Elmwood park , What is happing to it? (Chicago, Cicero: condos, home)

[dmcsherlock]

Doggone it, johnm68, you are right, I stand corrected. I'll confine myself to farther northwest comments only.

[Johnny Northside]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Just how bad is Melrose Park REALLY? I am not as familiar with it as other suburbs in the area--and I don't know anyone that lives there. I know it has gone downhill in recent years, but it can't be anywhere close to as bad as Maywood and Bellwood, right? Does it feed into those lousy Proviso Township schools? Or do the kids go somewhere else?

Melrose Park is split between Proviso and Leyden Township (North Avenue being the border; Leyden is no treat either but light years ahead of Proviso.) ... The racial diversity in Melrose Park is more Hispanic than black, so Cicero/Berwyn would be a more appropriate comparisons. Probably somewhere between the two in terms of safety, quality of living, etc. Some of the old Cicero ways of government are alive in Melrose Park, too. And Broadway, the main north-south street in MP, is like a mini-Cermak Road.

[BigTed]

I have a white friend who lives in Melrose and he says that it isn't that bad, at least where he lives just off of 1st Ave near North Ave. He said that most of the crime in Melrose occurs south of Lake St from 1st Ave to 25th Ave which makes sense because that area borders Maywood.

[Lookout Kid]

So the area around the track is rough? That's funny, because Maywood residents insist that the north side of Maywood is the nicest part.

You see this in Oak Park as well. Oak Park residents want to be away from Cicero and Berwyn to the south, but Cicero and Berwyn residents want to be up north close to Oak Park. I guess it's all relative.

[Johnny Northside]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

So the area around the track is rough? That's funny, because Maywood residents insist that the north side of Maywood is the nicest part.

You see this in Oak Park as well. Oak Park residents want to be away from Cicero and Berwyn to the south, but Cicero and Berwyn residents want to be up north close to Oak Park. I guess it's all relative.

He's saying that 1st and North / behind the racetrack and Winston Plaza shopping center is the *nicer* part of Melrose Park. It's probably true, as that the best housing stock -- a real suburban subdivision with winding streets and brick houses that are maybe a half-step below south Elmwood Park/River Forest Manor.

I dunno about that assessment of Berwyn and Cicero residents. The nicest parts of those communities are on the south end -- Berwyn definitely around the Burlington railroad tracks and Cicero to a lesser degree northwest of the intersection of 39th and Central.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Johnny Northside

I dunno about that assessment of Berwyn and Cicero residents. The nicest parts of those communities are on the south end -- Berwyn definitely around the Burlington railroad tracks and Cicero to a lesser degree northwest of the intersection of 39th and Central.

I agree, and also point out that many of the young professionals moving into Berwyn are from Oak Park, or were looking in Oak Park and felt Berwyn was a better value in their situation.

[ndfmnlf]

He's saying that 1st and North / behind the racetrack and Winston Plaza shopping center is the *nicer* part of Melrose Park. It's probably true, as that the best housing stock -- a real suburban subdivision with winding streets and brick houses that are maybe a half-step below south Elmwood Park/River Forest Manor.

I used to eat at that large barbecue place (the name escapes me) near the corner of 1st and North. I never felt unsafe. Is that joint still in business?

[concerned resident]

Its called Russells Beef and its located on North/Thatcher-still in business.

[johnm68]

Russell's--it's still there.

[ndfmnlf]

Its called Russells Beef and its located on North/Thatcher-still in business.
Russell's--it's still there.

That's right! Thanks for the heads up.