| | Printer's Row
In the late-19th and early 20thcenturies, the city's publishing and printing industries, as well as the main transportation hub, were located along Dearborn Street south of Congress Parkway. Immigrants, businessmen, and celebrities alike poured into Chicago or traveled to the west coast via Dearborn Station, situated at the southern tip of the area. As the city began moving north, Dearborn Station became office and retail space, and many of the publishing houses closed. Still, a vibrant community madeup of artists, publishers, and photographers remained.
Today, tucked slightly west of the South PrintersRow, Printer's Row attracts recent graduates and art students, but predominantly young, established professionals who can afford the rising prices. Once massive publishing houses have been converted into spacious lofts and condos, many featuring exposed brick walls and open duct work reflecting the neighborhood's warehouse roots. Some newer high-rises have been constructed, but the community cherishes the older buildings, so developers focus more on converting old to new, rather than tearing down and rebuilding.
While relatively small compared to the city's largerneighborhoods, Printer's Row exudes a character all its own, one rooted in its literary and artistic history. Each year, the Printer's Row Book Fair takes over Dearborn Street, attracting dealers, authors, and literary buffs from allover the country. Art galleries, vintage jewelry shops, and unique book stores,such as Sandmeyer's, dot the streets surrounding Dearborn, promising treasures for those who seek them. Small cafes, cozy coffee spots, and flower shops have a loyal, residential following, making Printer's Row an urban community with a friendly, intimate charm.
Because of its proximity to both the PrintersRow and South PrintersRow, many residents either walk to work or to the Metra and El stops readily available in the surrounding areas.
http://www.chicagotraveler.com/neighborhoods/printers-row-feature.htm
|