Near South Side

The near south side is called the South Loop. This is a really great area, and an example of what neighborhood redevelopment can do in a GOOD way (sometimes it’s not so good for actual residents). There have been a lot of high rise condo and apartment buildings going up, but they haven’t really taken over the neighborhood. The streets have been fixed up and local businesses have opened up all over the place.

The main attraction in the neighborhood is the museum campus. The Field Museum, Alder Plantetarium and Shedd Aquarium are there right on the lake. They’re surrounded by a really nice park where people hang out, as well as a beach and Northerly Island, which used to be a air strip and is now an outdoor music venue.

Just north is Soldier Field, where the Bears play, and McCormick Place, the convention center.

Printer’s Row is one of my favorite spots in the South Loop. Maybe because I’m a writer, maybe because I love books, I don’t know. Either way, this small area has a lot of cool old buildings that were print shops a century ago. Many of them have been converted to apartments. The annual Printers Row Lit Fest is there.

I’m a sewer, so I visit the many local fabric stores that are in the South Loop a lot – Vogue, Rainbow Fabrics and Fishman’s are all along Roosevelt Road.

There’s also some great dining in the neighborhood – Eleven Diner, Café Bionda and The Bongo Room are my three favorites, but there are TONS of options.

There’s a really good music scene in the South Loop too. It was home to the legendary rock and blues label Chess Records, and was THE place to be for the blues back in the 60s. Now, there’s Northerly Island, Buddy Guy’s Legends for blues, The Velvet Lounge for jazz, The Shrine for hip hop and Reggie’s for rock and punk. I’m a big music lover, so this neighborhood is great for me!

The South Loop is energetic but not trendy or expensive .

Tourists looking for a little bit of a break on hotel prices might want to check out this neighborhood, since it’s close to the real Chicago action (the Loop, Magnificent Mile, etc) but a little bit cheaper than staying right IN the action. And those who are interested in parks and museums will find them here as well (like the Shedd Aquarium or the Adler Planetarium). Near North Side is close to the White Sox’s field, as well as a number of historic buildings – and as an added bonus, the neighborhood is not nearly as congested as the Loop.

Near South Side is less expensive than neighboring North Side neighborhoods, and it keeps things competitive. A lot of new construction is going on in the area, but hopefully the historic homes and buildings will be kept safe by the city.

The neighborhood has seen just about every kind of condition, but these days – with all the new condos and apartment buildings going up – the Near South Side enjoys a certain amount of stability and is a place that I recommend visiting.

The Near South Side is really close to the Loop (only a few miles) and it has a moderately nice feel, while at the same time being affordable. I wouldn't say that any of the residences are especially nice, which accounts for the lower prices, but you could fix up a loft and have a great place to live that's really close to more interesting neighborhoods.
Shopping is very scarce, so I doubt anyone would come here for retail, but it is close enough to better shopping destinations that you wouldn't suffer if you lived here.
It's a similar theme when it comes to food. Nothing special, and everything that's okay here is better elsewhere, but there are some decent Chinese restaurants if you don't want to travel. Again, you're close enough to neighborhoods with better dining that you wouldn't suffer.
The only park I can think of to help you with your exercise is Dunbar Park, but yet again, there are better parks in other nearby areas.
To me, the best thing about the Near South Side is that you can find an affordable place to live while being able to get to other areas without a hassle. Take it for what it is.

The Near South Loop neighborhood of Chicago is bounded by Congress Parkway to the north, Cermak Road/22nd Street to the south, Burnham Harbor to the east, and the South Branch of the Chicago River to the west. This sprawling area contains at least 4 very notable and distinct areas:

Printer’s Row
Located just south of and adjacent to the central Loop, Printer’s Row began its development as a city-dweller’s neighborhood in the early 1980s. Its name comes from the many publishing companies that were centrally located in this area, housed in some of Chicago’s first concrete and steel high-rises. Because there are so many of them that showcase Chicago’s early architecture and design, the area was designated an historic district in 1996. Some of the most distinctive buildings such as the Monadnock and the Fisher buildings have been converted to combinations of retail/office space and loft condos.

Dearborn Park
The evolution of Dearborn Park began with conversion of the Dearborn Street train station in the Printer’s Row neighborhood. Since the mid 1980s, development spread to the south and west of the station and the area quickly became a haven for city-dwellers with children. Although there are a few high-rise condos, most of Dearborn Park is covered with 2-3 story townhomes. Some have a traditional look with a front yard and a porch; some have that austere “city” look – no front yard/porch, but a cute little 2nd floor balcony overlooking the street. Much more family-oriented/residential than the other neighborhoods in this area.

Museum Campus
This former landfill area was developed and built up just after the Columbian Exposition of 1893 and contains 3 of the world’s most famous museums: The Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. It is also the site of historic Soldier Field – home turf of the Chicago Bears, and host to a variety of concerts and other public events.

Prairie Avenue Historic District
This area was Chicago’s original “Gold Coast” neighborhood from 1872-1904 and included such notable residents as Marshall Field, George Pullman, and Philip Armour. Many of the stately city mansions were razed or converted during the next 60 or so years as the magnates moved north, however 11 of them survived and are still standing – and occupied by the nouveau-riche. Since the mid-1990s, the neighborhood has seen an explosion of new developments of townhomes. Older commercial buildings have been converted to lofts and condos. And the larger mansions have been converted and opened to the public as museums, showcasing the spectacular interior design and architecture of these Grand Dames of upscale housing.

The “New” South Loop
The real estate surrounding the Museum Campus and the Prairie Avenue district has been transformed from old rail yards, vacant lots, and abandoned office buildings and warehouses to a densely populated neighborhood of newly-built townhomes and high-rise condos. Along with that, there is an abundance of quaint upscale and casual-dining restaurants, boutique shops, and of course neighborhood sports bars. What used to be considered a wasteland has become a popular and (mostly affordable) inner city neighborhood.