Near South Side, Chicago

File:20070110 Adler Planetarium.JPG Adler Planetarium United States Soccer Federation Building Shedd Aquarium Grant Park Museum Campus sign Dearborn Park Development

Near South Side (Chicago, Illinois)

Community Area 33 - Near South Side Chicago Community Area 33 - Near South Side Location within the city of Chicago
Latitude Longitude	41°51.0′N 87°37.2′W
Neighborhoods	Central Station Museum Campus Prairie Avenue Historic District Dearborn Park Near South Side
ZIP Code	parts of 60605, 60607, 60616
Area	4.53 km² (1.75 mi²)
Population (2000) Density	9,509 (up 39.26% from 1990) 2,098.0 /km²
Demographics	White Black Hispanic Asian Other	25.2% 63.6% 3.96% 5.43% 1.80%
Median income	$56,923
Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services

The Near South Side is an officially designated community area (neighborhood) in Chicago, Illinois, USA located just south of the downtown central business district, the Loop, which is itself a community area. It's boundaries are as follows: North - Roosevelt Road (essentially 12th Street); South - 26th Street; West - Chicago River between Roosevelt and 18th Street, Clark Street between 18th Street and 22nd Street, Federal between 22nd and the Stevenson Expressway just south of 25th Street, and Clark Street again between the Stevenson and 26th Street; & East - Lake Michigan.

The land in this community area east of Lake Shore Drive contains some of the most important structures in Chicago: Soldier Field, the home of the National Football League Chicago Bears; a portion of McCormick Place, Chicago's Convention Center; The Museum Campus, home to several of Chicago's most important museums; and Northerly Island. The remaining area is currently undergoing a major residential and mixed use redevelopment.

Printer's Row Controversy

Some primary sources seem to cite Printer's Row (and the South Loop neighborhood that it is in) as part of the Near South Side community area. It is likely that there is some confusion where the South Loop is because it is often described as the neighborhood immediately south of the "Loop". However, the Loop has multiple meanings. The Loop is a community area bounded by the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and Roosevelt Road. However, some use the term to strictly refer to the area bounded by the circular portion of the Chicago Transit Authority's L Train, which goes as far south as Van Buren or Congress Avenue, which is described as the northern border of Printer's Row and the South Loop. This Transit related area is the northern portion of the community area. Saying it is south of the former places it in the Near South Side, while saying it is part of the latter places it in the Loop. The Official City of Chicago Loop Map supports the latter.

History

This has been one of the most dynamic Chicago communities. It has undergone metamorphosis from a Native Indian homeland to a blue collar settlement to an elite socialite residential district to the center for vice to a shameful slum to a public housing and warehouse district and now finally to the home of a newly gentrified residential district.

This district was first populated by settlers who worked for the Illinois & Michigan Canal who subsequently worked in the lumber district. Proximity to the railroads attracted light manufacturing and shops. In 1953, the community was enveloped by the extension of the city limits to 31st Street. By the time of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, it was home to some of the cities finest mansions and most elite social families. However, by the turn of the century as rapid transit evolved and many families moved slightly farther from the Loop business district. Michigan Avenue between 14th Street and 22nd Street became "Auto Row". The "Levee" vice district around Cermack & State prospered until 1912. World War I and post World War I Great Migration settlers created the low rent "Black Belt". Urban renewal and public housing projects replaced some of the slums. In the 1940s, the city’s worst slums were in the Near South Side.

The Near South Side consisted largely of railroad tracks and interchanges until the 1960s, when middle-class housing developments were built in the community area. In 1977 George Halas surrendered 51 acres of railyards for redevelopment as Dearborn Park apartments, townhouses and accompanying tree-lined walkways. In 1988, the second phase of Dearborn Park construction began between State & Clark south of Roosevelt. A housing boom started in the 1990s and continues to the present with many new condo and apartment towers. The region includes the Prairie Avenue Historic District and the historic (former) R. R. Donnelley & Sons printing company building (which now houses network routers and switches for much of the city).

Construction started in 1990 on Central Station development began. This was a mixed use development on 72 acres of former rail yards and air rights east of Indiana between Roosevelt Road and 18th Street. Simultaneously, loft conversion spread to the warehouses and light manufacturing structures along the major North-South Avenues of Michigan, Indiana, and Wabash, which returned them to residential properties 100 years after the flight of the elite Chicago socialites.

Parks

Landfill use created Burnham Park and Northerly Island in the 1920s and 1930s along Lake Michigan. The Field Museum of Natural History, Soldier Field, Adler Planetarium and the John G. Shedd Aquarium found homes on the land during this time. Later, Merrill C. Meigs Field Airport was built. Fairs and exhibitions held on the lakefront cites created demand for and exhibition hall. This demand was met with McCormick Place in 1960. In 1960, construction was begun on McCormick Place, a huge exposition and convention complex at 23rd Street and Lake Shore Drive named for newspaper magnate Robert R. McCormick. The original building burned in 1967, and was rebuilt and reopened in 1971 at the behest of mayor Richard J. Daley. Large expansions were added in 1986, 1997 and 2007. The current redevelopment includes greatly expanded hotel accomodations. McCormick Place houses the Arie Crown Theatre, and is the annual location for the Chicago Auto Show.

Redevelopment

South Loop residential development has expanded to the Dearborn Park neighborhood (between State and Clark Streets South of Roosevelt Road). The new Central Station neighborhood is the sight of major mixed use development that includes One Museum Park, One Museum Park West, numerous residential condominiums and luxury townhomes. This development is built on 72 acres of former rail yards and air space rights east of Indiana Avenue between Roosevelt Road and 18th Street that include the former location of the Central Station terminal. Also, a wave of loft conversions in Printer's Row that has spread to major North-South Avenues such as Michgan, Wabash, and Indiana is making them residential streets again in this neighborhood after a century of other uses. The planned development has expanded from 69 to 80 acres and includes properties between Michigan and Indiana Avenues.

Streets

It's northern boundary (Roosevelt Road) marks the end of consecutively named east-west streets. East-west streets north of Roosevelt Road have street names. Most streets south of Roosevelt simply use street numbers. Streets in this neighborhood from 13th to 26th are mostly numbered. Cermack Road (22nd Street) is one of the few named east-west cross streets. Numbering continues southward in Chicago into the upper hundreds at a pace of 8 blocks per mile.

External links

Official City of Chicago Near South Side Community Map

Sources

Eds. Grossman, James R., Keating, Ann Durkin, and Reiff, Janice L., 2004 The Encyclopedia of Chicago. The University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-31015-9