Neighborhood Description The Near West Side, one of the 77 well-defined community areas, is located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois (west of the Chicago River), adjacent to the downtown central business district (the Loop). The rich history of the Near West Side of Chicago has its genesis in the Hull House phenomenon. (Hull House) It was at the turn of the nineteenth century (1889) that Jane Addams chose the Near West Side to found America's first settlement house:--the Jane Addams' Hull House. The world-renowned Nobel Prize winner labeled the near west side as, "The Hull House Neighborhood." Once a bubbling cauldron of European emigrants, it's business districts:--(Greek Town, Maxwell Street, and Little Italy)--remain as vestiges of the mass migration from southern Europe that had been endorsed to fulfilling the needs of the industrial revolution. Only the Italian enclave endured as a vibrant community. iMove Chicago is your resource for Chicago apartments, lofts condos, and homes in Near West Side. iMove Chicago is your complete resource for Chicago apartments, lofts, condos, and homes in Near West Side. Neighborhood Links Neighborhood Council Community Center Chamber of Commerce History of Other Resources in Hospitals Post Office Schools Grocery Stores Cool Places to Eat