Washington Heights is literally a community divided: Vincennes Avenue, which follows the Metra rail line, cuts through the community at a diagonal, and Interstate Highway 57 winds through the area`s southeast quadrant-both carving it into distinct portions.
And, from the Brainerd neighborhood at the community`s northwest end to Fernwood at the southeast end, Washington Heights has all its angles covered. Its often-winding streets hold colorful and diverse offerings: Winston Avenue is cobblestone-lined from 95th to 102nd Streets. Neighborhood block club signs bid welcome to newcomers, but urge drivers to be cautious of children playing nearby. Dozens of grand churches and little chapels call out to people of almost all religious persuasions. Simple parks and playgrounds are the nucleus of many neighborhoods. And, at 95th and Halsted Streets, the Chicago Public Library`s Woodson branch boasts the second-largest collection of Afro-American history books and literature in the country.
Optimists might call this area eclectic. Cynics might call it merely a hodgepodge. But home buyers are likely to consider it a bargain, because within Washington Heights there is a good selection of 30- to 50-year-old single-family homes listing for $40,000 to $132,000. Some of the lower-priced properties include two-bedroom bungalows, raised ranches and frame houses, all in modest-looking neighborhoods.
”A three-bedroom brick home that doesn`t need repair will cost between $67,000 and $79,000,” says Evelyn Seals, a broker/associate with C. Johnson Realty. ”Within that range, there is an interesting collection of
neighborhoods from which to choose.”
Higher-priced properties include classic brick Georgians and other homes in the tonier areas around Dan Ryan Woods in the community`s northwest corner. But there`s a mixture of property prices and styles throughout Washington Heights, and most of the homes feature deep, spacious back yards.
Renters will also find that their dollars can go a long way here. Two-bedroom apartments rent for $365 to $475 a month and three-bedroom units rent for $495 to $565. ”There are very few one-bedroom apartments,” notes Lois White, broker/owner of Lois White Realty. ”Most of the apartment buildings are corner properties with 6 to 12 units.”
”For Rent” signs are seldom posted on buildings, partly because vacancies are rare and also for security reasons. Roxie Monroe of Monroe Realty suggests that apartment seekers first check with an area real estate agent who works with rental properties. Some apartments here are advertised in the Chicago Defender newspaper.
The community has proved to be quite stable over the last decade, and local Realtors expect that trend to continue. Even though no major building projects are under way and some local factories have closed, Washington Heights still benefits from excellent transportation, a number of schools and parks, and close proximity to Beverly, considered one of the South Side`s more prominent communities.
At the turn of the century, many prosperous Chicagoans left downtown and followed the Old Vincennes Trail to Washington Park and Beverly. Vincennes was a cattle trail, which prompted builders to put the more exclusive property within the hills of Beverly and build bungalows in Washington Heights.
With the cattle gone, the trail (Vincennes Avenue) is now home to a number of longtime businesses; it also remains an important access route to downtown, either by rail or car.
”One of the key amenities of Washington Heights is transportation,”
says Alex Golden, of ERA Advance Realty. ”It`s very convenient to the Dan Ryan, plus 95th Street and Halsted run through the heart of the area.”
