Porta Potty Rental, Albany Park IL

Albany Park is a neighborhood in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. The neighborhood’s boundaries are Foster Avenue to the north, Irving Park Road to the south, Kimball Avenue to the southwest and Western Ave to eastern boundary. Albany Park has a population of over 50,000 people with an area that measures two square miles. It is widely known as one of Chicago’s most densely populated neighborhoods and culturally diverse ethnic enclave with more than seventy languages spoken at home.

The City Council representative for Albany Park’s 45th Ward is Alderman John Arena who was elected in 2011. Arena is the first openly gay United States congressman for Illinois. In the 2011 Chicago mayoral election Arena was endorsed by former Chicago Mayor Daley, Council members Rey Colon, Toni Preckwinkle and Scott Waguespack.

The neighborhood is located in the Albany Park community area of the North Center district of Chicago. The business district contains many ethnic restaurants and supermarkets along Irving Park Road and Kimball Avenue, like Albano’s Pizzeria, Mariano’s Market/Chicago Style Pizzeria, Al Berto’s Pizzeria and Villa Italia. The neighborhood contains some of Chicago’s most important cultural institutions in the Chicago Academy for the Arts and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The neighborhood is served by two elementary schools and a high school. The neighborhood has three Catholic parochial schools, Saint Cornelius, St. Victor, Our Lady of Victory. The Albany Park Community Center and the De La Salle Institute are two examples of private parochial schools. Taft High School is a public school that is located in Albany Park.

Albany Park has seven parks and lighted outdoor basketball courts close to every corner within its boundaries. Several neighborhood historical landmarks can be found along Lawrence Avenue including several Swedish Protestant churches.

The Albany Park Theater serves as the venue for several local theatrical and musical shows and performances as well as concerts. The theater is located in the Historic St. Francis Building which was built in 1912 and beautifully restored in 1994 by theatre patron Mark Goodman.

Albany Park is a neighborhood that has very easy access to transportation with Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses, trains, and “L” lines. Many CTA trains connect Albany Park to downtown Chicago, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North/Clybourn Red Line stops that provide access to O’Hare International Airport via the Blue Line stop at Addison Street. CTA trains and buses also connect Albany Park to the Loop, “Loop” terminal, Museum Campus and Chinatown neighborhoods.

Albany Park is served by the Irving Park District. Irving Park Community Center offers a variety of programs and services such as adult fitness classes, youth sports leagues, a library, as well as art classes for children and adults. The gymnasium serves most of Albany Park’s athletic group including basketball teams from the Boy Scouts of America (4th – 8th grades), Girls Scouts of America (3rd – 6th grades), and Girl Scout Troop #21924 (u-7) from nearby neighboring community New Trier Township High School District 204. The Irving Park District also has a number of organized youth sports leagues for soccer, football, wrestling and flag football. The Irving Park District offers programs such as Camp White Sox, an annual summer camp that is held in July at Blackhawk Park.

Albany Park has several popular restaurants and bars along Lawrence Avenue including Albano’s Pizzeria which opened in 1974 as Albany Park’s first pizzeria and has become one of the most well-known restaurants in the neighborhood and Al Berto’s Italian Restaurant which serves Italian food such as wood-burning pizza ovens and piping hot gyros. Albany Park also offers a a variety of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai restaurants.

Albany Park is located near Chicago’s most famous landmark the Sears Tower, which stands at over 1,300 feet. The Sears Tower can be seen from almost any part of the neighborhood.

Albany Park has an abundance of Polish and Mexican pride grocery stores located along Lawrence Avenue. There are many Mexican grocery stores that serve authentic Mexican food such as tacos, tamales and enchiladas. Many Polish grocery stores serve kielbasa sausage, pierogis and sheep cheese (a Polish delicacy).