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I live in Park Forest and it's not that bad. It has it's good and bad parts like every other town. But if you enjoy diversity like I do then this is a great place. Even back in the sixties (I could be wrong) Park Forest was open to diversity. There's even a heavy emphasis on art within the community. Our art fair has been going on for, I believe, 40 years now. Overall it's a great community to live in despite the reputation we recieve sometimes.
Park Forest....ahhhhh, sweet memories. I guess I am about as qualified as most, or better yet, all to answer your question. I lived in the town for 50 years. Came there in 1952, when the town was brand new, at age 6. Grew up with the town, attended all the schools when they were brand new and graduated from Rich East High School, just like my brother and sister did before me. After I married we bought a home there just like the one I as raised in, and raised my own daughter there.
It was a great town, back then. Park Forest, IL
Bright, young, articulate people on their way up the corporate ladder. Many new G.I's returning from WWII and starting thier families. Full of imaginative people with wonderful ideas. One of the countries first "shopping centers", the Plaza, was the place to go to shop..the parking lot filled to the brim at Xmas time. People coming from miles around to go there.Big name stores with great selections. Concerts in the Plaza during the summers.Great library system, great school system focused on college, for the children who attended them. Fire and police department was wonderful. Wonderful Aqua Center to swim in each summer. First to have a great nationally known 5K race each Labor Day in the suburbs. Pazz Zazz festival with live entertainment and the "taste of Park Forest" food booths. Fourth of July festivities and fireworks. All American city. That was the "Camelot" of Park Forest's past.
Park Forest had its heyday, and started to backslide in the 1980's. When a new larger indoor Mall was built further to the west in Matteson, it was the death toll for our beloved Plaza. No amount of redesigning helped bring it back to its former glory. Sadly reduced, reworked and revamped to something that was no more original then a glorified "strip mall". Just barely making it.Its a bedroom community with little industry to support it.
Park Forest is just a slight glimmer of what it use to be. Granted there are people still there who are struggling to keep it going, but those numbers are few. The "old guard's"
numbers are reducing...the torch is going out.Almost all the houses are now well over 50 yrs old, small and out of date.
Am I still there?....very sadly no.
No, it wasn't a matter of "white flight" that made us leave, as some of the others have pointed out here in earlier posts.That was -never- the case wit us. We would have stayed, our house was paid for and we loved our neighborhood and had no issues with anyone of a different race then our own living near or around us. We were multi beautification award winners for our home for 10 years in a row and took much pride in our home. Our neighbors we had known for years and loved like family. But within three months we were robbed twice; first of my purse..in our house, while we were there and I was sleeping upstairs.(A elderly neighbor, the same night, had someone brazenly come into her bedroom and ransack her drawers while he thought she was sleeping, and in reality was awake, and to afraid to move or make a sound.) Secondly, about a month later, had our SUV truck stolen from our driveway just alongside of our kitchen window, by a person who -lived- in our town. All in that -one- period of time after living there for over 30 yrs and -never- having a problem before that. We had seen the changes in our town, and had accepted the fact that it wasn't the same place. That things were changing and not necessarily for the better.I felt we were living there on borrowed time before something would happen.
I went to high school with the then Chief of Police, Bob Mayamma, so I knew him personally and he asked us reconsider and to stay. But we knew it was no longer safe to stay there.We put the house on the market, one week after recovering our SUV. The house sold one week later and three months later we moved.
I am sorry to be the one who speaks of my beloved old town like this. It hurts me to do so because the old Park Forest still lives in my mind and heart. But I must be honest, and would not reccommend living in this town to anyone I cared about. I really don't see a bright future there any longer.
I know your resources are limited for buying a home. I would possibly follow others suggestions here. One town of which I would reccomend would be either Steger or South Chicago Heights. These towns are holding their own, have good schools still and the homes are affordable. It would be a better investment of your hard earned money.
Me and my family is also looking into moving to Matteson from Tampa, Fl
Quote:
Originally Posted by marshall7927
savagemutha,
I moved to Matteson from the South Side when I was 12. We moved in November, and that summer, every other house in Matteson was for sale. I was 12 so I really didn't know any better, but that was white flight at its finest. Today the neighborhood is just as nice as it ever was.
I must be honest about the school situation however, and say that the schools have seen better days. I graduated from Rich South High School in 1992. We were an award winning "School of Excellence" at the time. Upon my graduation the school was very diverse, approx. 40% white, 35% black, 25% Hispanic and Asian.
I enjoyed the diversity of my school, and really wish that I could find the same thing for my own children. Unfortunately today, that does not seem to exist anymore in the Chicagoland area. My wife and I are struggling with our moving decision as we speak, since I live in Matteson now, but intend to move close to my job (I work in Carol Stream).
To answer your question though, I would actually still recommend Matteson. In terms of schools you may want to consider private schools. Homewood is also good, and not as expensive as Flossmoor. Homewood-Flossmoor High School is still very good.
I have been reading a lot of the posts on this board, and a lot of people will recommend Orland, Tinley Park, or Frankfurt. Those are nice areas also, a little more expensive, and not very diverse at all. The simple reality of it all is that in the Chicago Area you have two types of people...Those who do not like being around people of color (these people can be white or people of color themselves), and the rest of us. You don't come off as someone totally new to the Chicago area so you are probably already well aware of this.
The advice you get on this board will vary wildly depending on which type of person is supplying their opinion. When it comes to schools though, I am really only concerned about how well my children will be prepared for college and beyond. I would rather they not be the only people of color in the class, and while they will likely not get to have the experience that I did, I still think they should be ok.
Sorry for ranting a little, but what I am trying to say is find a home that you like in an area that you are comfortable in and make it work. Beyond the basics, everybody elses opinion is really not important. Good luck in your search.
P.S.
Park Forest is also not what it used to be as others have already mentioned. It seems that PF has not held up as well as Matteson, Richton Park, etc... Also, the houses tend to be much older and there is not much new development. Check the Butterfield/Butterfield II subdivisions in Matteson for newer homes...There are also newer homes in and next to Woodgate.
Why do you feel the school system isn't good.We have a 11 year old daughter. We are looking to relocate this summer. We also want to purchase a new home. We noticed there are a few subdivisions there.
Last edited by brown fam; 02-20-2008 at 07:13 PM..
Reason: adding to my quote
Wow, i wish people from chicago wouldn't simplify/generalize the other people of chicago and surrounding areas! Really? There are only 2 type of people in the Chicago Area? I was not aware of that...it is statements like that that make me a little sad!
Why do you feel the school system isn't good.We have a 11 year old daughter. We are looking to relocate this summer. We also want to purchase a new home. We noticed there are a few subdivisions there.
Whether or not the school system is "good" is really somewhat subjective and relative to what you have now. Usually when people make such comments about a school system, it's based on anecdotal information or he said she said. Also, in the chicago area we do have a bad habbit of assuming a school is bad if there is a significant minority population.
My comments were based on a few of my personal observations. As I said, I was a student in this school system from 7th grade through high school, so I always compare it to how it was when I was here. In this regard, there is no denying that things are not as good on a number of levels from the teachers to the students to the administration.
Secondly, my brother-in-law is a teachers aide at Rich East, which is one of the three Rich Township High Schools (I attended Rich South, and the third is Rich Central). The things that he as told me about what goes on at Rich East are not good to say the least. Keep in mind that he works exclusively with Special Ed. students, so his day to day experience is likely not quite the norm. In general is has told me that the kids have a generally bad attitude, and that there seem to be no real standards when it comes to how the kids dress etc...
Finally, my wife is in school now studying for her Masters Degree in Education. She is going to teach High School Chemistry, and she did her first round of clinicals at Rich Central. She didn't have any problems with the students, and generally enjoyed working with them for the two weeks that she was there.
Based on test scores as such, the schools do not rank the highest, but I am not really impressed with test scores when it comes to actual learning. Unfortunately though, this will have some impact when it comes time for college from the perspective that an "excellent" student from a higher ranked school will receive more consideration than an "excellent" student from a lower ranked school.
As far as the elementary schools, the are satisfactory. My children are in 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and preschool. Last year one of their teachers was not good. This year things are better. In the end, if you are moving anyway, my philosophy is get the best that you can in the area that you are moving to. That is why I made the suggestions I made in the previous post and I would generally recommend the same. I am moving this summer to be closer to my job, and we are going through the same thing.
We are moving to an area where there is a school district that is one of the highest ranked in the nation right next to a school district that is having some problems in terms of test scores. However the higher ranked district has had diversity issues, so its not such a cut and dry decision. In the end though, I would rather have my children in the higher ranked district. The other issues, we can handle. We want the kids to have access to all of the resources that are available.
Wow, i wish people from chicago wouldn't simplify/generalize the other people of chicago and surrounding areas! Really? There are only 2 type of people in the Chicago Area? I was not aware of that...it is statements like that that make me a little sad!
It's just the reality of the situation sweetheart...nothing personal. I wish it were different, but I have lived here all my life, and sadly it's the truth.
In general I have not had any problems at all, with the exception of the public school situation...I do believe things are changing for the better though...but only time will tell...
I just moved to Park Forest last summer. I'm not in the wealthiest area of town by any measure (I'm in a rental townhome), but I like it here.
Given a choice I'd love to be downtown in the city. But that is not an option for me right now. I am the type of person that would love a true "bohemian" neighborhood, and Park Forest is not one. To my knowledge there is no such place in the southland. But PF is much more affordable than many places, and there is an arts community locally. I am white, but I'm in a mostly black area. I've actually been rather shocked since moving here (from a mostly white city in Michigan) at the lack of emphasis most people (in PF/Heights/Matteson/etc.) have on race. People get along with each other as far as I can see.
Schools are always a concern. Most of PF is in Rich Township SD227 for high school. I am not that familiar with Rich East (in PF) vs. Rich Central (in Olympia Fields), or where the line is for where students would go. I don't think any of PF would go to Rich South, but I'm not sure of that either.
For elementary districts, though, it really depends on where you are in the village. Part of it lies in Steger's district. Most of the center if town is in PF/Chicago Heights district 163. Once you get north of North St., you're in Matteson district 162. 162 has a solid reputation, and is constantly making improvements in every way, under the leadership of this year's Illinois Superintendent of the Year. I apologize if I sound biased (I work for district 162). But the fact is, it is a district that is doing a lot of things right.
Figure out what is important to you, though, in that area, and do your research as far as where to live.
Consequently, there are new homes being built in PF, right downtown, in a somewhat New Urbanism (2 story, small lots, back alley garages, etc.) style, which are quite nice and affordable. It's not all gloom and doom here. The village recently sold a blighted retail parcel on Western Ave., which, if redeveloped, will make a huge difference in that area.
Overall, I am happy with the town and the area. I talk to people who have a negative opinion of PF, and they generally have a negative opinion of any place that is not mostly white. Personally, I don't care, and I like it here.
"Englewood of the suburbs"? "Crime rate is through the roof"?
PF isn't what it used to be, but compared to other towns in southern Cook County it's more like Lake View than Englewood. Ever take a drive through Harvey, Robbins, Ford Heights, Dixmoor, 75% of Chicago Heights? THOSE are all more like Englewood than PF will ever be.
Or are you just one of those who think everything between Harlem Ave. and Indiana is a ghettofied war zone?
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Ahhhh..Park Forest, and the days of Camelot
Me and my family is also looking into moving to Matteson from Tampa, Fl
