Albert Friedman on River North's evolution from skid row to hot neighborhood

Today, Albert Friedman’s company owns about a dozen blocks of River North, properties that include 32 restaurants, a hotel, retail, offices and other uses. Decades ago, as he was buying his first buildings in a neighborhood most considered skid row, the area’s upward trajectory was far from certain. Watch our video interview to learn how a dilapidated manufacturing district evolved into a premier urban neighborhood and how restaurateur Gordon Sinclair helped inspire Friedman’s vision for River North as a dining destination.

In Part two of our interview, he talks about key catalysts for transformation; in Part three he discusses River North’s continuing transformation; and in Part four, he talks about future residential development and current trends in the neighborhood.

Watch the rest of our River North playlist on YouTube.com.