Streeterville
Lakefront Towers, Navy Pier, Mag Mile
MEDIAN: $431,500
Get to know Streeterville
Streeterville is downtown Chicago's lakefront living room: a neighborhood of towers between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan, running north from the Chicago River toward the Gold Coast. Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile and Northwestern's downtown medical campus all sit inside it.
People move here for the view and the convenience. You can live high above the lake, walk to the beach, The Loop and the city's best shopping, and rarely need a car.
The land itself has a story. In 1886, Captain George Streeter ran his boat aground off this shore, claimed the landfill that grew around it as his own territory, and fought the city for decades. Today it's one of Chicago's most polished addresses, and residents say it feels calmer than the downtown around it.
Why People Love Streeterville
Residents put it simply: everything downtown has to offer, with the lake at the end of the block.
The lake is minutes away. Ohio Street Beach is a short walk from most buildings, and the Lakefront Trail runs right past, north to the Gold Coast or south to The Loop.
Daily errands are a short walk. Residents point to grocery stores, Target, pharmacies, gyms and coffee shops within a block or two of home.
It's busy by day and calm at night. Reviewers describe a neighborhood that hums during the day and turns peaceful in the evening, with less foot traffic and noise than River North.
You can walk almost anywhere downtown. The Magnificent Mile is steps away, and residents say the Loop and Millennium Park are an easy walk along the lake.
The buildings do a lot of the work. Many towers come with door staff, pools, fitness centers and sundecks, so amenities are part of everyday life.
There's a neighborhood underneath the skyline. The residents' association, SOAR, runs a weekly farmers market on the plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art from June through October.
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What to do in Streeterville
In Streeterville, most days start at the water and end somewhere with a view.
Mornings belong to the Lakefront Trail. Run or bike along the shore, then cool off at Ohio Street Beach in summer. Lake Shore Park, a few blocks north, adds a running track and tennis courts.
On Tuesdays from June through October, neighbors meet at the SOAR Farmers Market on the Museum of Contemporary Art's plaza for produce, flowers and baked goods, with lunch from the vendors. The museum itself is right there for an afternoon of art.
Errands and indulgences share the same few blocks. Shop the Magnificent Mile, pick up groceries at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, and grab doughnuts at Do-Rite on Erie. For a view, ride up to 360 Chicago near the top of 875 North Michigan.
Evenings stay close to home. Navy Pier lights up the lakefront in summer, the riverfront and Riverwalk are a short walk south, and there's a movie theater at River East. When you want a bigger night out, River North's restaurants and bars are a 10- to 20-minute walk west.
Housing Types & Architecture
Streeterville is almost entirely high-rise living: condos and rentals in towers, from 1920s apartment buildings to brand-new glass.
The oldest residential buildings date to the 1920s, when the opening of the Michigan Avenue Bridge made this landfill prime real estate. Luxury apartments such as The Neuville went up then, and the East Lake Shore Drive Historic District, along the neighborhood's northern edge, preserves a row of grand vintage buildings facing the lake.
Most buildings are much newer. Mid-century and late-20th-century towers line Lake Shore Drive, and a wave of new high-rises has filled in the blocks south of Ontario Street toward the river. Landmarks include the former John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan, with condos stacked above offices, and Lake Point Tower, which stands alone on the lake side of Lake Shore Drive.
Expect amenities as the norm: door staff, pools, fitness centers, sundecks and garage parking. In a condo building, the monthly assessment is part of the monthly budget, so ask what it covers, what the building holds in reserve, and when the next special assessment is expected.
The quick read: a strong fit if you want a full-amenity building with lake or skyline views and everything downtown at your door. A harder search if you want a house, a yard or a quiet residential side street.
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Grand Avenue Towards Navy Pier, Streeterville, Chicago, IL
https://flic.kr/p/2rzA12T
Michigan Avenue Magnificent Mile from Wacker Drive, Streeterville, Chicago, IL
Tiffany and Company Storefront, Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, Chicago, IL
Lake Shore Drive, Streeterville, Chicago, IL
Tribune Tower, Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, Chicago, IL
Get the Streeterville Neighborhood Report
Current selling trends, median income recent sale prices, commute times, and walkability.
What People Are Saying
Here's how people who live in Streeterville describe it, summarized from public resident reviews:
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