Right across the bridge from The Loop and bordering busy Michigan Avenue/Magnificent Mile, River North is as dynamic and high-end as many of its neighbors. It’s transformation from smokey, factory-dense district (at the turn of the 20th century it was known as “Smokey Hollow”) to art and design epicenter is quite remarkable: Outside of Manhattan, River North has the highest concentration of art galleries in the country. It is also home to many production companies, photography studios, interior design firms, antique shops, and furniture stores.
The River North Gallery District, located around the intersection of Superior and Franklin Streets, was born in the neighborhood’s 1970s post-industrial age. Artists and entrepreneurs settled in the area to set up studios and showrooms in vacant warehouses, and since then business has boomed in River North.
The neighborhood is also home to quite a few architectural landmarks in the country, including the iconic Wrigley Building, the Trump Hotel & Tower, Marina Towers and the Merchandise Mart.
- Streeterville has a median household income that’s over 70% more than Chicago’s median (based on 2013 data).
- Less than a quarter of the population are family households.
- The most famous Streeterville attraction is Navy Pier, a convention, cultural and recreation center sprawled on more than 50 acres of land along Lake Michigan. It features parks, shops, exhibits, rides and other attractions.
- Other notable landmarks include the John Hancock Center, Tribune Tower, and old Water Tower District which survived the Great Fire of 1871.
- Streeterville is the home to the popular Museum of Contemporary Art (which it shares with Gold Coast).
- The Ogden International School of Chicago
- Rueben Salazar Elementary Bilingual Center
- YCCS – Innovations High School
- Muchin College Prep
- Community Services West Career Academy High School
- Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
- Higher learning institutions also have campuses in Streeterville, like the Northwestern University Chicago campus, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and the DePaul downtown campus.
Dining, Nightlife, and Shopping
Residents of Southport enjoy easy accessibility to an incredible selection of restaurants, cafés, bars, groceries, and specialty stores. From June to October, The Low Line Famers Market offers a wonderfully curated selection of food and flowers. Whether you prefer big name chain stores or local restaurants and shopping, Southport has you covered.
Real Estate Options
River North’s location in the heart of downtown Chicago has made it one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Luxury high-rise and mid-rise condos dominate the housing stock, with new developments continually making their way into the market.
Some of the most prestigious addresses here include neighborhood landmarks like The Montgomery and Trump Tower. Newer developments such as the award-winning The Contemporaine and the Ritz-Carlton Residences offer the first-rate amenities and spacious living on par with the world’s most luxurious properties.
One to watch out for is The Ronsley at 676 N. Kingsbury, a turn-of-the-20th-century building that’s currently being developed to house 41 unique residences with high-end appointments. All around River North are loft and high-rise condos and rentals coming in a wide range of sizes, architectural styles and prices.
Single-family homes are rarities, and while there are still a number of brownstones and greystones in the neighborhood, they’re slowly giving way to the chic and contemporary high-rise condos that are defining the River North landscape.