Welcome to Irving Park | Chicago Guide to Irving Park Real Estate
One of the largest community areas in Chicago, Irving Park encompasses a vast stretch of real estate west of the Chicago River. Two historic community areas, Villa District and Old Irving Park, fall within its boundaries, boasting grand, multi-level homes with welcoming front porches. Old Irving Park is a picturesque residential community area. The general quiet tranquility of these pockets of Chicago often holds Old Irving Park and Villa District in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. But this northwest Chicago neighborhood is highly coveted for having both calm and homey neighborhood streets, along with all the amenities and accessibility of an urban community. Learn more about living in the Irving Park neighborhood with this local real estate guide.
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Living in Irving Park
STATELY HOUSES • EASY ACCESS • LANDMARK HOMES • PARK ACTIVITIES
The area that is today Irving Park was once farmland just outside of the growing city limits of Chicago. After some time, the farm became a suburb which eventually became a Chicago community when annexed in the late 1880s.
The area is adorned with beautiful homes full of a charm and curb appeal. A combination of residential architecture can be found throughout the neighborhood, and many of the houses, particularly in Old Irving Park and Villa District, lean on the larger side. In fact, walks along the residential streets of these community areas are a pleasant way to explore the neighborhood and admire the different historic and landmark homes that are a hallmark of this neighborhood. And in the summer months, one of the neighborhood’s largest parks, Independent Park, hosts a local farmers market.
Children in and around Irving Park especially enjoy the summer time with baseball leagues in full swing at Horner Park and outdoor swimming open for the season at California Park.
In recent years, as craft breweries in Chicago are growing in number, a few local breweries have come to call the Irving Park neighborhood home, giving the area some new dining spots, too.
Where is Irving Park?
The Irving Park neighborhood starts on the east end off the North Branch of the Chicago River, where Horner Park sits, and expands west just past N Knox Ave. It is bordered on the north and south by Montrose Ave, and then Addison St and parts of Belmont Ave, respectively.
Irving Park East, Old Irving Park, Irving Park South, Kilbourn Park and part of Mayfair are the community areas that make up the Irving Park neighborhood.
The Kennedy and Edens Expressway (I-90/I-94) runs through the Irving Park neighborhood, and the area can be accessed from the Irving Park/Pulask, Keeler and Montrose Ave exits.
Milwaukee Ave, which is one of Chicago’s main diagonal streets, also cuts through the neighborhood. Old Irving Park is dominated by the 60641 zip code and forms part of Chicago’s 45th Ward.
Irving Park Transportation
Residents of Irving Park benefit from close proximity to the CTA Blue Line Irving Park and Addison stations. Additionally, the following bus routes move through the neighborhood making it easy to get to other parts of the city by public transit: #152 Addison, #53 Pulaski, #54 Cicero, #54A North Cicero/Skokie Blvd, #56 N Milwaukee, #80 Irving Park, and #78 Montrose.
For public transit users traveling outside of the city limits using the commuter rail lines, there’s the convenience of the Irving Park, Grayland and Mayfair Metra stations within the neighborhood’s boundaries.
Traveling by car to and from the Irving Park neighborhood is also made convenient by the Kennedy and Edens Expressway (I-90/I-94) which cuts through the neighborhood, as well as major streets like Irving Park Rd, Pulaski Rd, Cicero and Milwaukee Ave.
Irving Park Real Estate Market Snapshot
CLASSIC BUNGALOWS • CONDO DEVELOPMENT • NEW CONSTRUCTION SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES • LARGE HISTORIC HOUSES
Buying a home in Irving Park is an investment in space and longevity. Many of the homes in the area are historic builds or large single-family homes, especially in Old Irving Park and Villa District, while others are designed to mirror the homes and mansions that characterize the neighborhood. Most if not all houses come with a front porch that extends from one side of the house to the other, and for some even around the side of the house.
These larger homes will range in price from the high $600,000s to upwards of $1 million. Apart from multiple rooms and bright, airy interior spaces, a number of the houses for sale in Old Irving Park feature luxurious and contemporary design, light color schemes, high end finishes and modern fixtures.
Smaller bungalows and workers cottages are peppered throughout the neighborhood, usually in the $400,000 - $500,000 range. And in some corners you’ll find subdivision housing communities with townhouses like The Terraces of Old Irving Park or Basecamp, a collection of new construction single-family homes along Milwaukee Ave.
There are also a number of two-flat brick apartment buildings with setback entrances, a style that is quite common in the area, as well as larger multi-unit brick buildings, with two- and three-bedroom condos, or duplex units. High-end condos are also on the rise in Irving Park, generally prices somewhere between the mid $200Ks and $400Ks, with HOA fees ranging from $150-$350/month.
Irving Park Realtor
Track market trends and get advice on neighborhood real estate trends from an Irving Park real
estate expert:
Mark Quesada, Irving Park Realtor
630-308-4562 | mark@homehunterschicago.com
Let’s work together to reach your real estate goals.
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Live Like a Local in Chicago’s Irving Park Neighborhood
Schedule a house or condo tour with an Irving Park real estate agent and then explore the neighborhood on your own. Here’s a quick self-guided tour of Irving Park.
Start the day at Backlot Coffee (3982 N Avondale Ave) for a quick pick-me-up, or if you’re in the mood for a heartier breakfast head over to Bia’s Marianao Cafe (4323 W Addison St) for a Cuban-style breakfast sandwich paired with a a cafe con leche. Spend the early afternoon strolling through the neighborhood, weaving in and out of side streets, to admire the architecture and grandeur of so many homes in Old Irving Park. If you’re looking for some recreation, head over to Independence Park. During the spring and summer months, the park’s indoor pool offers open swim from 12:00 -1:45 p.m. At lunchtime, make plans to try a flight of cider and some delicious bites at Eris Brewery & Cider House (4240 W Irving Park Rd). For dinner, enjoy a neighborhood favorite - relaxed, casual, and quite tasty - Smoque BBQ (3800 N Pulaski Rd). If the weather allows, opt for patio seating. Cap off the night at The Cabin at Old Irving Park (4104 N Pulaski Rd), which just as its name implies, the interior is meant to replicate the feel and ambiance of a log cabin.
Irving Park Dining
Irving Park restaurants range from authentic ethnic dining to craft beer houses with creative food pairings. Check out some of these Irving Park neighborhood favorites:
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FINOM Cafe (- elevated cafe for coffee and rare tea selections and a menu of Hungarian inspired small plates.
Chicago’s Pizza (4520 Irving Park Rd) - famed for its stuffed pizza, pizza lovers can choose from deep dish, gourmet and thin crust pizza, too.
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Zebda (4344 N Elston Ave) - highly rated for its Mediterranean and African dishes.
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Chicago Taco Authority (4219 Irving Park Rd) - tacos of all kinds served up at this playful restaurant that mimics a train station.
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Old Irving Brewing (4419 W Montrose Ave) - warehouse interior, extensive beer list, lots of TVs and indoor games, including cornhole.
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Shokran (4027 Irving Park Rd) - the flavors in the Moroccan dishes and the warm ambiance keep patrons coming back again and again.
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Raisu Japanese Fine Dining (2958 Irving Park Rd) - “leave it to the chef” and try an Omakase dinner at this neighborhood Japanese restaurant.
Irving Park Neighborhood Amenities
Those who live in the Irving Park neighborhood have just what they need within the neighborhood limits when it comes to groceries, schools, parks and other services.
For groceries, Irving Park residents conveniently have Cermak Fresh Market (4234 N Kedzie Ave) and Tony’s Fresh Market (4137 N Elston Ave), as well as a Jewel-Osco (4660 Irving Park Rd) location at the Six Corners business district.
Kolmar Park Playlot (4143 N Kolmar Ave) sits on the northwest side of the Irving Park community area, south of Irving Park Rd. This small park has a playground for smaller children and a softball field. Irving Park is also home to Horner Park (2741 W Montrose Ave) and Independence Park (3945 N Springfield Ave), which account for the two largest parks in the area.
Families with grade school kids have their choice of a couple of neighborhood public elementary schools including Belding Elementary School (4257 N Tripp Ave) and Disney II Magnet School (3815 N Kedvale Ave), which serves students in grade level K-6. There’s also St. Viator Elementary School (4140 W Addison St), for families interested in pursuing a private, parochial education.
The Irving Park neighborhood is limited when it comes to high school level educational institutions. But one of Chicago’s larger public high school campuses, Carl Schurz High School (3601 N Milwaukee Ave) is located in the area. Students in grades 9-12 also have the option of DePaul College Prep (3633 N California Ave) for a private school education.
For families with a keen interest in the arts and helping their kids seek out quality lessons in music, there are places like Upbeat Music and Arts (4318 Irving Park Rd). And for additional programs and camps, there’s also the Irving Park YMCA (4251 Irving Park Rd), that offers swimming and fitness programs, along with seasonal camps for kids.
Irving Park Real Estate Consultant
Ready to pursue a home purchase in the Old Irving Park neighborhood? Let me come alongside you to achieve your real estate goals.
Mark Quesada, Old Irving Park Realtor
630-308-4562 | mark@homehunterschicago.com
Understanding your options and how the real estate market is performing are both important when considering a home or condo purchase in Irving Park. If you’re ready to buy a home or are considering a condo for sale in the area, talk with an Irving Park realtor who can give you the insight you need as you prepare to make a real estate decision in this northwest side neighborhood. If you’re currently thinking about selling your home in Irving Park, partner with an Irving Park real estate agent who can assist you in getting your home ready for sale, and help you position your home to receive some strong offers. Contact me today and let’s discuss your options and set a roadmap to give you the best possible home buying or home selling experience.
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