| Uptown Expert | |||||||||||||
 Jason Stratton Sophia Klopas |  Koenig and Strey GMACGOLD COAST |
 | |||||||||||
| WHERE THE SUN IS ALWAYS SHINING | |||||||||||||
From the bustling and historic entertainment district to the picturesque lakefront, Chicago's Uptown neighborhood is buzzing with a variety of interesting shops, ethnic restaurants, exciting clubs and eclectic boutiques. Sharing its coveted Lake Michigan beaches with other communities along the water's edge, Uptown owns the market on island paradise-like sands and beautiful shoreline parkland. There is even a public skatepark where rollerbladers and skateboarders can practice their moves and share wipe-out stories with fellow Uptown skaters. Set back from the Lake Michigan shore are the sought-after residential blocks of stately, landmark mansions and vintage, courtyard condominiums. Uptown has its share modern lofts and rehabbed residences, too. Upgraded condo conversions and top-of-the-line finishes are standard in much of the real estate available today. But, if you prefer that antiquated charm, with a fixer-up feel the old, un-renovated buildings of Uptown will be right up your alley.
Location: 6.5 miles north of the Loop
Boundaries: Foster Avenue to the north, Sheridan Road (between Foster and Lawrence) and Lake Michigan to the east, Montrose Avenue to the south and Clark Street (between Foster and Lawrence) and Racine Avenue to the west
Bordering Neighborhoods: Edgewater, Buena Park, Sheridan Park, Ravenswood, Andersonville, Margate Park
The History
Originally part of the Edgewater neighborhood, the area now known as Uptown was developed as a summer playground for members of Chicago's elite class in the late 19th century, due in large part to its close proximity to Lake Michigan. But the area's desirable location soon began to attract permanent residents in addition to those looking for a warm weather getaway. In the early 1900s, all of the city's northbound trains traveling from downtown ended in the Uptown area, and the neighborhood became a popular entertainment destination.
Getting around in Uptown is fairly easy. Walking is a great option as many of the neighborhood's stores, bars and restaurants are located next to each other on the main drags.
If you're driving, there's easy access to the expressway, including I-90/94 and U.S. Route 14.
Chicago's public transportation system makes traveling around the neighborhood and the city quite easy. The CTA Red and Purple lines run though the neighborhood with stops at Argyle, Lawrence, Wilson and Sheridan, while the busses run on most major streets.
We've compiled a sampling of some of the places you can get your bare necessities, from aerobics classes to Starbucks lattes, dim sum to deodorant.
Listings
