Edgewater

Boundaries: North: Devon Avenue; East: Lake Michigan; South: Foster Avenue; West: Ravenswood Avenue.

During the era between World War I and World War II, Edgewater meant elegance with its row of mansions that sat majestically perched along Lake Shore Drive and the spacious houses that could be found on the streets just off of the Lake. The mainstay of the neighborhood for years was the Edgewater Beach Hotel, one of the most elegant hotels in the city and renowned for its exquisite dining and dancing.

The building boom of the 1960's and 1970's spelled doom for these magnificent buildings as most were razed, including the Edgewater Beach Hotel itself, to make way for the highrise apartment buildings that currently dot Lake Shore Drive. At its northern edge, Edgewater is home to Loyola University, and many of its students and faculty live in the surrounding area.

With its convenient location, easy access to Lake Shore Drive, close proximity to Andersonville, two beaches and the Chicago lakefront, Edgewater is quickly becoming the locale of choice for young professionals seeking to avoid the pricey housing of its southern neighbors.

Transportation-Rapid Transit: Red Line (Stations: Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Thorndale, Granville).