Gold Coast Condos, Lofts, Homes, Short Sales, and Bank Owned Properties

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The Gold Coast is the wealthiest neighborhood in Chicago.

The Gold Coast consists mostly of high-rise apartment buildings on Lake Shore Drive, facing Lake Michigan, but also includes low-rise residential blocks inland. As with many neighborhoods, its exact borders are subject to dispute, but generally extend from North Ave. south to Division St. and west to LaSalle St. and also includes the areas east of State St. south to Oak St. and east of Michigan Ave. south to Walton St.

The Gold Coast was an unexceptional neighborhood until 1885, when Potter Palmer, former dry goods merchant and owner of the Palmer House hotel, built a fanciful castle on Lake Shore Drive. Over the next few decades, Chicago's elite gradually migrated from Prairie Avenue to their new homes north of the Loop.

Along almost every boulevard of the Gold Coast, upscale boutiques and shops have opened up. Chanel, Herm?s, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier SA, Van Cleef & Arpels, Yves Saint Laurent, Harry Winston, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Stuart Weitzman, Rolex, Max Mara, Vera Wang, Jimmy Choo, Versace, Paul Stuart, Betsey Johnson, and Lilly Pulitzer are just a few of the dozens of designers that have locations in the exclusive neighborhood. Also, Lamborghini and Porsche have dealership locations in the Gold Coast.

The Magnificent Mile is a stretch of North Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and Oak Street in Streeterville/Gold Coast. Although actually about three-quarters of a mile, the name "Magnificent Mile" has stuck.

Along this street is a mixture of high-class stores, restaurants, office buildings and hotels. The area has a high concentration of the city's major media firms and advertising agencies, including the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

It is the home of Chicago's famous Water Tower landmark, Water Tower Park with its historic clock, and the eight-level Water Tower Place shopping center which grew up next door to, and overshadowed, the comparatively diminutive landmark. The shopping center is anchored by Macy's North Michigan store. North of the shopping center can be found the famous John Hancock Center, the art deco Palmolive Building and the lavish Drake Hotel.

The "Gold Coast Historic District" was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 30, 1978.

Gold Coast is zoned to the following Chicago Public Schools schools: Ogden School, O.A. Thorp Scholastic Academy (a magnet school) and Lincoln Park High School.

SOURCE:  WIKIPEDIA