Edgewater Condos and Edgewater Real Estate
Edgewater is seven miles north of downtown bordering the neighborhoods of Rogers Park to the north, Uptown to the south, Lincoln Square to the west and south and West Ridge to the west and north. Edgewater boundaries are: Foster on the south, Devon on the north, Ravenswood on the west, and Lake Michigan on the east.
Edgewater contains several beaches that residents enjoy in the warm months. It also has the highest population density of any of the neighborhoods in Chicago.
Edgewater was first developed around the 1890s as a summer home for Chicago's elite. This area was one of the first with sidewalks, street lights and sewers. With the exception of pockets acknowledged as historic districts (like the Bryn Mawr Historic District), Edgewater (actually, Edgewater Beach) boasts a skyline of apartment buildings, condominium complexes, and mid-rise homes.
Edgewater Beach is highlighted by two main corridors: North Winthrop Avenue and North Kenmore Avenue to Loyola University Chicago. Winthrop and Kenmore are rehabilitated areas with homes touched up to harken back to Edgewater's glory days.
In the early 1900s, Edgewater was regarded as one of Chicago's most prestigious communities. A prominent symbol of Edgewater's affluence was the Edgewater Beach Hotel, which opened in 1916 at 5349 North Sheridan. The famed pink hotel was demolished in 1968, though the remaining pink Edgewater Beach Apartments building is still a landmark at the north tip of Lake Shore Drive. The Edgewater building boom peaked in 1926 and property values reached their height in 1928.
In the 1980s, the Chicago Board of Aldermen and local business owners orchestrated a revival for the Edgewater community. Edgewater, which had been a part of the Uptown community since the lates 1920’s, once again called itself its own community. New businesses were brought into the community, old buildings were refurbished and homes touched up to harken back to Edgewater's golden past.
Gay and lesbian community: A large number of gay and lesbian residents has recently moved in. One of two zip codes in Edgewater (the other being 60660), has the highest concentration of gay and lesbian couples in the city, and fifth highest in the country. The community now boasts one of the largest gay and lesbian populations in the United States. It shares that distinction with neighboring community areas of Lakeview, home of Boystown, and Rogers Park. Edgewater is home to the Gerber/Hart Library, the largest gay and lesbian library and archives in the midwestern United States.
Kathy Osterman Beach (more commonly referred to as Hollywood Beach - named after Hollywood Ave where it is situated) is a hugely popular hangout for gays/lesbians during the summer months.
International community
There are a large number of highrise condominiums that line Sheridan Rd. and the Lake and the prices have been more affordable than Lake Shore Drive addresses farther south. Recognizing the value of lakefront living close to the Red Line elevated train, conditions encouraged an improvement and influx of residents. Many of Edgewater's new residents are from Africa and the former Yugoslavia. The area has a great density of Bosnian, Serb and Croat residents.
Walk the streets of Edgewater and you will mix with women in traditional African dress and Serbian grandmothers strolling with their grandchildren. Native Americans, former Yugoslavians, Africans of every region, young hipsters, new parents, first-time homeowners, students and many more make their home in Edgewater. The “average” resident is beyond classification.
Sheridan Road, which follows the lakefront in Edgewater is the main thoroughfare for traffic to/from Lake Shore Drive. Lake Shore Drive ends at Hollywood Avenue where all traffic is routed onto either Hollywood or Sheridan Road.
North of Ardmore Avenue (5800 N) to Devon Avenue (6400 N) there is no lakefront park at all. This portion of Sheridan Road is a canyon of high-rise residential buildings lining both sides of the street. Most of these buildings went up in the late 1950's to early 1970's. Many offer balconies, some buildings even have private beaches
A small area on and around Argyle Street, east of Broadway, is a concentration of Asain restaurants and shops. Among the shop owners on Argyle were Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Koreans, Indians, Pakistanis, and also Spanish-speakers, Greeks, and Albanians.
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