Up-And-Coming River West Offers Unique Opportunity to Savvy Condo Buyers

River West isn't one of those downtown neighborhoods that garners a lot of attention from today's home buyers. Nearby River North features some of Chicago's hottest nightlife, while just down the street, the West Loop is now home to the city's most recognized dining and restaurant scene—leaving River West to be little more than an afterthought when it comes to being a destination to live, work, or play around the downtown area.

But over the past several years however, development around River West has quietly picked up, and if the proposed 16-story, 240-unit apartment building at Grand and Milwaukee finally does become a reality, it's only a matter of time before this small part of Chicago that's wedged in between the Chicago River and I-90 to really start booming.

Although progress at Grand and Milwaukee appears to be stalled, it's really only a matter of time before something replaces the long-vacant, half-collapsed warehouse that sits at this alarmingly underdeveloped intersection with so much potential. Despite the appalling eye-sore at Grand and Milwaukee, River West still has a lot going for it, even today. The highly-touted Dawson just opened up directly across the street, while the Grand Blue Line station, also conveniently located at the Grand & Milwaukee Six Corners intersection, provides neighborhood residents with easy and quick transportation to downtown, as well as the trendy and vibrant Bucktown-Wicker Park area on the city's west side.

So, if you happen to be in the market for a new downtown Chicago condo, and making a savvy investment is also something you hope to accomplish during the home buying process, River West might offer a unique opportunity that's sure to get you a high return, and most likely sooner rather than later.