Best parts of Highland Park? (Chicago, Evanston: fit in, 2015, condos)

[hopehome]

We're looking into Highland Park in our search for an "affordable" 4 bedroom in commuting distance to Evanston. Can anyone advise on whether there are certain area more desirable than others? Best elementary schools (Braeside?) versus ones to avoid? What is Highwood and how does that fit in? Thank you!

[hopehome]

For example, I saw this 4 bedroom in need of serious updating but if solid otherwise the price is great. Is that because it's not a great part of HP? http://www.redfin.com/IL/Highland-Pa.../home/17630011

[chet everett]

PURPLE SHAG!?!?! WOW!

And the "brown marble chip" formica in a galley kitchen?!??!

That trumps all!

Location could be better, but the dated decor is really the bigger deal. If am reading the info correctly -- NO BASEMENT...

[4122]

Ha ha that's the ugliest living room I've seen! You can find something better in HP. There are no bad areas of Highland Park it's all very nice.
Nicest parts of HP:
-all of HP east of Green Bay (maybe too expensive)
-area by Red Oak Elementary
- the area by ridge and 22

[RunningBagel]

Originally Posted by chet everett

PURPLE SHAG!?!?! WOW!

And the "brown marble chip" formica in a galley kitchen?!??!

That trumps all!

Location could be better, but the dated decor is really the bigger deal. If am reading the info correctly -- NO BASEMENT...

It's a bi-level so the family room is below grade.

My teenaged-self would have LOVED that living room.

[hopehome]

Yeah, I admit I'm desperate enough that I would consider a big redecorating project at this point. But the schools don't get great ratings so that's probably the bigger problem. If all parts of HP are good, why are some schools rated so much lower?

And actually, looking at greatschools.com, the elementary rankings aren't great across HP. Even red oak only gets a 7. Why??

[Lookout Kid]

I believe some of the schools up by Highwood have more Hispanic students with lower income levels, but none are bad. What "ratings" are you referring to? Please don't say "Great Schools". That site is a joke.

Strangely, I've seen several other houses listed in Highland Park over the years with similarly garish decor. Hmmmm....

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I believe some of the schools up by Highwood have more Hispanic students with lower income levels, but none are bad. What "ratings" are you referring to? Please don't say "Great Schools". That site is a joke.

Strangely, I've seen several other houses listed in Highland Park over the years with similarly garish decor. Hmmmm....

... did often rely on the same "advice" from the various interior designers and such. Affluent towns probably were more susceptible to the passing fads of brightly colored shag and unusual kitchen counter tops than more modest communities.

I remember seeing a show that "toured" the Donalds' own condo in NY's Trump Tower (or was it Trump Plaza...) and I swear it had some of the most over-the-top excess I have ever seen -- 24K swans for the tub fillers and other things that just scream "excess" in all the wrong ways. I saw a similar bath decor in a home listed in Oak Brook, no doubt somebody asked for the "most expensive stuff out there" instead of the "most tasteful / appropriate...".

And lest anyone get confused, I have little doubt that when the original owners built this Brady Bunch era split level in Highland Park they thought it was "the height of style" in not just the layout but the decor. Of course time has not proven either to "hold up"...

[Paige65]

Without even looking at the interior, so what if it hasn't held up design wise. It's probably original owner with not a lot of incentive to upgrade. Summit is a nice street in Northwest HP. It's not walkable to much of anything so that may make it less desirable. Some people don't care about that.

All of the schools in HP are good. I agree with Lookout Kid in that Great Schools is not a reliable indicator of a good or bad school. WRT the state report cards, some schools just have better scores because of the population. Same with most towns that overall have good schools, some are better than others and it mostly depends upon the demographics. If your child wants to succeed, there would be no school in HP that would prevent him/her from doing so. Highland Park High School is a great school, providing instruction to every level learner, from the highest achieving to the lowest. There are no "bad" parts of HP, some are just more desirable than others.

Highwood has pockets that aren't as nice, but overall, HIghwood is a good town with people who care about their community. The part of Highwood that was once Fort Sheridan (nicknamed "The Fort") is a great redevelopment with mixed housing (condos, townhouses, historic homes and new homes). All families living in Highwood send their children to HP schools.

[4122]

Originally Posted by hopehome

Yeah, I admit I'm desperate enough that I would consider a big redecorating project at this point. But the schools don't get great ratings so that's probably the bigger problem. If all parts of HP are good, why are some schools rated so much lower?

And actually, looking at greatschools.com, the elementary rankings aren't great across HP. Even red oak only gets a 7. Why??

Great schools number rankings are only based on test scores. Choosing a school only based on its tests scores isn't an accurate way to determine if it's a good school or not. Obviously if a school's tests scores are extremely low, or below a 5 on great schools, then the school's obviously not good. I know families whose kids have or are currently attending Red Oak and they're all very happy with the school. Red Oak, Sherwood, Indian Trail, and Oak Terrace (in Highwood) offer a dual language program which is one of the best in the nationwhere a classroom is half native Spanish speakers and half native English speakers and spanish and english is taught. Braeside, Ravinia, and Lincoln are also excellent schools even though they don't have the dual language program.

Things might be different for district with the referendum they're thinking of doing. Citizens will vote on the referendum in March 2016. The referendum includes closing some schools because of the some buildings' old ages and less than 400 students in some schools. If the referendum passes all of the middle schools will be close, even though only one out of the three middle schools are very old and they're going to make two buildings where Red Oak and Sherwood are currently (also not super old) one building for 5-6 graders and the other one for 7-8 graders. Each school will have 1000 students! I'm not a fan of 5-6 and 7-8 schools, nor big middle schools. Also, the schools are not close to the majority of Highland Park which will be inconvienent for families. If your kid isn't just starting elementary school, this probably won't affect them.

District 112 to hold off on $150 million borrowing request - Chicago Tribune