A petite, sub-neighborhood nestled within the larger borders of East Garfield Park, Fifth City's residential streets are located just minutes away from Chicago's bustling downtown. Fifth City offers folks affordable homes in classic brick flats, near to major transportation systems and one of the town's largest parks. More spacious and spread out than other Chicago neighborhoods, Fifth City has quite a bit of undeveloped land and open lots. A trim group of restaurants and businesses hug the community's eastern border, but residents can easily head across the street for additional dining and shopping.
Situated on a square section of land carved out of greater East Garfield Park neighborhood, Fifth City has experienced many ups and downs since 1869, when it was annexed into Chicago. Flooded with real estate dealings after the designation of nearby 185-acre Garfield Park in 1869 (the park, not the neighborhood), Fifth City’s vacant lots became hot commodities. But after the property was divvied up and construction was slated to begin, the developers didn’t hold up their end of the bargain and the land was left devoid of the promised buildings and infrastructure. The unoccupied lots traded hands until 1871, the year of the Great Chicago Fire. Mistrustful of the city’s ability to rebuild after the fire and wary of the prospect of another large-scale fire, developers began searching outside Chicago’s city limits for construction opportunities, deserting the neighborhood’s original plans.
Another impediment to Fifth City’s progress was an unreliable transportation system. However, that changed in 1893 when the Lake Street Elevated laid down tracks in East Garfield Park, bringing an influx of commercial development into the area with it. Factories and businesses, plus two-flats and small apartment buildings, sprouted up along the rails. And by 1914, modest homes and commercial industry filled the once abandoned neighborhood heightening its position as a desirable place to live.
Fifth City continued on its prosperous path until the Great Depression and World War II. As times grew increasingly tougher, the neighborhood’s spacious, single family homes were converted into smaller units—each of which was chockfull of boarders. Sadly, the general state of Fifth City neighborhood fell into disrepair, once again. Housing conditions continued to decline throughout the 1960s, and requests for restorations and simple repairs were ignored by negligent landlords. In view of the less-than-lovely scene, residents and businesses alike moved out of the area.
Despite a streak of rough luck, Fifth City is currently experiencing a social and economic renewal. Developers, attracted to the neighborhood’s reasonable property prices and close proximity to the Loop, have swooped in, intent on restoring historic homes and buildings, in addition to constructing new ones. Unlike other parts of town, Fifth City still has a sizeable portion of unused land, providing rare opportunities for major development projects. And with the scenic landscapes, vast open space, and recreational activities of Garfield Park surrounding the tiny neighborhood on two sides, this western Chicago enclave has "future hotspot" written all over it.
Fifth City facts
Location: 4 miles northwest of the Loop Bordering Neighborhoods: Garfield Park, Homan Square, Lawndale, West Garfield Park Boundaries: Madison Street to the north, Congress Parkway to the south, Kedzie Avenue to the east and Central Park Avenue to the west Crime Statistics: Go to CLEARMap to search specific streets and areas for crime incidents
Fifth City transportation
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Fifth City Real Estate
Compared to many of Chicago’s neighborhoods, Fifth City is less densely developed, with the residential buildings and businesses spaced out throughout the community’s wide boulevards. The blocks are lined with century-old graystones and vintage brick apartment buildings, many of which have been rehabbed and updated. The neighborhood also offers a selection of recent constructions, including luxury condos, townhouses, mid-rises and affordable housing developments. A mix of old and new, Fifth City provides something for everyone and every budget.
A one- or two-bedroom condo in Fifth City neighborhood typically ranges from the low $100,000s to $200,000. These residences vary in style from brand new structures with modern designs to older redbrick buildings with remodeled interiors. Three-bedrooms generally up the price to between the mid $100,000s and the upper $200,000s, including some half-duplexes and refurbished condo lofts, all providing comfortable living spaces with contemporary style and amenities. Attached housing is much more common in this west side Chicago neighborhood, however there is a handful of detached single-family homes on the market here. But for the most part homebuyers will find the value is in the multi-unit real estate.
The average sale price of a home in Fifth City is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average price based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average sale price for the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Fifth City sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average number of days a home in Fifth City spends listed for sale is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average number of days a home spent on market during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on average market listing times in Fifth City sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average sale price of a home compared to its listing price in Fifth City is represented by the chart to the right. The black line indicates the baseline listing price for homes during the time frame selected in the drop-down. The red line indicates the difference between the average listing price and the average sale price during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Fifth City sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The total number of listings in Fifth City is represented in the chart to the right. The red line represents average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window The blue bar represents the current number of listings during the particular month of that time frame. For more detailed information on Fifth City sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
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