his family moved to suburban Highland Park, Illinois when he was twelve.[Johnson, by Ben E]
Money Talks, Bullsh*t Walks: Inside the Contrarian Mind of Billionaire Mogul Sam Zell
Dec 31, 2009
See also
References
External links
Official City of Chicago Albany Park Community Map
Albany Park Living Map
Albany Park Community Center
Albany Park Theater Project
Albany Park Chamber of Commerce
Albany Park Autonomous Center
* http://www.northmayfair.org
Albany Park art, culture, housing, gentrification, immigration articles
Albany Park Issues
{{Authority control
Community areas of Chicago
Asian-American culture in Chicago
Koreatowns in the United States