University Village/Little Italy, Chicago: A Neighborhood of History, Culture, and Change

Nestled on Chicago's Near West Side, University Village/Little Italy stands as a vibrant testament to the city's rich cultural heritage and immigrant legacy. Often considered a single neighborhood, it represents a compelling blend of old-world charm and modern urban living. Its Italian-American heritage is primarily evident in the Italian-American restaurants that once lined Taylor Street.

Defining the Boundaries

Little Italy, sometimes combined with University Village into one neighborhood, is located on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois. The current boundaries of Little Italy are Ashland Avenue on the west and Interstate 90/94 on the east, the Eisenhower Expressway on the north and Roosevelt to the south. It lies between the east side of the University of Illinois Chicago campus in the Illinois Medical District and the west side of the University of Illinois Chicago campus.

A Glimpse into the Past: Italian Immigration and Settlement

Little Italy’s roots stretch back to the 19th century, with Italian immigrants settling the area as early as the 1850s. Italians began arriving in Chicago in the 1850s in small numbers. The immigration of Italians accelerated throughout the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. Chicago's foreign-born Italian population was 16,008 in 1900 and peaked at 73,960 in 1930. The largest area of settlement was the Taylor Street area, but there were also 20 other significant Italian enclaves throughout the city and suburbs. By 1930, Chicago claimed over 73,000 foreign-born Italians, with a significant concentration along Taylor Street. Taylor Street has popularly been known as Chicago's "Little Italy," but several other areas in Chicago have had significant Italian populations.

Dominant among the immigrant communities that comprised the Near West Side during the mass migration of Europeans around the start of the 20th century, were Italians, Greeks and Jews. Other ethnicities have always been present in the area known as "Little Italy." Nonetheless, the neighborhood was given its name due to the strong influence of Italians and Italian culture on the neighborhood throughout the 19th and 20th century.

Hull House: A Beacon of Hope for Immigrants

Jane Addams labeled the community as "The Hull House Neighborhood." One of the first newspaper articles ever written about Hull House acknowledges an invitation sent to the residents of the "Hull House Neighborhood." It begins with the salutation, "Mio Carissimo Amico," and is signed, "Le Signorine, Jane Addams and Ellen Starr." Bethlehem-Howard Neighborhood Center Records further substantiate that, as early as the 1890s, the inner core of "The Hull House Neighborhood" was overwhelmingly Italians.

No institution was more instrumental to social reform in Chicago than the Hull House. The secular and progressive organization, founded by Jane Addams (1860-1935) and Ellen Gates Starr (1859-1940) in 1889, was located along Halsted Street. At the time, it was in the center of one of the dirtiest and most densely populated slums in the world. Over 60% of the population in the area was foreign-born. Dozens of nationalities were represented and dozens of languages could be heard in the streets, many of them recent working-class European immigrants. The goal of the Hull House was to aid these people in empowerment, education, finding employment, and recreation.

It was the nation's most influential and best-known settlement house, providing social and educational opportunities for working class people, many of whom were European immigrants. By 1907, the single mansion was converted into a massive, sprawling 13-building complex. The residents of Hull House impacted local government by establishing the city's first public playground and first public bathhouse, as well as the first juvenile court in the United States. Hull House was designated a a National Historic Landmark on June 23, 1965, and a Chicago Landmark on June 12, 1972. Today the Jane Addams-Hull House Museum at this address is part of the College of Architecture and the Arts at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Admission is free with donations welcome (as of January 2025). The first floor of the museum talks about the history of the Hull House and the important women who played a role in its success. Upstairs is Jane Addams’ bedroom. Her 1931 Nobel Peace Prize is located there. She was the first American woman to win the award, doing it at a time when she was considered by many to be “the most dangerous woman in America” because of her progressive ideas. Her death mask is on display in the hallway along with several pictures from the old neighborhood.

Churches: Pillars of the Community

Two of the more significant landmarks of Little Italy were the Catholic churches of Our Lady of Pompeii and Holy Guardian Angel founded by Mother Cabrini. Holy Guardian Angel was the first Italian congregation in Chicago. The parish was established in 1898, and the church was built on Arthington Street in 1899.

The history and diversity of what is now Little Italy can be seen in its churches. The Italian community built Our Lady of Pompeii in 1911. On October 10, 1994, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin (1928-1996) proclaimed the church a shrine. Notre Dame de Chicago is a bit older. It was built between 1889 and 1892 as the successor to St. Louis Church, the city’s first French church. The church was designed by French-Canadian architect Gregoire Vigeant. Holy Family Catholic Church is the second oldest surviving church in Chicago. It was founded by Irish immigrants, completed in 1860, and survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Ironically, the O’Leary family who started the fire were parishioners of the church. They lived only a few blocks to the east. Finally, St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church has represented two of the vibrant communities that lived in the area. It was built in 1910 as the Anshe Sholom Synagogue by the Jewish community and in 1927 was sold and converted into a Greek Orthodox church.

Transformation and Change: Urban Renewal and the Rise of UIC

The Italian population, peaking during the decades of the 1950s and '60s, began declining shortly after the decision to build the University of Illinois in the area was finalized in 1963. Little Italy used to encompass a much bigger area, but the construction of the university decimated the neighborhood. Many of the residents in the area were against the idea. Florence Scala, Chicago's legendary Taylor Street activist and longtime Hull House cohort, blamed the board of directors of Hull House for betraying the thriving, vibrant, tight knit neighborhood. Scala accused them of encouraging Daley to go ahead and destroy the neighborhood. In 1963, the trustees of Hull-House accepted an offer of $875,000 for the settlement building. Jessie Binford and Scala took the case to the Supreme Court. Some speculated the reason Daley chose Little Italy as the location for the university was payback, he was unhappy with the area politically and was moving UIC there to break up the Italian neighborhood and their power base. However, the area had voted overwhelmingly in favor of Daley.

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Following World War II, several developments hindered the cohesion of the community. The construction of the Eisenhower Expressway and the University of Illinois Chicago Medical district forced many to move. The establishment of the Circle Campus of UIC in the 1960s by Mayor Richard J. Daley further dispersed the community. University Village was formerly home to several Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing developments. These were grouped under the acronym ABLA. Those developments were: the Jane Addams Homes (first public housing development in Chicago), Grace Abbott Homes, Robert Brooks Homes, Robert Brooks Extension, and Loomis Courts. ABLA was demolished in stages in the early 2000s. and is currently being redeveloped as townhouses and condominiums under the name Roosevelt Square.

The recent history of the neighborhood waves of urban renewal, starting with the construction of expressways in the 1950s, the development of UIC in the 1960s, the demolition of public housing in the 1990s and 2000s, and redevelopment of Maxwell Street in the 2000s. While there are several Italian-American communities that thrive within the Chicago metropolitan area, Taylor Street, the port-of-call for Chicago's Italian American immigrants, inherited the title of Chicago's "Little Italy." Taylor Street's Little Italy is part of a larger community area - Chicago's Near West Side.

UIC: A Catalyst for Change

University Village owes its name and vibrant character to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). When the university was under construction in the 1960s, thousands of people of different ethnic groups were displaced. Community activists were furious at Mayor Richard J. Daley (1902-1976) for the plan, which some believed was racist against the “undesirable” southern European and Mexican immigrants who lived there. Many people thought that using the abandoned Dearborn Station area around Printer’s Row would have been a better option than displacing thousands and destroying an important ethnic neighborhood. UIC doesn’t have a very attractive campus. The buildings were designed by Walter Netsch (1920-2008) using Brutalist architecture. The tallest building is University Hall. It’s 338 feet tall and is actually 20 feet wider at the top than at its base.

Today's Little Italy/University Village: A Diverse and Dynamic Community

Today, Little Italy is notably diverse. According to recent data, the neighborhood (encompassing Little Italy/UIC) now has a population of roughly 7,100-25,500 residents, with a median age of 32 and a median household income of $90,494. The area is home to a blend of Italian Americans, African Americans (31%), Whites (31%), Asians (18%), and Hispanics (14%). Education is also a major emphasis, with 32% holding master’s degrees or higher. The community was once predominantly Italian immigrants but now is made up of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds as a result of immigration, urban renewal, gentrification and the growth of the resident student and faculty population of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Rents in the area have risen in the past few decades due to an influx of condominiums, townhouses, and the proximity of Little Italy to UIC and the Loop. An example of this gentrification: in the 1990 census, no homes in the Little Italy sample area were reported to be worth more than $400,000.

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A Thriving Food Scene

If food is your passion, you’re in luck. The neighborhood offers an exceptional variety of eateries, from traditional Italian restaurants serving homemade pasta, like Pompei and The Rosebud, to beloved bistros like Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap and Conte Di Savoia.

Conte de Savoia: Create a picnic with fresh sandwiches and salads from Conte de Savoia, a neighborhood staple since 1948.
Mario's Italian Lemonade: In the summer, make sure to stop for a sweet treat at charming Mario’s Italian Lemonade.
The Rosebud: A classic white-tablecloth joint.
Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap: old-school Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap (a James Beard Award winner)
Pompei: family-owned for four generations.
Scafuri Bakery: A neighborhood institution since 1904, this is a great spot for a coffee or pastry, cookie or pie. All their cakes, cookies and pastries are made in-house.
Sweet Maple Cafe: They feature a menu of country-style comfort food including all-day breakfasts and hearty lunches.
Chez Joel: This is a wonderful French bistro in the middle of Little Italy in a traditional setting.
Original Ferrara Bakery: This is a classic Italian bakery and restaurant just west of Little Italy in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood.
County Barbecue:
Kurimu: for Asian tea and ice cream
Tuscany on Taylor: a traditional trattoria serving Italian wines and Tuscan-inspired seafood, pastas and wood-fired pizzas.
Stax Cafe:
Bruna’s Ristorante: Located, this has been a popular spot for 89 years.
Il Vincinato: This is a popular spot for over 30 years.
Bacchanalia:
Ignotz’s Ristorante:
Kong Dog: Kong Dogs are prepared by first determining if you would like a meat or cheese dog, and topping preferences.
Momo World: Himalayan street food spot. The Special Momo menu alone will probably change your taste buds forever.
Damenzo’s Pizza: This pizza spot has earned one of the “best” titles after decades serving its community and surviving a pandemic.
Westside Gyros: This old-school shop has a meal that can satisfy most budgets and appetites.

Points of Interest

Arrigo Park: See a statue of Christopher Columbus, made in Italy for the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair, at Arrigo Park. Arrigo Park was established in 1857 as Vernon Park. In 1974, it was renamed in honor of Victor Arrigo, a prominent Italian-American community leader. The western end of the park featured a fountain with a statue of Christopher Columbus by sculptor Moses Ezekiel (1844-1917).
Jane Addams Hull House Museum:
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii:
Notre Dame de Chicago:
St. Ignatius College Prep: St. Ignatius College Prep at 1076 West Roosevelt Road is a co-educational, Catholic, college preparatory school that was founded in 1870 by Fr. Arnold Damen, a Belgian missionary to the United States.

Other Italian Enclaves in Chicago

Taylor Street has popularly been known as Chicago's "Little Italy," but several other areas in Chicago have had significant Italian populations. In the 22nd Ward on the city's Near North Side, a Sicilian enclave known alternately as "Little Sicily" and "Little Hell" was established in an area formerly populated by Scandinavians. It was considered the most colorful Italian neighborhood, and was home to 20,000 Italians by 1920. The neighborhood no longer exists due to the construction of the Cabrini-Green public housing projects on the site during and after World War II.

An Italian enclave exists along Grand Avenue to Chicago Avenue between Aberdeen Street and Washtenaw Avenue. As noted by Maureen Jenkins, Staff Reporter for Chicago Sun Times: "You're still likely to hear folks speaking dialects from Sicily and the coastal city of Bari, which stands on the "heel" side of the Italian boot in the Puglia region. The area from the river to the Dan Ryan, 26th to 39th (excluding the Wentworth Gardens housing project) has a large Italian population, specifically in the eastern portion near Armour Square Park. Known as the Heart of Chicago neighborhood, this is Chicago’s first Little Italy neighborhood. You can drive down the 2400 block of S. Oakley and a block away on Western Ave. and feel like you have gone back in time and are in a different era. Here Italian immigrants, mostly from Northern Italy, settled in the late 19th century along with many of Eastern European descent. Though south of Pilsen, today it is primarily Hispanic.

Navigating the Neighborhood

Little Italy is currently served by Byron Sigcho-Lopez, alderman of Chicago's 25th Ward, Jason Ervin, of the 28th Ward, and Nicole Lee, of the 11th Ward. The neighborhood is part of Illinois's 7th Congressional District, currently filled by Democrat Danny K.

If you don’t have your own transportation, the UIC/Halsted Blue Line stop is the closest to UIC and University Village.

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