Streeterville is a neighborhood in the Near North Side community area of Chicago. This neighborhood started out as a sandbar and a landfill, and has now turned into some of the most sought after real estate not only in Chicago, but in the U.S. Streeterville has undergone a lot of development in the early 21st century. Numerous empty lots have been converted into commercial and residential properties.

The origin of the name Streeterville comes from “Captain” George Wellington Streeter. In 1886, Streeter’s ship was lodged in a sandbar known as “the sands” after a storm in an area that is now East Superior Street and North Fairbanks Court. He had invited building contractors to continue piling waste around it, which was a practice that began when Lake Michigan was used as a dump during the cleanup following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Streeter decided to claim this newly created marshland as his own. Decades later, the courts were able to rule against him. Just a few blocks north of the river, you can find an 8-foot bronze sculpture commemorating the “Captain” whom the neighborhood derived its name. Streeterville’s main attraction is Navy Pier, which is filled with amusement rides, gift shops, and eateries. Navy Pier has its own beer garden and fireworks in the summer. It also has the Chicago Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

There are definitely plenty of spots to shop at in and around Streeterville. There is Michigan Avenue of course with plenty of stores and designer stores. Water Tower Place and the 900 North Michigan Shops are also located right on Michigan Avenue. There are plenty of great restaurants to check out as well, including, Volare Ristorante Italiano, Beatrix, Marisol, which is located in the Museum of Contemporary Art, and many more.

5 minutes to Chicago Loop 

27 minutes to O’Hare Airport 

25 minutes to Midway Airport

Distance to Downtown

0-1 mile

The neighborhood is bounded by the river on the south, the Magnificent Mile portion of Michigan Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan on the north and east. It can be described as Michigan Avenue plus all land east of it. The CTA Red Line runs near Streeterville with a stop at Chicago.

There are so many historic sites, galleries, and famous shopping centers in Streeterville, making the neighborhood one of the busiest in Chicago. The most iconic site is the Chicago Water Tower, which is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile. The tower was constructed in 1869 to house a large water pump, which intended to draw water from Lake Michigan. It now serves as a Chicago Office of Tourism art gallery known as the City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower, featuring the work of local photographers, artists, and filmmakers. The Museum of Contemporary Art is located right in the neighborhood of Streeterville close to Water Tower and houses regular exhibitions, as well as modern film, music, and dance performances. The John Hancock Center is also worth checking out. It is a sleek, black multi-use building that offers some of the best views in the city. You can take in these views from the 94th floor observatory or from the lofty Signature Room restaurant.

The nearest schools to Streeterville are in the Near North Side neighborhood. These include the following elementary schools: Ogden International School, Chicago Grammar School, Latin School of Chicago, Skinner North Classical School, British International School of Chicago, and Walter Payton College Prep. Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus is also located in the Near North Side, just west of Streeterville.