Is the North Shore still regarded prestigious? (Chicago, Aurora: best city, sale)

[Don Vito]

adjective 1.indicative of or conferring prestige: the most prestigious address in town. 2.having a high reputation; honored; esteemed: a prestigious author.


Answer yes. The north shore is by far, more prestigious than anything else in chicagoland. We are not talking affluence here.... we are talking prestige. The north shore was prestigous when places like Hinsdale and Glen Ellyn were the boonie, backwoods, rail junction towns. All though places like Barrington Hills, Inverness, Hinsdale are prestigous in their own right, they're not nearly as esteemed as the North Shore.

[BUalumni]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Im up in Lake Forest several times a year so Im quite familiar with the north shore prestigious 'burbs. The point Im trying to make is that while the north shore is very uppity in many areas, there are also many areas that are no different than St. Charles. And while many areas of St. Charles are no different than, say, parts of Evanston, there are certainly areas that have beautiful grand old homes that rival those found in Lake Forest. Same goes for the Barringtons, Oak Park, Hinsdale, Geneva, etc. Sure many of the west burbs consist of many new developments that house McMansions, it shouldnt go w/o notice that many parts of the western burbs are just as old and uppity as many neighborhoods found in Winnetka, or Kenilworth. There is both old AND new money in ALL uppity burbs.

But your argument is invalid and misleading. You keep saying that there are parts of St. Charles, and Naperville that are Northe Shor'ish'. This fact is true, but very misleading, and the reason while these towns will never be considered the prestigious suburbs of Chicago. Where your argument becomes false is when one switches the words around of your statement. You can say all you want that individual old neighborhoods, the downtown, the riverwalk, and the parks can be compared the North Shore. But don't be foolish. I am not quiet as naive as it may appear. Naperville holds close to 150K people, making one of the biggest cities in Illinois! Even if I was not familiar with Naperville, (which I'm VERY familiar with), it doesn't make sense to believe that all those people live in that quaint, clean downtown area that seems to be all that the HUGE Illinois city of Naperville has to offer. Outside of these small areas, on all sides, is outrageous sprawl that has consumed so much land, it is now land locked on every side with nothing more than cookie-cutter subdivisions, and strip malls! This is Naperville and St. Charles. So in other words, you can say all you want that there are small parts of these towns that remind you of the North Shore, but what you can't say is that the whole of Kenilworth, Glencoe, Lake Forest, etc. reminds you of Naperville. Using your argument, you can say that there are parts of Aurora that are VERY Naperville'ish'. This statement is true, but as we all know, does not indicate that Aurora, as of today, has the same status of Naperville or St. Charles. Do you not agree? I have never once thought of Hinsdale or the Barringtons have anything to do with the west burbs like Aurora, so I don't quite understand the argument you have there. Lets just be honest. If Bill Gates came to you today, and asked you what place in Chicagoland would have the same prestige as Lake Washington, Washington, no one, in a million, trillion years, would ever say Naperville or St. Charles! How foolish is that? Now, if a soccer mom type of family were moving into the area than most people would be more than happy to show off Naperville. Like I said before, prestige takes time to gain. Naperville's downtown area is old in sense of its founding date, but not in terms of where it is today. You can't all of a sudden explode in population to your borders and then all of a sudden gain grand titles like this. Nice try, but since everyone seems to be in agreement on this, I think the case is settled in our favor.

[Don Vito]

They really went a bit overboard with all the cookie cutter homes in Naperville.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by BUalumni

Nice try, but since everyone seems to be in agreement on this, I think the case is settled in our favor.

Well, if you want to go that far, according to the definition that Don Vito supplied, it most certainly applies to Naperville. The town is highly reputed and honored. Go hike your butt to, say, Boulder, Colorado and mention Naperville and folks will recognize the name. Mention Kenilworth and theyll scratch their heads. In fact, by the definition of the word, Naperville seems just as prestigious as the north shore 'burbs, maybe even more so because its definitely more honored by more institutions.

[nanannie]

I rarely disagree with you Steve-o (B'sides 'bout Bush ), but just because someone has heard more of a town does not prestigious make. Many have heard of Detroit and Robbins and recognize those names too.. I just dont think Naperville,though a nice town, is any where near the "prestige" we are speaking of as the North SHore or even The Barringtons and Hinsdale. IMHO

[Don Vito]

Naperville is prestigous in its own right. As are the Barringtons and Hinsdale. The whole arguement is rather subjective. As a north shore resident (dupage by birth) I can honestly say to me money is money. As long as someone isn't being gaudy or trashy with it, it's all the same to me.

[Joe107]

BUalumni,

Why do you only talk about "parts" of the North Shore. You bring up Kenilworth, which is less than 1% of the North Shore population. Why don't you talk about where the majority of the North Shore:

Most populated North Shore towns
1. Waukegan median income $42,249.00
2. Evanston median income $58,940.00
3. North Chicago median income $39,200.00


Most Populated Dupage Towns
1. Napeville median income $93,338
2. Wheaton median income $76,300
3. Downers Grove median income $68,100

[Don Vito]

When I think north shore, I think, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Wilmette, and Evanston.Those towns you listed are in Lake County and on the shore, but I don't think thats the "north shore" that people are speaking of.

[Don Vito]

Highwood just north of Highland Park is probably the least prestigous.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by nanannie

I rarely disagree with you Steve-o (B'sides 'bout Bush ), but just because someone has heard more of a town does not prestigious make. Many have heard of Detroit and Robbins and recognize those names too.. I just dont think Naperville,though a nice town, is any where near the "prestige" we are speaking of as the North SHore or even The Barringtons and Hinsdale. IMHO

I was just basing it off of the definition of "prestigious" that Don Vito supplied. And if you ask me, by definition, Naperville is definitely prestigious, is it not? And what better than to compare something to the exact definition of the word?

adjective 1.indicative of or conferring prestige: the most prestigious address in town. 2.having a high reputation; honored; esteemed: a prestigious author.