Albany Park is one of 77
well-defined Chicago, Illinois
, community areas.
It is a
residential and commercial neighborhood on the Northwest Side of
the City of Chicago
, and one of
the most ethnically diverse in the United States. It has one
of highest percentages of foreign-born residents of neighborhoods
in Chicago.
Although the majority of those foreign-born
residents are from Latin America, the
majority from Mexico
(especially
from the state of Michoacán
) and
Guatemala
, substantial
numbers are from the Philippines
, India
, Korea
, Cambodia
, the
Former Yugoslavia (Serbia
, Croatia
, Bosnia
), Romania
, Pakistan
and the
Middle East (especially Iraq
, Iran
, and
Lebanon
).
Over 40 different languages are spoken in its
public schools. Due to the
diverse population and immigrant population attraction, the
population of the neighborhood has increased by 16.5% in the last
decade. It is part of the 60625 zip code, which is known as one of
the most diverse areas in the entire country.
Government Agencies
- Libraries
-5150 N. Kimball Avenue
-4440 W. Lawrence Avenue
- Police Department
- 4650 N. Pulaski Road - 17th District
- Fire Department
- 2322 West Foster Avenue
- 3945 West Peterson Avenue
- 4426 North Kedzie Avenue
- 4017 North Tripp
- Marine Corps
- U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2nd Battalion 24th Marines
-3034-60 W. Foster Avenue
Transportation
The terminus for the Chicago Transit Authority's Ravenswood
Brown Line
ends at Lawrence and Kimball Avenues.
Albany Park is
accessible through the Kimball
, Kedzie
and Francisco
stations of
the Brown
Line, the Montrose CTA Blue Line Station, as well as by the
Edens expressway (Interstate
94). The name "Albany Park" refers both to one of
Chicago's 77 official
community areas and the
traditional name of a neighborhood within that community. The
official community is bounded very approximately by Foster Avenue
and the North Branch of the Chicago River on the north, Montrose
Avenue on the south, Elston Avenue on the southwest, and the North
Branch of the Chicago River on the east. It is in Jefferson Park
Township, which was annexed into Chicago in 1889.
- Bus Routes
- Lawrence Bus #81
- Pulaski Bus #53
- Montrose Bus #78
- Kimball/Homan Bus #82
- Irving Park #80
- Foster Bus #92
Politics
Albany
Park is also notorious for being the home of the former governor of
Illinois
, Rod Blagojevich.
The area is one of the most Democratic of the country: In 2004,
John Kerry won 22,800 votes (97.47%) to
only 529 (2.26%) for
George W.
Bush. This is due to strong
Democratic party involvement at the local level and Chicago's
heavily Democratic tilt. Currently, Albany Park is in 3 wards. The
33rd ward (Alderman
Richard Mell -
Democrat), the 39th wards (Alderman
Margaret Laurino - Democrat), and the 40th
Ward (Alderman Patrick O'Connor - Democrat). Alderman
Richard Mell is the father-in-law of former
Governor
Rod Blagojevich.
Elected Officials
- State Representatives
- Deborah L. Mell (District 40)
- John D'Amico (District 15)
- John A. Fritchey (District 11)
- Gregory Harris (District 13)
- State Senators
- John J. Cullerton (District 6)
- Iris Y. Martinez (District 20)
- Ira I. Silverstein (District 8)
- Heather Steans (District 7)
- Aldermen
- Richard Mell (33rd Ward)
- Margaret Laurino (39th Ward)
- Patrick O'Connor (40th Ward)
- Cook County Commissioner
- Robert Maldano (District 8)
Economy
Grupo TACA operates a Chicago-area TACA
Satellite at 3107 West Lawrence Avenue.
Neighborhoods
The traditional neighborhoods within the official community are
(including rough boundaries):
- Albany Park: Bryn Mawr (5600 N), Montrose (4400 N), north
branch of the river (about 3000 W), and Pulaski (4000 W).
- Ravenswood Manor: Lawrence (4800 N), Montrose (4400 N), north
branch of the river (about 2600 W), and Sacramento (3000 W).
- Mayfair: Lawrence (4800 N), Montrose (4400 N), Pulaski (4000
W), and Cicero (4800 W).
- North Mayfair: Bryn Mawr (5600 N), Lawrence (4800 N), Pulaski
(4000 W), and Cicero (4800 W). www.northmayfair.org
Immediately to the north lie Northeastern Illinois
University
, North Park
University
, and the Bohemian National Cemetery.
Korean commercial district
The neighborhood has been the "
Koreatown"
of Chicago since the 1980s. The majority of Korean shops in Albany
Park can be found on Lawrence Avenue (4800 North) between Kedzie
(3200 West) and Pulaski (4000 West). This particular section of
Lawrence Avenue has been officially nicknamed by the city of
Chicago as "Seoul Drive" because of the multitude of Korean-owned
enterprises on the street.
Although many of the Korean Americans in the neighborhood have
been moving to the north suburbs in recent years, it still retains
its Korean
flavor. Every year there is a Korean festival, and the
neighborhood is home to a Korean television station (
WOCH-CA Ch. 41) and radio station (1330 AM) as well
as two Korean-language newspapers.
There are still many Korean businesses
interspersed among the newer Mexican
bakeries and
Middle Eastern grocery stores. Approximately 45% of the
businesses on this particular stretch of Lawrence Avenue are owned
by Korean-Americans.
Schools
- Public Schools
- Hibbard Elementary School
- Haugan Magnet School
- Budlong Elementary School
- North River Elementary
- Peterson Elementary
- Waters Elementary
- Volta Elementary
- Chappell Elementary
- ASPIRA at Haugan Middle School
- Haugan Middle Campus
- Albany Park Multicultural Academy
- Roosevelt High School
- Northside Prep High School
- Von Steuben Metro Science Center
- Amundsen High School
- Edison Regional Gifted Center
- Global Village
- John M. Palmer Elementary
- Private Schools
- North Shore Junior Academy
- Little Angels
- Telshe High School
- Gateway to Learning
- St. Matthias Transfiguration
- Universities
- Northeastern Illinois University
- North Park University
Parks & Recreation Facilities
- Eugene Field Park
- Gompers Park
- Horner Park
- Jensen Park
- Kiwanis Park
- Ravenswood Manor Park
- River Park
- Ronan Park
- Buckeye Playlot Park
- Buffalo Playlot Park
- Jacob Playlot Park
- Sunken Gardens Playlot Park
- Vogle Playlot Park
Community Gardens
- Drake Community Garden
- Turtle Park Community Garden
Active Neighborhood Organizations
- Albany Park Community Center
- Albany Park Chamber of Commerce
- Albany Park Neighborhood Council
- Albany Park Theater Project
- Christ Church
- Healthy Albany Park Coalition
- World Relief Chicago
- North River Commission
- Lawrence Avenue Development Corporation
- Lawrence Hall Youth Services
- Cambodian Association of Illinois
- Young Women's Empowerment Project
- Foresight Design Initiative
- North Park Friendship Center
- King Oscar Lodge
- Mexico-US Solidarity Network
- American Legion
- Svithiod Independent Order
- Irish American Heritage Center
- Hanul Family Alliance
- Friedman Place
- North Mayfair Improvement Association
- Mayfair Civic Organization
- Ravenswood Manor Improvement Association
- Korean American Community Services
References
-
http://www.roosevelt.edu/ima/pdfs/populationChangeChapter.pdf
- http://www.falconliving.com/albany-park-real-estate.php
External links
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