Oak Lawn/Evergreen Park/Mount Greenwood's future? (Chicago: house, college)

[CCrest182]

Originally Posted by urza216

Oak Lawn isn't all white anymore? I said my words about the important subject. Good. Diversity. The melting pot of America. Not everything in Oak Lawn the same anymore. Sounds like Oak Lawn is IMPROVING in the regard of racial demographics.

And I then brought up the very important issue of people like you poisoning Chicagoland. There is nothing going on in Oak Lawn that's cause for alarm. But nice job making it sound like there is.

BTW: It isn't really an "assumption. You said some crap about how you think you might have saw somewhere a black gang's graffiti, right? The Gangster Disciples are almost entirely black. It's easy to deduct from your post that you seem particularly concerned about black people. But mostly I just got from your post, "OMG, Oak Lawn isn't lily white anymore. This is a bad thing not a good thing!"

Nah. Oak Lawn is predominantly white. Yet I still say it doesn't have a bright future. So... how is that racist again? I said Oak Lawn MAY not have a good future (and again I started a discussion, I'm not just plastering my opinion out and stating it as fact), due to the dated housing options and general area of the suburb. That's what. Demographics of race may also change in the future. Not saying that's good or bad, all I'm saying is there's something going on when racial demographics slide very quickly.

And what's this new argument? Because the gang that "allegedly" spray painted a stop sign is predominantly black, that means I'm associating that with black people? Man, you sure like your baseless assumptions. A gang of ANY racial makeup being in an area IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN, unless living in Englewood is your thing. A gang notorious for murdering people and causing mischief, again, REGARDLESS of race, is NOT desirable to the average person, at least in my eyes.

[Chicago99]

Oak Lawn & EP are nothing more then lower middle to working class people. Those two suburbs have been changing for 20 years now. I lived in south Oak Lawn (111th & Pulaski area) for 9 years and loved it. Yes there were black and Hispanic families in the neighborhood, but no gang graffiti no loud music. Got to go the the bars in Lily white Mt. Greenwood.
Oak Lawn has some nice "pockets" of houses (Downtown by little Beverly 99th/52nd Ave) (Cicero to central from 111th to 103th has some nice size all brick homes. Also if you boarder Mt. Greenwood 103 to 111th Pulaski to Cicero in the K streets that the area that still has some of that Oak Lawn Old Money.
Mt. Greenwood is the reason EP still has some White people.
The last new subdivision that was built in Oak Lawn (111th west of Cicero) had the biggest black population. They bought new construction.
Makes all you white trash racist city-data trolls look sad.

[makingfaces93]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a move to the Chicago area for a job opportunity this summer and would greatly appreciate your expertise! I have three small children and will likely be working from an office in the Oak Lawn area. I know nothing about Illinois neighborhoods, aside from a few visits to Chicago (downtown) many, many years ago. Can anyone tell me which neighborhoods are the nicest (30 min commute time)north of Oak lawn and not too far from the city (30 min or so). Without considering budget restrictions, what do you all recommend?


I'm looking forward to hearing anything that anyone has to offer!

Thanks!!!!

[NIUGrad13]

Hi all,

I grew up in Oak Lawn & attended OLCHS. After high school graduation, I couldn't leave this town fast enough, and that was in 2009. My poor mother continues to live there and reports waking up in the middle of the night hearing car alarms go off. She also reports solicitors around her building (nearby to Chicago Ridge mall). I think the root cause of the problem started with a lack of interest and investment in local education and continued to grow from there. Orland/Tinley/Mokena/Frankfort may still be nice and all, but a lack of well paid white collar employment opportunities or cultural destinations will continue to be a drag on home values (sounds like Frankfort is an exception to this, kudos to them).

To give people an idea of how bad the employment situation is in the immediate area, I obtained white collar employment in Rockford (15% unemployment at the time) before I was able to in Oak Lawn (and still haven't seen anything). I had an overall better living experience in my 2 years in Rockford of all places than I did in my 18 years residing in the OL area.

The West/Northwest/North suburbs blow the southwest/south suburbs away in terms of an overall living experience (worth the extra cost too if it can be afforded). I currently live in the Crystal Lake area, and it is a night and day living experience improvement from the south sides of town.

Best of luck to those wishing to move beyond the south/southwest suburbs in their future. Unfortunately, it seems that the residents continue to deny the true causes of the problems in the area and don't act to do anything to address the situation. I get the sense that some there deny having any of these problems at all while many Chicagoland residents have completely written off these suburbs as a suitable living situation. I hope this changes for the sake of our state (among other things), but I'm not sure how it can in the current environment.

[raenycole]

We live near by in Beverly (Chicago) and have spent quite a bit of time in EP, OL, and the surrounding suburbs. since OL is so close to the tri state you have lots of options. It all depends on your price range and what you need in a home. We are an interracial family of 5. While we don't necessarily need to be around "our kind" we would like at least some people that look like us. Not because it's better but because my children have experienced racism as young as 7 and 8 from kids. So if I had to pick I'd move to Orland. It's diverse enough with lots of shopping, new homes, restaurants, and easy access to the expressways. The schools are good (not amazing but good)

[Northwest Indiana]

Originally Posted by raenycole

We live near by in Beverly (Chicago) and have spent quite a bit of time in EP, OL, and the surrounding suburbs. since OL is so close to the tri state you have lots of options. It all depends on your price range and what you need in a home. We are an interracial family of 5. While we don't necessarily need to be around "our kind" we would like at least some people that look like us. Not because it's better but because my children have experienced racism as young as 7 and 8 from kids. So if I had to pick I'd move to Orland. It's diverse enough with lots of shopping, new homes, restaurants, and easy access to the expressways. The schools are good (not amazing but good)

The main diversity you'll see in Orland is in the shopping areas. But on a day to day basis with regards to school and neighborhoods, Orland is not very diverse. Mostly White with a growing Middle Eastern population (whom many would consider White), some Asian, and a very small Black and Hispanic population. Many would think with Orland being as large and developed as it is, it would be more diverse, but it really isn't. Frankfort is further out, newer and a little more expensive, smaller, but also more racially diverse than Orland.
It is diversifying much faster than Orland so that is an option to consider.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by guest

We originally moved to DuPage because it made more sense in terms of location. Why would I go back to south burbs, or those neighborhoods when I love the western suburbs tremendously more? The schools are better, and we feel safer. The amenities, shopping, arboretum, children's activities are much more plentiful and nicer. I'm not going to sacrifice my children's educations just to attempt to save the south side. It's going down the toilet and that's that. Precisely why we left.

And just because a family decides they want a better school system with higher home values, safer neighborhoods and a nicer area doesn't mean they are racist and should move to North Dakota. Anyone who can afford it will live in the best place possible, there's no doubt about it. Let's be honest-- those who complain about others leaving probably just cannot afford to get out.

Well said!!

[Nottellingyoumyname]

Its true. Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, and even Beverly is basically Irish ****s who have police officers in their families and they think they could do whatever they want. When I graduated and moved back home from college I couldn't connect with anyone because there so spoiled and greedy. However, I've had loser friends who are now in their 30's who were raised like that and now a lot of them are paroles, or complete **** ups. There Irish families cover up all there mistakes and pay there debts, and bail money every time. So, basically it's not a good place to grow and raise a family because your kids will turn out to be **** ups. Plus, you cannot trust those Irish ****s at all.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

IMHO, it's all about the crime. If you don't feel safe walking through your neighborhood, you're not going to pay a lot for a house there. Read the Oak Lawn Beat some time, crimes that were rare twenty years ago are commonplace now. In a neighboring town, we've had several random shootings (car vs. car or car vs. pedestrian) in the last couple of years, something like that would have been unheard of decades ago. Gas station and convenience store holdups are becoming commonplace. There's a bank on 87th in Burbank that's robbed so often I've lost count. Personally, I used to walk my dog at night in the park near 108th and about Lawler, until yout's started sticking people up there. I guess I could get a CCW, but don't want to end up in the can for plugging a mugger, it's easier to just avoid it at night (I'm more worried about the dog than I am for myself, btw). So yeah, "diversity" is wonderful, keep telling yourself that. As the towns in question have become more "diverse", they have also become less desirable to live in, almost entirely due to crime. Otherwise, why would people want to split? Because they "can't stand different skin colors"? Keep dreaming, what they can't stand, is uncivilized behavior (and unreasonable real estate taxes, let's not forget that one). If not for street crime, people with the means to flee would likely stay put. Same thing with Chicago neighborhoods. What the Chicago area needs, is "zero tolerance" with respect to gun crimes, including carrying by unauthorized people (those with criminal records, gang involvement, etc.). Until criminals are disarmed, people will continue to flee - what should be considered felonies, are blown off by the district attorneys. And "criminal" is not a dog-whistle for race, it's a dog-whistle for behavior. I'm working on taking Urka's advice to move to "North Dakota" myself.

One other thing - drive down Cicero avenue from Bedford Park to 95th street, it seems like every third business is a "Cash Loan for car title", "We buy gold", pawn shop, liquor/cigarette/vape store, or nail salon. That tells you all you need to know about where the area is headed.

[BOBNCHI]

Originally Posted by Nottellingyoumyname

Its true. Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, and even Beverly is basically Irish ****s who have police officers in their families and they think they could do whatever they want. When I graduated and moved back home from college I couldn't connect with anyone because there so spoiled and greedy. However, I've had loser friends who are now in their 30's who were raised like that and now a lot of them are paroles, or complete **** ups. There Irish families cover up all there mistakes and pay there debts, and bail money every time. So, basically it's not a good place to grow and raise a family because your kids will turn out to be **** ups. Plus, you cannot trust those Irish ****s at all.

Wow, what a rant for a first post!