Cudell Neighborhood Guide
117th Hustle & Bustle, Clocktower Glow, and Lakewood-Lite
🧭The Boundaries: Detroit Ave. to the north, W. 117th (the Lakewood line) to the west, W. 85th to the east, and I-90/Madison Ave. to the south.
📌Well known for: The Cudell Clocktower and Cudell Fine Arts, a city-run gem that offers pottery and painting classes. It’s also famously the home of the West Tech Lofts, a massive, beautiful high school turned into apartments. In 2026, the W. 117th corridor is bustling with new retail and "Lakewood overflow" traffic.
👕Spot a Local By: Someone in paint-splattered jeans with a union bumper sticker on a bike, biking to My Friends Restaurant for a 3:00 AM breakfast.
👍Move here for: You get prewar architecture (think built-in cabinets and leaded glass) and low rent prices, all while being a five-minute walk from the RTA Red Line and the bars of Lakewood.
👎Don't say we didn't warn you about: Lake wind winters. Because it’s so close to the shore, the wind on W. 117th will test your resolve in January.
Pros & Cons of Cudell
Cudell strengths (top 5)
Cudell tradeoffs (top 3)
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Cudell Neighborhood DNA
Night owls, artists, and people who want Lakewood vibes without the Lakewood price tag.
