The area was settled in the 1850s as an elegant suburb, and is once again among the most desirable places to live in the City of Chicago. Many new homes have been built in the last few years to meet the demand from those wishing to move here.
Life here can be both sophisticated and friendly, lively and tranquil.
Hyde Park has been cited nationally as among the most successful racially and economically integrated urban communities in the United States. For students, it provides the essentials of life along with enough diversions to keep boredom at bay when a trip downtown is not practical. The main business strip in Hyde Park is on 53rd Street, from Woodlawn Avenue on the west to the lake on the east. The many stores and restaurants make 53rd Street a principal commercial area for the South Side of Chicago. Walgreen's Drug Store, Ace Hardware, Co-op Market, and Office Depot, located in the shopping center at Lake Park Avenue, offer routine supplies.