Lakewood-Balmoral

Lakewood-Balmoral is a historic district in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, known for its old-world feel and historically significant architecture. In 1999, the district, along with 490 buildings in the area, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1890, developer John Lewis Cochran, a tobacco salesman from Philadelphia, purchased the land which makes up the Lakewood-Balmoral district. Cochran previously developed the other two sections of Edgewater, and marketed this third addition to Edgewater middle-class families that found Edgewater's lakefront mansions to be too expensive. He named many of the district's streets, including Balmoral a reference to Scotland's Balmoral Castle and Cochran's Scottish ancestry and invested in the area's infrastructure, including building a rail to connect the suburb to Chicago's downtown.

After the 1970s saw the subdivision of larger homes, residents rallied to restore the district to its historical luster. Now, the district embraces its historical significance, and residents are able to take advantage of tax incentives to rehab and update their properties. Housing stock is composed primarily of single-family homes, condominiums, brick two-and three-flats, courtyard apartment buildings and vintage homes, some of which are designated by Chicago's Landmark Commission. 

Although there is only one school within the Lakewood-Balmoral neighborhood boundaries Northside Catholic Academy surrounding communities offer a number of educational options. The district is easily accessible by car thanks to Chicago's famous Lake Shore Drive, as well as CTA buses and train lines.

North Broadway, the district's main thoroughfare, boasts diverse shopping and eateries ranging from French and Thai to Greek. Kate the Greats Books is a one-stop shop for hard-to-find books, and the Lakewood-Balmoral Colossal Neighborhood Garage Sale in an annual treasure trove of goods for sale by more than 200 participating homes. Each July, residents also show off their historic neighborhood during the annual Lakewood-Balmoral Residents Council Block Organization Garden Walk.