North Center

Welcome to North Center

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A charming urban neighborhood, offering quiet residential streets tucked away from the hustle of the city, with easy access to great shopping and restaurants along Lincoln Avenue and in sub-neighborhood, Roscoe Village. North Center boasts a wide variety of desirable real estate options that range from stately Victorians and traditional homes with welcoming front porches to modern, loft-style condos and stone walk-ups. Sidewalks and treed lawns are well maintained and most blocks have a great deal of curb appeal. In contrast to much of Chicago, North Center has easy street parking, as well as many properties with private garages. Originally a part of the city’s industrial expansion – an area that was once home to many factories and brickyards, North Center stretches from Montrose Avenue to Diversey Avenue and strays as far east as Ravenswood Avenue, butting up to the Chicago River on its west end.

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Lincoln Avenue (between Montrose and Roscoe) is home to one of Chicago’s most diverse antique districts. Shops lining the avenue run from flea market-style vendors to art-deco specialists. Smythson Yeats and European cottage-style purveyors, Praha, offer a seamless mix of old and new. For the serious vintage couture seeker, Lulu’s at the Belle Kay is a must-see. As is expected in a corridor of mostly boutique shopping, North Center has many chic restaurants, including Sola and one of Chicago’s more refined Irish establishments, Bistro. Entertainment options include American Theater Company (ATC), for traditional theater and Martyrs’, for live music (with actual professional sound quality). Roscoe Village offers fun both day and night on Roscoe Avenue (between Damen and Western). Grab brunch and relive your 70s childhood at Kitsch’N and stick around for a happy hour at Mulligans or the Riverview Tavern. Roscoe Village is also home to a decent variety of ethnic restaurants and the Retro On Roscoe festival.

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Serviced by three Brown Line CTA train stops at Addison, Irving Park, and Montrose Avenues. Commutes to the Loop typically run for 25 minutes. CTA Bus transit can be had at any of the major east-west and north-south avenues. The Ravenswood Metra Line stop is a short trip east for express access to the Loop or northbound to Ravinia Festival. Access to the Kennedy (I-90/94) is best had at Damen Ave. in Bucktown, which is typical, a 7-minute drive. Public and private schools (Pre-K – High School) abound in North Center and the caliber of the schools help to maintain stable property values. Bell Elementary (K-8) boasts one of CPS’s most notable Gifted Programs.