The Near North Side is the eighth of Chicago's 77
community areas. It is the northernmost of the three areas that constitute central Chicago, the others being the
Loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, ...
and the
Near South Side. The community area is located north and east 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 ...
. To its east is
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that ...
, and its northern boundary is the early 19th-century city limit of Chicago,
North Avenue. In 2020 the Near North Side had 105,481 residents, surpassing
Lake View as the largest Chicago community area by population. It is also the most densely populated community area and has the second most
skyscrapers, after the Loop. With the exception of
Goose Island (which is undergoing development), the Near North Side is known for its
extreme affluence, typified by the
Gold Coast,
Magnificent Mile,
Navy Pier, and skyscrapers.
The Near North Side is the oldest part of Chicago. In the 1780s, in what is now the Near North Side, on the northern banks 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 ...
near today's
Michigan Avenue Bridge
The DuSable Bridge (formerly the Michigan Avenue Bridge) is a bascule bridge that carries Michigan Avenue across the main stem of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. The bridge was proposed in the early 20th century as ...
,
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable built the
first known permanent settlement in what was called "Eschecagou." Today, this is marked by
Pioneer Court
Pioneer Court is a plaza located near the junction of the Chicago River and Upper Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Magnificent Mile. It is believed to be the site of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable's original residence and trading post. In 1965, the ...
.
Especially in the vicinity of Rush and Erie streets, the Near North Side was once known as McCormickville; so named because it is here where many branches of the famous
McCormick family of mechanical reaper fame built their mansions in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Neighborhoods
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast consists mostly of luxury high-rise apartment towers and buildings and stone mansions throughout. Its borders are generally defined as
North Avenue to the north,
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that ...
to the east,
Chicago Avenue to the south, and
Clark Street to the west.
The Gold Coast became the home of the super-rich in 1885, when
Potter Palmer, former dry goods merchant and owner of the
Palmer House hotel, built a
fanciful castle on
Lake Shore Drive. Over the next few decades, Chicago's elite gradually migrated from
Prairie Avenue to their new homes north of the
Loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, ...
.
Along almost every boulevard of the Gold Coast has upscale boutiques and shops.
Giorgio Armani,
Barney's,
Brioni,
Brunello Cucinelli
Brunello Cucinelli (; born 3 September 1953 in Castel Rigone) is an Italian luxury creative director and the chief executive of his eponymous made in Italy brand, Brunello Cucinelli. He donates 20% of his profits through the Brunello Cuc ...
,
Bulgari
Bulgari (, ; stylized as BVLGARI) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1884 and known for its jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories, and leather goods.
While the majority of design, production and marketing is overseen and exec ...
,
Tory Burch,
Cartier SA,
Chanel,
Jimmy Choo,
Christian Dior,
Dolce & Gabbana,
Escada,
Tom Ford
Thomas Carlyle Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer and filmmaker. He launched his eponymous luxury brand in 2005, having previously served as the creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Ford wrote and dire ...
,
Gucci
Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty Inc., ...
,
Hermès,
Lanvin
Lanvin () is a French luxury fashion house based in Paris. Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, it is the oldest French fashion house still in operation. Since 2018, it has been a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Lanvin Group. Bruno Sialelli, a 31-ye ...
,
Christian Louboutin,
Marc Jacobs,
Max Mara,
Moncler,
Prada
Prada S.p.A. (, ; ) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and brandin ...
,
Yves Saint Laurent,
Paul Stuart,
Van Cleef & Arpels,
Versace,
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from luxury bags and lea ...
,
Vera Wang, and
Harry Winston are just a few of the dozens of designers that have locations in the exclusive neighborhood. Also,
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated ...
,
BMW,
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. Headquartered in Crewe, England, the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, Nort ...
,
Bugatti
Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a German then French manufacturer of high-performance automobiles. The company was founded in 1909 in the then- German city of Molsheim, Alsace, by the Italian-born industrial designer Ettore Bugatti. The ca ...
,
Lamborghini,
Maserati,
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated ...
, and
Tesla all have dealerships in the Gold Coast.
Many of Chicago's best known and highly rated restaurants are located here as well. Also in the area are
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Gibsons Steakhouse, and the original
Morton's The Steakhouses.
The "
Gold Coast Historic District" was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
on January 30, 1978.
The Gold Coast is zoned to the following
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, is the List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, third ...
schools
Ogden Schooland the prestigious
Latin School of Chicago
Latin School of Chicago is a selective private elementary, middle, and high school located in the Gold Coast neighborhood on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The school was founded in 1888 by Mabel Slade Vickery. Latin S ...
.
Old Town
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
is a Chicago neighborhood bounded by
North Avenue on the north, Larrabee Street on the northwest,
Division Street on the south, Clybourn Avenue on the southwest, and
LaSalle Street on the east. It crosses portions of the community areas of southern
Lincoln Park, as well as the northern Near North Side, and is part of Chicago's 43rd ward.
Old Town includes the
Old Town Triangle Historic District which is bounded on its northwest side by the former Ogden Avenue right-of-way, its northeast side by Lincoln Avenue and Wells Street, and on its south side by North Avenue. This historic district sits within the Old Town Triangle Association (OTTA), a Lincoln Park neighborhood bounded by the former Ogden Avenue right-of-way, Clark Street, and North Avenue. It sits inside the community area of Lincoln Park and is part of Chicago's 43rd ward. Old Town north of North Avenue is in Lincoln Park, and south of North Avenue is part of the Near North Side. It is now an
affluent neighborhood.
Old Town is now an affluent and historic neighborhood, home to many of Chicago's older Victorian-era buildings. However, in the 1950s, most of this area was an enclave to the first emigrants from
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, who referred to it as part of "La Clark" until commercialization decorated late 1960s shop signs with the name of Old Town. The neighborhood is home to
St. Michael's Church, originally built to serve German immigrants,
and one of only 7 to survive the
great Chicago fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 1 ...
. St. Michael's, Holy Name Cathedral, Immaculate Conception, and St. Joseph's Catholic churches all catered to Latinos with a Mass in Spanish.
Many of the streets and alleys, particularly in the Old Town Triangle section, predate the
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 1 ...
and do not all adhere to the city's typical grid pattern. In 1927, sculptors
Sol Kogen and
Edgar Miller purchased and subsequently rehabilitated a house on Burton Place, near Wells Street, into the
Carl Street Studios. Through the 1930s, an art colony emerged in the neighborhood as artists moved from the
Towertown neighborhood near Washington Square Park.
Old Town was home to many gays and lesbians from the 1950s through the 1980s. This was the first "gay ghetto" in Chicago, predating the current large Lake View neighborhood which also contains the Boystown district. There were numerous gay establishments in Old Town (now mostly closed as Lake View is now the main gayborhood) along Wells Street and Old Town was home to the longstanding gay-themed Bijou Theater until it closed in September 2015. As Old Town gentrified, the LGBT population of the nearby Lake View neighborhood continued to increase, as well as the LGBT populations of the Lincoln Park and Andersonville areas.
Old Town is home to the famous
Second City improvisational comedy troupe which has launched the careers of many successful comedians and actors.
Old Town has three
"L" rapid transit stations:
North/Clybourn,
Sedgwick, and
Clark/Division.
Goose Island
Goose Island is an island in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
covering 160 acres on 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 ...
that is completely surrounded by the rest of the city. It is separated from the mainland by the North Branch of the Chicago River on the west and by the North Branch Canal on the east. The canal was dug in 1853 by mayor
William Butler Ogden
William Butler Ogden (June 15, 1805 – August 3, 1877) was an American politician and railroad executive who served as the first Mayor of Chicago. He was referred to as "the Astor of Chicago." He was, at one time, the city's richest citizen.
...
's administration and was dug for industrial purposes, thus forming the island. After Irish immigrants settled on the island, it took the name Goose Island, as well as that of
Kilgubbin, which was the immigrants' original home in Ireland. The
Goose Island Brewery makes Kilgubbin Red Ale, in honor of this name.
The large facility on the north end of Goose Island (visible from North Avenue, but by car only reachable from the south: Division Street to North Branch to 1132 W. Blackhawk) is the
Wrigley Wrigley may refer to:
* Wrigley Company, a chewing gum manufacturer owned by Mars, Incorporated
* EG Wrigley and Company, a British manufacturer of cars, car components and mechanical parts
* Wrigley (surname), a list of people with the name
* W ...
Global Innovation Center, a facility, which opened in September 2005 and was designed by
Gyo Obata of
Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. While cars are able to approach from the south, trains, bicycles, and pedestrians can reach the site via the rail/pedestrian
Cherry Avenue Bridge
The Cherry Avenue Bridge (North Avenue railroad bridge, or Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, Bridge No. Z-2) is an asymmetric bob-tail swing bridge in Chicago, Illinois that carries the Chicago Terminal Railroad, pedestrians, and cyclist ...
spanning from North Avenue to Goose Island. Additionally, there is seasonal access from the north via the
Chicago Water Taxi service dock at the south end of the
Cherry Avenue Bridge
The Cherry Avenue Bridge (North Avenue railroad bridge, or Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, Bridge No. Z-2) is an asymmetric bob-tail swing bridge in Chicago, Illinois that carries the Chicago Terminal Railroad, pedestrians, and cyclist ...
.
On the south end of the island is
Kendall College's Riverworks campus. The southern end of the island is currently undergoing redevelopment with upscale condominiums, townhouses, and apartments.
River North
River North is a neighborhood known for its fine dining, galleries, nightlife, and riverwalk amenities. It is home to the world headquarters of
ConAgra,
Groupon,
Motorola Mobility, and the regional offices of
Yelp
Yelp Inc. is an American company that develops the Yelp.com website and the Yelp mobile app, which publish crowd-sourced reviews about businesses. It also operates Yelp Guest Manager, a table reservation service. It is headquartered in San F ...
. It is bounded by Michigan Avenue to the east,
Chicago Avenue to the north, and the Chicago River to the south and west. River North has many towers and high-rises and some of its other famous structures include the
Merchandise Mart, the
Wrigley Building,
Holy Name Cathedral, the
Marina City towers, and the
House of Blues.
Smokey Hollow
River North was previously named Smokey Hollow, at the turn of the 20th century, due to the many factories and forges in the area. Smoke from the factories was often so thick that it blocked the sunlight. At the time, Smokey Hollow was a major transportation hub, with railroad tracks linking the ports along the Chicago River to the surrounding areas. The now mixed-use Merchandise Mart was once a major storage warehouse for goods, and it still has railroad tracks underneath its sprawling structure. Former major retailer
Montgomery Ward also had a major transportation and storage facility in River North. Massive
coal bins were formerly located throughout the neighborhood, for storage of coal transported by ship.
Little Sicily
Little Sicily in Chicago was also located in River North. The first Italian Roman Catholic Church in Chicago was Assumption, on Illinois Street, with a mandate to be the parish church for all Italians from
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that ...
to the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...
. Later, Sicilians began to move north from the immediate vicinity of Assumption and began to form their own parishes. Italians whose family roots were from other parts of Italy tended to move west along Grand Street and form parishes west of Assumption.
=Cabrini–Green
=
The Near North Side formerly included the now demolished Cabrini–Green
public housing project that once housed 15,000 subsidized tenants. It was made up primarily of high-rise and mid-rise buildings. The apartment buildings opened in 1958 and 1962, while the shuttered rowhouses (called the Frances Cabrini Homes, a few of which still exist) had opened in 1942. Cabrini–Green stood in what once was the former Italian enclave called the Little Sicily neighborhood, and the former site of St. Dominic's Church. In the 1920s, Little Sicily developed a reputation for poverty and crime. As gentrification began to take hold in the 1990s, the buildings made way for new upscale developments. The final Cabrini-Green tower was demolished in 2011. Following the conclusion of a civil lawsuit, the former Cabrini-Green site was transformed and revitalized with new upscale development spurred by the growth of Old Town to the north, and the already upscale/luxurious areas of the Gold Coast to the east and River North to the south.
Goose Island, which sits to the west, is currently undergoing new upscale development.
River North
The River North neighborhood got its name from Chicago real estate developer Albert Friedman (chief executive of Friedman Properties Ltd.), who in 1974 started to buy, restore, and build commercial property in the southeast sector.
Much of the area was a
shabby urban neighborhood. In an effort to attract tenants Friedman began calling the area "River North".
Within a few years, Friedman found photographers, ad agencies, and art galleries willing to rent the low-cost space and to coalesce into what is now the
River North Gallery District
The River North Gallery District or simply River North, in Chicago, is in the Near North Side, Chicago. It hosts the largest concentration of Contemporary art gallery, art galleries in the United States outside of Manhattan.
River North has ex ...
,
which has the largest concentration of art galleries in the United States outside of Manhattan. Along with hundreds of art galleries, the area has many taverns, rooftop bars, dance clubs, popular restaurants, and entertainment venues. Between the years 2000 and 2010, the population in the four census tracts covering River North increased by an average of nearly 82%, boosting population from 9,835 in 2000 to 17,892 in 2010.
Districts of River North include:
* the gallery district, primarily along Superior and Huron streets between Wells and Orleans;
* a theme-restaurant area with many tourist-oriented restaurants, surrounding Clark and Ontario;
* the cathedral district, an area with many new
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ri ...
s surrounding
Holy Name Cathedral (Catholic) and
St. James Cathedral (Episcopal), which are located near State and Superior, and Huron and Wabash, respectively. The
Moody Bible Institute isn't located too far away at Chicago Avenue and LaSalle Drive;
* a design district, with shops and showrooms selling commercial and luxury interior furnishings, in the blocks north of the
Merchandise Mart;
* and Kingsbury Park, an area of newly built residential high-rises surrounding Montgomery Ward Park, at Erie Street and the Chicago River.
River North is serviced by four CTA "L" train stations: the subway stations of Chicago Avenue (Red Line) and Grand Avenue (Red Line); and the elevated stations of Chicago Avenue (Brown Line) and Merchandise Mart (Brown Line).
Streeterville
Streeterville is the easternmost neighborhood in Chicago north of the Chicago River. It is bounded by the river on the south,
Michigan Avenue on the west, and
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that ...
on the north and east.
Streeterville houses some of Chicago's tallest
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ri ...
s (such as the
John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center is a 100- story, 1,128-foot supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the building was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2018.
The skyscraper was designe ...
); many upscale stores, hotels, restaurants; and
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Chart ...
's
Northwestern Memorial Hospital,
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the medical school of Northwestern University and is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1859, Feinberg offers a full-time Doctor of Medicine degree p ...
,
School of Professional Studies,
Kellogg School of Management
The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (also known as Kellogg) is the business school of Northwestern University, a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1908, Kellogg is one of the oldest and most ...
's downtown campus, and
School of Law.
The number one tourist attraction in the Midwest,
Navy Pier, is located in Streeterville. The neighborhood also houses the
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago is a contemporary art museum near Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The museum, which was established in 1967, is one of the world's largest contempora ...
.
Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile is a stretch of North Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and
Oak Street. Along this portion of Michigan Avenue is a mixture of luxury stores,
restaurants, office buildings, and
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
s. The area has a high concentration of the city's major media firms and
advertising agencies as well, including the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
''
newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sport ...
.
The street is the home of Chicago's famous
Water Tower
A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towers often operate in conjun ...
landmark, Water Tower Park with its historic clock, and the eight-level
Water Tower Place shopping center which grew up next door to the landmark. North of the shopping center can be found the famous
John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center is a 100- story, 1,128-foot supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the building was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2018.
The skyscraper was designe ...
, also known as 875 North Michigan Avenue tower; the
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unit ...
Palmolive Building; and the lavish
Drake Hotel Drake Hotel may refer to:
;in Canada
* Drake Hotel (Toronto), Ontario
;in the United States (by state)
*Drake Hotel (Chicago, Illinois), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
*Drake Hotel (Gallup, New Mexico), NRHP-listed in M ...
that sits across from a beach.
Attractions
;Architecture/Buildings
*
Chicago Water Tower
*
John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center is a 100- story, 1,128-foot supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the building was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2018.
The skyscraper was designe ...
*
Water Tower Place
*
900 North Michigan
900 North Michigan in Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois, is a skyscraper completed in 1989. At 871 feet (265 m) tall, it is currently the ninth-tallest building in Chicago and the 31st-tallest in the United States. It was developed by Urba ...
*
Marina City
;
*
Holy Name Cathedral
*
St. James Cathedral
*
Tribune Tower
*
Trump Tower
*
Lake Point Tower
;Museums
*
Chicago Children's Museum
*
Driehaus Museum
*
International Museum of Surgical Science
*
Loyola University Museum of Art
The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA), which opened in the fall of 2005, is unique among Chicago's many museums for mounting exhibits that explore the spiritual in art from all cultures, faiths, and eras. LUMA is located on Loyola Universit ...
*
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago is a contemporary art museum near Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The museum, which was established in 1967, is one of the world's largest contempora ...
;Sights/Shopping
*
Magnificent Mile
*
Navy Pier
*
Centennial Fountain
* Chicago River boat cruises
;Theatre
*
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a non-profit, professional theater company located at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Its more than six hundred annual performances performed 48 weeks of the year include its critically acclaimed Shakespeare ...
*
IO Theater
*
Lookingglass Theatre Company
*
The Second City
Economy
Google
Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
's Chicago offices are in the Dearborn Plaza building.
Etihad Airways and
Qatar Airways have offices in the
John Hancock Center
The John Hancock Center is a 100- story, 1,128-foot supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the building was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2018.
The skyscraper was designe ...
. The
Wrigley Company had its headquarters in the
Wrigley Building before moving to Goose Island, also within the community area, in 2012.
After
American Airlines
American Airlines is a major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the largest airline in the world when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenge ...
acquired
Simmons Airlines, and before Simmons was dissolved, Simmons had its headquarters on the Near North Side. At one point
Indigo Airlines
Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', ...
was headquartered on the Near North Side. The
Tribune Company had its headquarters in the eponymous
Tribune Tower before moving to
One Prudential Plaza in the
Loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, ...
in 2017.
Potbelly Sandwich Works likewise was located in the
Merchandise Mart complex before moving to the
West Loop in 2015.
Politics
Local
The Near North Side is currently part of the 2nd, 27th, 42nd, and 43rd wards of the
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mon ...
, which are respectively represented by Democratic aldermen
Brian Hopkins,
Walter Burnett Jr.,
Brendan Reilly, and
Michele Smith.
In the
Cook County Board of Commissioners the majority of the area is in the 3rd district, represented by Democrat Bill Lowry. The westernmost part, including the majority of Goose Island, and much of the southwestern part, including the majority of River North, is in the 12th District, represented by Democrat
John Fritchey. Two parts of the area in the extreme south—the respective vicinities of Wolf Point and the Wabash Avenue Bridge—are part of the 2nd District, represented by Democrat
Dennis Deer.
State
In the
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
the community area is roughly evenly split lengthwise between, from east to west, Districts 26, 5, 9, and 10, represented respectively by Democrats
Christian Mitchell,
Juliana Stratton,
Art Turner, and
Melissa Conyears
Melissa Conyears-Ervin is an American politician and the current Chicago City Treasurer. She was previously a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 10th District since 2017. The 10th district includes all or ...
. The southwest portion of the area—the western half of River North—is within District 6 represented by Democrat
Sonya Harper, and the northeastern part—the eastern half of Old Town and the northern half of the Gold Coast—is within District 12, represented by Democrat
Sara Feigenholtz.
In the
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the I ...
the biggest portion of the community area is in District 3, represented by Democrat
Mattie Hunter, while Streeterville and the southern half of the Gold Coast is in District 13, represented by Democrat
Kwame Raoul
Kwame Raoul (, born September 30, 1964) is an American lawyer and politician who has been the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois since 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Raoul represented the 13th district in the Illinois Senate from ...
, Cabrini–Green, Goose Island, and the western half of Old Town is in District 5, represented by Democrat
Patricia Van Pelt, and the eastern part of Old Town and the northern half of the Gold Coast is in District 6, represented by Democrat and Illinois Senate President
John Cullerton.
Federal
In the
US House of Representatives, the area is mostly within
Illinois's 7th congressional district, which is the most Democratic-leaning district in the State of Illinois according to the
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated Cook PVI, CPVI, or PVI, is a measurement of how strongly a United States congressional district or U.S. state leans toward the Democratic or Republican Party, compared to the nation as a whole, based ...
with a score of D+38 and represented by Democrat
Danny K. Davis. Small parts in the north are within
Illinois's 5th congressional district, which is represented by Democrat
Mike Quigley.
The Near North Side community area has supported the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
in the past two presidential elections. In the
2016 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*7 January: Kirib ...
, the Near North Side cast 32,150 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 senat ...
and cast 8,778 votes for
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...
(74.5% to 20.4%). In the
2012 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*3–4 January: E ...
, the Near North Side cast 24,592 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 (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
and cast 12,939 votes for
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusett ...
(64.5% to 34.0%).
Diplomatic missions
Several consulates are located on the Near North Side. The main building and visa office of the
Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China are here. Other countries with missions here include
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...
,
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
,
Colombia,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establishe ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
,
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 ...
,
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
,
Japan,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
,
Lithuania,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...
,
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 Hung ...
,
Switzerland,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
.
Three trade missions have offices at 500 North Michigan Avenue: the Austrian Trade Commission is located in Suite 1950, the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce Midwest is located in Suite 506,
and the Trade Commission of Spain is here.
Education
Colleges and universities
*
Northwestern University School of Law
*
Northwestern University Medical School
*
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
*
Loyola University Chicago Graduate School of Business, School of Social Work, Institute of Pastoral Studies, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and School of Communication
*
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (The Chicago School) is a private university with its main campus in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1979, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology was primarily focused on the professional a ...
*
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
's
Booth School of Business Gleacher Center
*
Erikson Institute
Erikson Institute is a graduate school in child development in downtown Chicago, Illinois. It is named for the noted psychoanalyst and developmental psychologist, Erik Erikson.
History and mission
The Institute was founded in 1966 by four chil ...
*
Moody Bible Institute
Primary and secondary schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, is the List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, third ...
serves residents of the Near North Side.
*Zoned elementary schools include
Ogden International School (
Jenner School has merged into Ogden)
*Some students are zoned to
Wells Community Academy High School while others are zoned to
Lincoln Park High School
Magnet schools:
*
Walter Payton College Prep
Charter schools:
*
Noble Academy
Private schools:
*
Latin School of Chicago
Latin School of Chicago is a selective private elementary, middle, and high school located in the Gold Coast neighborhood on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The school was founded in 1888 by Mabel Slade Vickery. Latin S ...
Adult education
Feltre School
Libraries
Newberry Library
The Newberry Library is an independent research library, specializing in the humanities and located on Washington Square in Chicago, Illinois. It has been free and open to the public since 1887. Its collections encompass a variety of topics rel ...
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the ...
Near North Branch
Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the ...
Water Works Branch
Notable residents
*
Conor Allen,
AHL player with the
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
. He was raised in Old Town.
*
Henry A. Courtney Jr. (1916–1945), officer of the
United States Marine Corps Reserve and a
posthumous recipient of the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
. He resided at 30 West Chicago Avenue while studying at
Loyola University's School of Law.
*
Mitch Glasser (born 1989), Israeli-American baseball player
*
Nellie Grant (1855–1922), daughter of President
Ulysses S. Grant. At the time of her death, she resided at 1130 North Lake Shore Drive with her husband Frank Hatch Jones.
*
Dwight H. Green (1897–1958), 30th
Governor of Illinois (1941–1949). He resided at 1360 North Lake Shore Drive at the time of his death.
*
Robert Halperin (1908–1985), athlete and businessman who founded
Lands' End. He resided on the Near North Side.
*
Suzanne Le Mignot Suzanne Le Mignot (born January 25, 1970) is a television news anchor and reporter for WBBM-TV in Chicago.
Early life and education
Le Mignot earned a bachelor's degree with honors in mass communications from the University of South Florida in 1 ...
, television news anchor and reporter.
*
Polo G (born 1999), rapper.
*
Gene Siskel (1946–1999), film critic. He resided at 1301 N. Astor St.
References
External links
Official City of Chicago Near North Side Community MapStreeterville Chamber of CommerceDowntown Chicago's Comprehensive WebsiteGold Coast Neighbors AssociationInteractive map of Near North Side*Chicago Park District:
Connors ParkWashington Square ParkNavy PierTravel Essay on River North by Max GrinnellLa Clark neighborhood and Young Lords origins
{{Chicago
Beaches of Cook County, Illinois
Central Chicago
Community areas of Chicago
Entertainment districts in the United States