New Eastside
If you’re looking for downtown Chicago condos in the heart of all of the action, look no further than the New Eastside. This area of Chicago real estate is perfect for those looking to be close to everything the Loop and the Magnificent Mile have to offer.
Bound by Michigan Avenue to the West, Lake Shore Drive to the East, Randolph Street to the South and the Chicago River and Wacker Drive to the North, new condominiums comprise the majority of the New Eastside real estate options. The New Eastside is literally the newest area in Chicago real estate. The neighborhood draws professionals and families looking to be close to the world-class shopping and dining on Michigan Avenue, the variety of shows in the Theater District, and the stunning views of Lake Michigan. One of the most popular buildings in this neighborhood is 340 on the Park (340 E. Randolph) that offers condos starting in the mid $300’s.
The New Eastside will soon become world-famous thanks to the construction of the Chicago Spire to be completed by 2010 at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive. The Chicago Spire, an architectural marvel designed by Santiago Caltrava, is expected to reach 2,000 feet tall, making the rippling tower the tallest building in the United States. Slated to hold 1,300 condominiums, prices for the Chicago Spire’s real estate range from $750,000 on the low end to $40 million for the 10,000 square foot penthouse.
Within the New Eastside neighborhood lies Grant Park and Millennium Parks, a recreational focal point for downtown dwellers and visitors alike. Grant Park was constructed in large part due to the perseverance of Montgomery Ward, owner of the department store by the same name, who fought for twenty years following the Great Fire of 1871 to make the park a permanent green space for the public. The park is modeled in the French fashion, using ornate bridges to connect the geometric plots lined with bike and jogging paths. The famous Buckingham Fountain at the South end of the park was modeled after the Latona Fountain at Versailles.
In 2001, the city expanded the park to the North to create Millennium Park, 93,000 square meters of open space that with Grant Park provides an ideal venue for the multitude of concerts and festivals, including the Annual Gospel Music Festival, the Annual Chicago Blues Festival, the Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival, and the famous Taste of Chicago each May-July. Millennium Park is also home to the Cloud Gate, an enormous 110-ton stainless steel structure that reflects the Chicago skyline as one walks around it. Nicknamed “The Bean” because of its legume-like shape, the structure is an icon of the New Eastside.
Those seeking a cultural outlet will enjoy the New Eastside’s proximity to Museum Park, home to the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Field Museum of Natural History. The Art Institute of Chicago is steps away and attracts internationally renowned collections in its changing exhibits, which complement its impressive permanent collect of American and impressionist art.
The Chicago Public Schools serving the area are the Ogden School and the Wells Community Academy High School.
Its proximity to the Loop makes the New Eastside a great place for downtown workers to call home. All CTA trains converge here, making exploring the other neighborhoods of Chicago a breeze. A variety of bus routes go everywhere the trains do not.
