River West & Fulton River Real Estate
A Bustling Area Between Downtown and West Town
Living in River West offers the convenience of living near the downtown Chicago Loop without the hassle. Situated in between the Chicago River and the 90/94 expressway, River West’s location is a city commuter’s dream. Connect with a top River West realtor and use this real estate guide to get started on your home buying journey.
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Michael Samm | Keller Williams Realty
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The Scene in River West
River West Living
Signs of a city at work: freight and commuter trains crisscrossing the neighborhood, lines filing down stairs to the subway station, highways whizzing with traffic, while delivery trucks and bicyclists jockey for space on the roads. And throughout River West and the Fulton River District, the sweet smell of chocolate permeates the air.
River West and the Fulton River District are situated just west of the Chicago River and are in the 60654 and 60642 zip codes. Over the years, River West has been transitioning and has been gaining a large amount of real estate inventory. Now, River West is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Chicago for it's hip, industrial vibe but also for its close proximity to the Loop, Wicker Park and the West Loop.
The new Bally’s $1.7 billion dollar Casino will be built in the place of where the Chicago Tribune’s publishing site once stood in River West. New energy and entertainment options are coming to a storied Chicago neighborhood with a story to tell.
Find River West
A stone's throw away from the downtown Loop, the neighborhood River West and the adjoining Fulton River District are just across the water from River North. Sandwiched between the Chicago River to the east and the Kennedy Expressway to the west, Milwaukee Avenue is the main artery that connects the two. The Ontario-Ohio interchange, on the south edge of River West and the north edge of the Fulton River District, is their shared border.
Get Around in River West
The Blue Line 'L' train passes through both of these areas, providing ready 24-hour access to downtown (only one stop away) and O'Hare International Airport. The Grand subway station is located in the Fulton River District, followed by the Chicago subway station in River West. Public transit is rounded out by CTA bus routes #8 Halsted, #56 Milwaukee, #66 Chicago and #65 Grand. Another car-free option, by bicycle is a quick way to move about with barrier-protected bike lanes and marked paths along Kinzie Street, Milwaukee Avenue and Desplaines Street. The Kennedy Expressway is quite literally in the backyard, and major arteries for driving local like Milwaukee Avenue and Halsted Street cut across town — though in rush hour traffic moves at a crawl throughout this busy hub.
River West Real Estate in West Town
River West Apartments for Rent
Grand CTA Blue Line Station in Fulton River
Zoom In on River West
What was once strictly an industrial zone for storage, warehousing and manufacturing is now home to a new generation of city-dwellers.
Historically it was a natural fit: at its doorstep was rail, river and expressway access — a recipe for success for those commercial users. And today, accessibility is still reason no. 1 to make the move here. The rush to move back to the city center has seen a spillover from River North and the Loop. With the development boom, amenities with residents in mind come too.
In the Fulton River District, two major intersections are laid out one after another: Milwaukee/Desplaines/Kinzie and Milwaukee/Grand/Halsted. In this mix, a Jewel-Osco is the first "green" LEED certified store in the grocery chain. There are banks, nail salons, pet stores and the requisite Starbucks (or two). Eckhart Park (1330 W Chicago Ave) in Noble Square and Ward (A. Montgomery) Park (630 N Kingsbury St) in River North were traditionally known as the only two parks in the River West area. Recently, a new green space was a welcome addition to River West, Park No. 551 known locally as Fulton River Park (353 N Desplaines St). A decade ago, none of this development was here. Across the river, nearby East Bank Club is not new (it opened in 1980) but it is a destination gym if there ever was one.
In River West, the main intersection is Milwaukee/Chicago/Ogden and here centrality is key. There isn't an overwhelming selection of dining, nightlife or shopping to walk to and from. But because it shares its borders with River North, West Town and the West Loop, it is surrounded by options that are a quick cab (or bus ride or train stop) away. In the actual neighborhood, two stops for art and culture are on the Milwaukee Avenue corridor: Woman Made Gallery and Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art.
River West City Views
Fulton River Park in River West
River West + Fulton River Real Estate Market Snapshot
INDUSTRIAL + MODERN CONDOS | SCENIC RIVER VIEWS | MODERN CONDOS | NEW CONSTRUCTION | SKYLINE VIEWS
River West condos are in high demand and the market is competitive. Work with a River West real estate agent that knows the market and can find the perfect home for you. It is essential that you work with a River West real estate agent that can give you the edge in a multiple offer situation. Contact The West Town Team at 312-767-7504 to start working with a River West real estate agent today.
Learn more about the market trends with a River West real estate expert:
Michael Samm, River West REALTOR®
312-767-7504
River West REALTOR
MICHAEL SAMM | KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY
Call to access pre-market pocket listings in River West before they are available to the public!
Willis Tower View from River West
Apartments on Green Street River West Chicago
Grand and Milwaukee Intersection in River West Chicago
River West Condo Building
The Roost Restaurant River West Chicago
River West Condo Loft Building
Eat & Drink in River West
The buzz is a little more dialed down in River West compared to next door neighborhoods, with restaurants and bars more spread out in River West and the Fulton River District. But that's not to mean they aren't incredible in their own right.
Some River West establishments to take note of:
Piccolo Sogno (464 N Halsted St) award-winning chef Tony Priolo brings the food of his grandmother's homeland to this beloved eatery with Spaghetti Neri topped with fresh seafood and Stracci di Farro served with black truffles.
The Matchbox (770 N Milwaukee Ave) this unique dining car (a vintage train car retired from the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) is home to the "Best Sandwich in America" per TV food authority Anthony Bourdain and perhaps Chicago's most intimate watering hole at 460 sq.ft.
The Roost Carolina Kitchen (457 N Milwaukee Ave) fried chicken comes in choices of flavors like Nashville Hot or Habanero BBQ, but the ace-in-the-hole is the buttermilk biscuit on the side.
La Scarola (721 W Grand Ave) best known for its calamari, this jam-packed Italian joint presents heaping portions of contemporary and traditional classics.
Carnivale (702 W Fulton Market) still going strong after 10+ years, the lively Latin restaurant and lounge serves up ceviche, empanadas and churrasco best paired with a caipirinha or mojito.
The Dawson (730 W Grand Ave) beautifully crafted American cuisine at a great value earned this group-friendly gathering place a spot on the Bib Gourmand list by the prestigious Michelin Guide.
Richard's Bar: (491 N Milwaukee Ave) $3 beers, hard boiled eggs, jukebox dancing and a cigarette-ban-be-damned attitude make this more of an institution than just a dive bar.
River West Restaurants
River West Bar
The Dawson in Chicago
The Pearl Club Bar in River West
La Scarola Italian Restaurant in River West
Bally's Casino Chicago River West
Anchoring the Area in River West
The rebirth of the Chicago River has begun and the city’s vision for the Chicago Tribune’s former massive 940,000-square-foot plant is beginning the transformation process and will host the site of the new Bally’s Casino anchoring the River West Neighborhood in Chicago.
The new Chicago casino will cost approximately $1.7 billion dollars and will host table games, slots and a 505,000 square-foot hotel with 500 rooms, 11 restaurants, riverfront access with riverfront extension and a museum. The Bally’s Casino footprint along the Chicago river will also include excellent restaurants, retail / shopping and a 3,000 seat theater.
Perhaps one of the most exciting features of the new Bally’s Casino area in River West will be the new 10 acre park that will include open public space and host a 1 acre riverside park.
Later phases of real estate development in the newly coined Chicago “River District” area could include up to 4,800 residential condo units, 250 additional hotel rooms and thousands of square feet of retail space.
Blommer Chocolate Company is another anchor in the River West area in Chicago, just follow the mouthwatering scent of chocolate to the chocolate factory. Blommer’s bills themselves as the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America, and this plant provides instant gratification with an on-site shop open to the public. What to take home? Chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered graham crackers, chocolate-covered almonds... you get the gist.
Locals Who Live in River West
Young professionals looking to embrace a truly urban lifestyle are ideal demographics for the condos for sale in River West and Fulton River District. Formerly desolate stretches have been reinvigorated by real estate developments: a surge of modern towers tout brand-new everything and the conversion of warehouses into upscale lofts preserve their cool industrial character. Also the pricing is a good alternative to what River North and the West Loop command.
River West is an area that, given its location, serves as a transition between high-density downtown and the more spread-out neighborhoods of the Northwest Side. William B Ogden Elementary School (24 W Walton St) serves children in the neighborhood for Chicago Public Schools from K - 8th grade. Wells Community Academy High School (936 N Ashland Ave) serves River West high schoolers from 9 - 12th grade.
Fulton River District Living
In River West, don’t expect rows of single family houses sitting on perfectly-groomed lawns. Home buyers trade in yards and leafy-green streets for soaring ceiling heights, rooftops with party decks and floor-to-ceilings windows that capture downtown views. With awesome amenities (think along the lines of outdoor pools, dog runs, yoga studios and steam rooms) and a top-notch location, River West condos for sale, townhouses for sale and duplex units for sale boast some of the best selling points in Chicago real estate.
Michael Samm | River West Real Estate Agent
312-767-7504
Known as one of the top River West real estate agents in Chicago, Michael Samm takes pride in assisting River West home buyers get the best prices for their home purchase and River West home sellers get the most money for their homes.
Michael is an expert in the River West real estate market and his knowledge of the neighborhood combined with his more than 15 years of marketing and public relations experience, make him the #1 choice when choosing a top realtor in the River West area.
If you are looking for a River West realtor with excellent client reviews that is passionate about the neighborhood, contact Mike today to learn more about buying or selling a home in River West.
River West Real Estate Expert
MICHAEL SAMM | KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY
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