textfield=Ravenswood, Graceland West, Ravenswood Manor, Ravenswood Corridor

Many of the reasons for choosing to live in the city instead of the suburbs are found in the neighborhood residents know as Ravenswood. Among them are ethnic diversity, architectural variety and convenience. Property owners in Ravenswood carefully rehab the historic homes that abound in this area, which is roughly bordered by Foster, Clark, Irving Park and the Chicago River.

Graceland West - This small district of vintage homes is within the boundaries of the East Ravenswood Historic District. It is between Graceland Cemetery and Clark Street on the east, Ashland Avenue on the west, Montrose Avenue on the north and Irving Park Road on the south. Home styles in Graceland West include farmhouses, Victorians, Chicago bungalows and Queen Annes.

Ravenswood Manor - Nestled along the Chicago River between Ravenswood and Albany Park is Ravenswood Manor. Bounded by the river, Lawrence, Sacramento and Montrose, this is a neighborhood built by wealthy industrialists and city leaders in the early 1900s.

Ravenswood Corridor - The corridor, which flanks the Union Pacific railroad tracks between Irving and Foster on Ravenswood Avenue, is gradually shifting from a manufacturing to a residential area, as vintage loft buildings are converted to rental apartments and condos.

Housing: The value of Ravenswood real estate has risen steadily. Restored Queen Anne and Victorian homes sell for $350,000 and more. In 1997 the average sale price of a single-family home in Lincoln Square/Ravenswood was $194,563. The average home in the East Ravenswood Historic District sells for approximately $243,587. Several homes on the 4200 and 4300 blocks of north Greenview have sold for $295,000 to $445,000. Two-flats near there sell in the $240,000 to $360,000 range. In Ravenswood Manor, prices range from $160,000 for a bungalow to more than $300,000 for a larger house along the river. Brick two-flats go for about $175,000 to more than $200,000, according to local real estate agents. In 1997 the average sale price for a condominium in Lincoln Square/Ravenswood was $92,734. There also are many rental apartments in courtyard buildings and renovated three- to six-flat walk-ups. According to the Winter 1997 rental-range estimates, prepared by The Apartment People Ltd., 3121 N. Broadway, studios in Ravenswood typically rent for $450 to $575; one-bedroom units range from $550 to $775; two-bedroom units range from $700 to $1,150; and three-bedroom units range from $950 to $1,350.

Transportation: Metra's Union Pacific trains stop at Lawrence and Ravenswood avenues. The CTA's Ravenswood Line rapid transit stops at Lawrence and Western, Lawrence and Damen, and at Montrose and Irving Park. Numerous CTA bus lines serve the area, and the Howard-Dan Ryan Line rapid transit stations are only a short bus ride from much of Ravenswood. Both Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) are a few miles away.