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Wicker Park Neighborhood
Wicker Park and Bucktown are generally considered to be among Chicago’s trendiest neighborhoods, and they have experienced dramatic change and growth over the past decade. This region was originally settled and developed as one of the most Polish neighborhoods in the city, and in fact, the intersection of Division, Ashland and Milwaukee is still known as the “Polish Triangle.”
Just two decades ago, Wicker Park was considered to be a blighted area that was ruled by gangs and crime. But then, at some point in the 1980s, artists began moving into the area, converting large warehouse and lofts spaces into live and work spaces. Within a decade, Wicker Park had become the Midwest’s most bohemian enclave, and smelling potential, developers promptly followed their lead.
Now, Wicker Park is Chicago’s center for coffee shop culture, vintage clothing retailers, sleek sushi bars and nightclubs, and art galleries. Although the median income of Wicker Park residents has shifted upwards, its cultural essence has remained intact. The neighborhood is still considered to be one of Chicago’s premier art districts, and it still hosts the Around the Coyote Art Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors to the neighborhood each year.
Most of the older Victorian-style homes in Wicker Park were built soon after the Great Chicago Fire, and as such, they were built of stone and concrete and just about any material that builders could get their hands on – except for wood. Many of those late-19th century walkups are still standing in Wicker Park, and they’re mixed in with brand new brick condo buildings that have sprung up in recent years that have a more modern aesthetic. Many of the smaller cottages and bungalows that fell into a state of disrepair during the neighborhood’s less prosperous days have been replaced with new multi-unit condo buildings. And because of the neighborhoods eclectic nature, there are plenty of rentals mixed in with condos of all different styles (and prices).
