University Village and Little Italy
As the birthplace of the Chicago blues (on Maxwell Street) as well as the Chicago hotdog, the area between the Dan Ryan Expressway and Ashland Avenue known as University Village is not short of cultural institutions. For starters, there’s the institution of higher learning after which the neighborhood has been named. In the last few years the university has attracted a variety of little shops and restaurants to the strip along Halsted, which has been totally rebuilt. But in addition to the residential and retail properties catering to numerous University of Illinois (UIC) students and faculty, the Village is also home to Chicago’s piece of the boot: the signs and smells along Taylor Street betray the fact that one is in Little Italy, that haven of slow-cooked risotto and chicken vesuvio. Tree-lined streets, Blackstone, and brick walkups pair an Old World feel with frantic new development. Like the Near West in general, University Village is ripe with new construction and renovations, but three parks (as well as the UIC campus itself) add some green to the equation.
University Village is one of Chicago's newest developed neighborhoods located on the Near West Side 2.5 miles southwest of the Loop and its boundaries are: Eisenhower Expressway to the north, the Dan Ryan Expressway to the east, 16th Street to the south and Ashland Avenue to the west. With the proximity to the UIC campus, Rush Hospital, Taylor Street, Pilsen and the Loop; University Village has become a great place to live.
University Village is full of multi-cultural, family-owned restaurants and shops. Additionally, many chic new wine bars, restaurants and boutiques have sprung up all over. The nearby Maxwell Street market now has a more permanent home with an indoor/outdoor market.
Real Estate
University Village consists of major new residential developments over old known Chicago neighborhoods. One such development is the Ivy Hall development, over the area once known as the Maxwell Street neighborhood. This development took one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago and made it into a middle- to upper-class income area.
University Village is where luxury townhomes and loft conversions comingle with renovated vintage row houses and two-flats.
The University Commons development and University Station were created from the defunct South Water Market, historically known as the distribution point for Chicago's produce and agriculture market. The Roosevelt Square development was created over the now demolished Chicago Housing Authority public housing area.
University Village History
It is said that University Village is where the birth of the Chicago Blues occurred. Blues musicians played on Maxwell Street. Back then, Maxwell Street was a famous outdoor market where you could buy anything from fresh produce, household cleaners and even used furniture. In the 1990s, the market was relocated to nearby Canal Street between Taylor and 16th streets to make way for massive campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Street vendors continue the tradition, setting up for business at sunrise every Sunday. Also born in University Village’s Maxwell Street is the Chicago style hot dog. Jim’s Hot Dog Stand is famaus for the Maxwell Street Polish. To this day, for under $2.00 you can still get a huge sandwich and a soda.
Things to do in University Village
College sports and drama abound in this collegiate Chicago neighborhood. For starters, there are a variety of performances put on at the UIC Theatre. On any given night you might find jazz vocals or a chamber choir, Theater productions run the gamut, from Shakespeare to Chekhov to edgier plays that allow the actors to explore "new theater." At the UIC Pavilion you will find the men’s soccer team - UIC Flames.
You will also hear baseball bats cracking and swimmers splashing at Sheridan Park which hosts a three-story field house.
The UIC Outdoor Recreational Facility is always buzzing with activity. There's a sandpit for volleyball and the tennis courts rarely have a wait time. You can also jog the perimeter for a mile-run. The open space is often used for campus events and corporate picnics.
One of the oldest public parks in the area, Arrigo Park sprawls across 6 acres and creates a shady landscape for dogs and joggers to run around. Pine and oak trees have grown to great heights around the perimeter and the spacious open center hosts the occasional baseball game. The park features a fountain at the west entrance, out of which sprouts an enormous bronze statue of Christopher Columbus from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
Addams Park was named for Jane Addams and provides a slew of activities for residents of the neighboring Abbott Homes public housing project as well as students of nearby Medill Elementary. The indoor swimming pool offers year-round opportunities for learning and playing, while the park grounds multi-task in the summer months to offer baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball.
Taylor Street’s Festa Italiana happens every second weekend of August. Taylor Street is blocked off between Ashland and Loomis so folks can enjoy Italian food and traditions. In addition, the festival also has live music and crafts for families.
Hike for History
This June parade of history buffs starts at UIC and winds through University Village and Little Italy, with a guide who highlights historic points in the neighborhood.
Columbus Day Parade
On the first Saturday in October, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans sponsors Chicago's Columbus Day Parade. The festivities begin at Our Lady of Pompeii(1224 W Lexington St) with a special mass and the parade kicks of at Balbo and Columbus Drive, then marches back through University Village and ends on Taylor Street.
Getting Around
There is no shortage of bicycle racks along Halsted, Taylor and Harrison so many residents ride their bikes to get from Point A to Point B.
The main line used by University Village and Little Italy residents is the CTA Blue Line, which runs to and from O'Hare International Airport from the Loop. The Blue Line stops at the UIC Halsted stop at Harrison Street and again at Racine and Harrison streets. CTA buses run every couple of blocks on a nice grid. The Halsted #8, Racine #60, Ashland #9 and Damen #50 all run north/south while the Taylor #30, Roosevelt #12 and the Harrison #7 run east/west.
Places to eat, shop, dance, laugh and more......ENTERTAINMENT | | | | |
| | | 800 S Halsted St | (312) 413-5353 |
| | National Italian American | 1431 W Taylor St | (312) 226-5566 |
| | UIC Theatre | 1040 W Harrison St | (312) 996-2939 |
| | | 525 S Racine St | (312) 413-5740 |
| | University of Illinois at Chicago Bowling | 750 S Halsted St | (312) 413-5170 |
SHOPPING | | | | |
| | American Mattress | 1236 S Halsted St | (312) 421-0707 |
| | | 1218 S Halsted St | (312) 413-2665 |
| | Breathe Boutique | 1252 S Halsted St | (312) 997-2411 |
| | Foot Locker | 1240 S Halsted St | (312) 850-1002 |
| | | 729 W Maxwell St | (312) 563-9470 |
| | | 1306 S Halsted St | (312) 738-1900 |
| | Sandy's Clothing Men's & Boys | 1245 S Halsted St | (312) 942-9479 |
DINING | | | | |
| American Cuisine | Chicago Busy Burger | 1120 W Taylor St | (312) 226-7760 |
| | Jim's Original Hot Dog | 1250 S. Union Ave | (312) 733-7820 |
| | Leona's Restaurant | 1419 W Taylor St | (312) 850-2222 |
| | Patio | 1503 W Taylor St | (312) 829-0454 |
| | Potbelly Sandwich Works | 1459 W Taylor St | (312) 633-9915 |
| | Sweet Maple Cafe | 1339 W Taylor St | (312) 243-8908 |
| | | 717 W Maxwell St | (312) 997-9969 |
| Asian Cuisine | China Night Cafe | 1140 W Taylor St | (312) 421-7130 |
| | Golden Thai | 1509 W Taylor St | (312) 733-0760 |
| | Japonica Specialty Sushi | 1422 W Taylor St | (312) 421-3288 |
| | Tatsu | 1062 W Taylor St | (312) 666-8504 |
| | Thai Bowl | 1049 W Taylor St | (312) 226-5865 |
| | | 1418 W Taylor St | (312) 633-0003 |
| Coffee Shops | Caribou Coffee | 811 W Maxwell St | (312) 738-3570 |
| | Jamoch's Cafe | 1066 W Taylor St | (312) 226-7666 |
| | Massa | 807 W Roosevelt Rd | (312) 433-0123 |
| Sweets | Cold Stone Creamery | 1316 S Halsted St | (312) 226-2800 |
| | Mario's Italian Lemonade | 1068 W. Taylor St | |
| | Original Ferrera | 2210 W Taylor St | (312) 666-2200 |
| | Scafuri Bakery | 1337 W Taylor St | (312) 733-8881 |
| French Cuisine | | 1119 W Taylor St | (312) 226-6479 |
| Italian Cuisine | | 1079 W. Taylor St | (312) 226-4017 |
| | Caffe la Scala | 626 S Racine Ave | (312) 421-7262 |
| | Gennaro's Restaurant | 1352 W Taylor St | (312) 243-1035 |
| | Francesca's on Taylor | 1400 W Taylor St | (312) 829-2828 |
| | Fontano Foods | 1058 W Polk St | (312) 421-4474 |
| | La Vita Restaurant - | 1359 W Taylor St | (312) 491-1414 |
| | RoSal's Cucina | 1154 W Taylor St | (312) 243-2357 |
| | Rosebud | 1500 W Taylor St | (312) 942-1117 |
| | Tufano's | 1073 W Vernon Park Pl | (312) 733-3393 |
| | Tuscany Restaurant | 1014 W Taylor | (312) 829-1990 |
| Mexican Cuisine | Che Cafe | 1058 W Taylor St | (312) 850-4665 |
| | De Pasada | 1519 W Taylor St | (312) 243-6441 |
| | El Taco Grill | 1412 W Taylor St | (312) 850-9717 |
| | Pepe's Mexican Restaurant | 1074 W Taylor St | (312) 421-2109 |
| | Lalo's | 733 W Maxwell St | (312) 455-9380 |
| Middle Eastern Cuisine | Couscous Restaurant | 1445 W Taylor St | (312) 226-2408 |
| Pizza | | 1531 W Taylor | (312) 421-5179 |
| | | 1339 S Halsted St | (312) 455-1211 |
| | | 1220 W Taylor St | (312) 850-2000 |
Nightlife | | | | |
| | Bar Louie on Taylor | 1321 W Taylor St | (312) 633-9393 |
| | | 1358 W Taylor St | (312) 455-8255 |
| | The Drum & Monkey | 1435 W Taylor St | (312) 563-1874 |
| | Hawkeye's Bar & Grill | 1458 W Taylor St | (312) 226-3951 |
| | Illinois Bar & Grill on Taylor | 1421 W Taylor St | (312) 666-6666 |
| | | 724 W Maxwell St | (312) 421-2277 |
| | Little Joe's Circle Lounge | 1041 W Taylor St | (312) 829-5888 |
| | Morgan's Bar and Grill on Maxwell Street | 1325 S Halsted St | (312) 243-4800 |
| | Tufano's Vernon Park Tap | 1073 W Vernon Park Pl | (312) 733-3393 |
Schools | | | | |
| | | 1340 W Harrison St | (773) 534-7000 |
| | Bernice F Joyner CPC | 1315 S Blue Island Ave | (773) 534-7903 |
| | Chalmers Elementary School | 1055 W Roosevelt Rd | (773) 534-1720 |
| | Evangelical McKinley School | 1326 W 14th Pl | (773) 534-7764 |
| | Galileo Scholastic Academy | 820 S Carpenter St | (773) 534-7070 |
| | Joseph Medill Elementary School | 1301 W 14th St | (773) 534-7750 |
| | | 1076 W Roosevelt Rd | (312) 421-5900 |
| | Smyth Elementary School | 1059 W 13th St | (773) 534-7180 |
| | | 1522 W Fillmore St | (773) 534-7305 |
| | | 1200 W Harrison St | (312) 996-7000 |
Libraries | | | | |
| | Roosevelt Public Library | 1101 W Taylor St | (312) 746-5656 |
| | University of Illinois at Chicago Library | 801 N Morgan St | (312) 996-2716 |
Hospitals | | | | |
| | | 1653 W Congress Pkwy | (888) 352-7874 |
Post Offices | | | | |
| | The UPS Store | 1137 W Taylor St | (312) 226-8700 |
Pharmacies | | | | |
| | Sharda Pharmacy | 1231 W Roosevelt Rd | 312) 666-0240 |
Grocery Stores | | | | |
| | | 1438 W Taylor St | (312) 666-3471 |
| | Solbana Produce | 75 W South Water Market | (312) 829-0069 |
| | Taylor Street Food & Liquor | 1152 W Taylor St | (312) 666-0096 |
Gyms | | | | |
| | Anytime Fitness | 708 W Maxwell St | (312) 829-6620 |
| | Chicago Personal Training | 1268 W Westgate Terr | (312) 587-1464 |
| | Little Gym of South Loop | 704 W Maxwell St | (312) 628-3119 |
| | Saint Francis of Assisi Gym | 1235 S Newberry Ave | (312) 563-9490 |
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