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Chicago’s largest community area by population on the city’s western edge, with Jens Jensen’s Columbus Park, the Midway Park historic district, and some of the best greystone and big-frame housing stock on the West Side. The Green Line runs along its spine.
Austin runs from roughly Roosevelt to North Avenue along the city’s western boundary with Oak Park, which makes it Chicago’s largest community area. Madison, Chicago and North Avenues carry the commercial life east to west, and Central and Austin Boulevards frame it north to south.
The neighborhood grew as a railroad suburb annexed to the city in 1899, and the scale of that era survives: boulevard-width streets, big lots, and civic buildings like Austin Town Hall, modeled on Independence Hall.
The Green Line runs along the Lake Street corridor with stops at Central, Laramie and Austin, a direct ride into the Loop.
Columbus Park is the masterpiece: 135 acres designed by Jens Jensen in his prairie style, with a lagoon, waterfalls, a golf course and the landmark refectory. LaFollette Park and Austin Town Hall Park add fieldhouses, pools and programming on the north half.
Austin’s housing is one of the West Side’s underappreciated strengths: full blocks of greystones and brick two-flats, big Queen Anne and foursquare frame houses, and the Midway Park historic district near Central and Race, where architect Frederick Schock’s houses anchor a landmark neighborhood. South of the Eisenhower the bungalow belt takes over.
For buyers who want serious house for the money, or a two-to-four flat with genuine rental income, the stock here rewards a careful walk-through, which is what our masonry and old-home guides are for.
Columbus Park’s summer programming, the Austin Town Hall city farmers market, and a busy church and block-club calendar carry the year. The park district’s golf course and the refectory host events spring through fall.
Check our events calendar for current dates.
An easy first errand in a new place, each checked as open when this guide was last updated.
MacArthur’s · 5412 W Madison · map
The soul food cafeteria that presidents, athletes and half the city have queued at since 1997.
The Columbus Park refectory · 5701 W Jackson · map
Coffee on the lagoon steps of a landmark Jensen building makes a fine first morning.
Written by our team, free, no sign-in.
Austin rewards buyers who look closely: landmark blocks, greystones and real square footage. Tell us what you are looking for and we will walk any building with you, tape measure and all.
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