South Burbs ~ Lansing or Park Forest (Chicago, Chicago Heights: low income, real estate, crime rates)

[CyberGuyPR]

I am also evaluating moving to Park Forest, right in the new Downtown development. Can anyone provide some comments? I am undecided as I am not aware of the crime rate and general safety of the area. Also, what about schools?

[MarquettePark]

First Markham is not that bad, it has two parts of it which are very isolated and dark, (rural) it has several major expressways which disect it in a way, to create enclaves of homes. The real bad part of markham is what I call the "No man s Land", it is the part around 159th route six, south and east all the way to dixie highway. For the most part it is abandoned land, and undeveloped land, thank god people back in the sixties, decided to buy large lots, then build their shacks on them, and not the other way around. I gurantee No mans land, will be a sprawling Wal Mart, and ten thousand cookie cutter homes, within ten years. Markham has no alleys (which really sucks for me) and is dark, and surburban. I know all the police, I have worked in all their homes, and they always tell me, dont believe what you hear about the city, its blown out of proportion. Markhams schools, BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR, they dont have their own district, so education wise, the children are under the control of Harvey, and Bremen Township. I am cheering this city so much, because its not a robbins, or a phoenix, it is a large burb, which cant get swallowed up, it has potential, within a short time, to be a wonderful predominately black surburb, (its predom black now), due to the style of homes, and their size it could never go ghetto, or turn into another Ford Heights, or Robbins.

Before I get into Park Forest, let me tell you about Posen, (yes thats its name) Posen boarders Markham, My burb, Midlothian, Blue Island. While working in Posen, homes being built, are everywhere, some are cookie cutter homes, and a lot are super cookie cutter homes, the super ones sell for 300k, on the southside of Chicago, 7000 W 64thplace, but in Posen, they sell for less than 200k, and you even get a garage, and grass to cut. I am the official cable guy of the Posen Police and Fire department, (only because I work after ten pm) and they have more pluses, than minuses to report about their city. Check out Posen..........................

Park Forest, I believe I enclosed a map of the general area, I hope it worked




I will be honest and frank, I have very limited knowledge of this City, but what I do know, its nice, nicer than my burb, it even has a fancy rich name. It is more a south surburb, than a southeast surburb, and I do mean south, if you live or ever have lived in the City of Chicago, imagine an intersection labeled, Western, and 222nd street, now that s south, the surburbs surronding it are upscale, and newish and the mall on Cicero, and 211th street, is very nice, and cheaper, than the same stores near me (taxes)

I am researching PF, thru google, to see if it is worth advertising for my business, since I never realized how close it is too me...................

[prairiestate]

Markham is not the worst of the towns in the area. On the other hand, last December, a soldier was home visting his family for Christmas, and was shot to death when caught in gang crossfire walking through his neighborhood.

[Scarletjazz]

http://www.newhomesinparkforest.com/ParkForest/ (broken link)

Yes, a friend of mine who is also looking gave me this link. They are building some new homes over near the Police Station.. this is North of Sauk Trail.
These look very nice..my friend went over to look at a model... she liked it too..

FYI
Scar

[CyberGuyPR]

Legacy Square is exactly the place I went to see. My wife and I loved it. Beautiful homes and within our budget. We were about to give the deposit but decided to research a little bit more. It turns out the schools were not good at all. We cant expose our daughter to this. We checked the schools at http://www.greatschools.net/city/Park_Forest/IL and talked to some people who live there and confirmed schools have problems.

[Scarletjazz]

Oh you checked them out huh... ? Okay.. I'm also struggling with the schools in the area to a point. Maybe the schools will improve and I read somewhere that if a school is on that list so-to-speak you have the option of transferring your child to a school that is up to par... My first priorities are safety and security for me and my family. I'm sure I'm not going to find ever find a perfect house in a perfect town with perfect schools for a perfect price.. I didn't come from a great school district either but my whole family turned out okay for the most part. I guess its up to you and your individual choice and you are always entitled to that. Good feedback from you, thanks...

Hey its the weekend... TGIF!

Scar

[VVG2001]

There have been a lot of posts about Lansing and other suburbs, but none that have shown up on the list have spoken all that well to the status of Park Forest. I was born and raised in Park Forest, Illinois and have spent 22 of my 25 years in this community. I grew up in one of the most known houses in the south suburbs (It's a Chinese House at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Orchard Drive), and attended all of the applicable public schools.

Park Forest, like all of the south suburbs, has changed. What was once a beacon of diversity is slowly becoming a highly dominated area with just minorities. There are several different subsections to Park Forest, as with most towns, and the Northwest side is currently the most diverse.

The public school options are District 162 & 163 for elementary and junior high school options (depending upon what part of town you live on). I was raised in the part of town that qualified for 162 and attended Arcadia Elementary School, Indiana Elementary School, and O.W. Huth Middle School. All three of those schools were and are great institutions that cover grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 respectively.

All students in Park Forest attend Rich East High School, located at 300 Westwood Drive, right off of Sauk Trail. The administration there has lost a bit of commitment since my days of attendance (Class of 1999), however the teachers are still quality educators. Rich East has produced two Rhodes Scholars, and numerous stand-out professionals in their respective fields.

The school's strengths are primarily rooted in its diverse composition, and excels in the education of the sciences and mathematics. Extracurricular programs are standard, and compete in competitive conferences throughout the IHSA.

Park Forest is undoubtedly a great place to live, however the number one flaw is the lack of economic opportunity and development. The downtown Center area was once a vibrant economic life pulse of the area, with Marshall Fields being the major draw, but because of business property taxes of 17.75% most businesses have been forced to re-locate or start elsewhere.

The lack of business and a true retail district is what is causing the community to lose its diversity so quickly, and neighboring communities of Chicago Heights, Richton Park, Matteson and Olympia Fields are experiencing similar transformations (Chicago Heights is already and has been for many years a highly populated community with solely minorities and little if any diversity).

The election for Village Mayor is going to occur this April, and the incumbent is being challenged by what appears to be a very competent challenger. If the challenger happens to pull off the upset, the fate of Park Forest could be on the rapid increase, as the candidate has pledged to restore a strong business and economic presence, but if the incumbent should win, things might not be as bright moving forward.

In conclusion, of all the southern suburbs I would recommend Park Forest as one of the top places to reside, but just as with any community there are issues and things to beware of. One thing you can be assured of is a great school for your daughter to attend, and depending upon which part of the community you move to, a very diverse setting for her to establish relationships and experiences within.

[Marcus23]

Well, I saw an ad about Park Forest hiring Police Officers, but its so far south. It seems like a diverse area from the data I looked at here city data, but I'm wondering what that city is like since I ve never been there.

[rubber duck]

Originally Posted by Marcus23

Well, I saw an ad about Park Forest hiring Police Officers, but its so far south. It seems like a diverse area from the data I looked at here city data, but I'm wondering what that city is like since I ve never been there.

Then I suggest you take a drive down there and through the surrounding areas. There has not been too many positive things to say about most of the south suburbs in recent years, and take the demographic data (that was reported 7 years ago) with a grain of salt, as those numbers don't reflect the current status of many of the south suburbs.

[spkrman]

Originally Posted by rubber duck

Then I suggest you take a drive down there and through the surrounding areas. There has not been too many positive things to say about most of the south suburbs in recent years, and take the demographic data (that was reported 7 years ago) with a grain of salt, as those numbers don't reflect the current status of many of the south suburbs.

This would be my suggestion.

Park forest is spotty... hit or miss, but its definitely not all bad.

I'd look more into homewood/olympia fields... or head farther west into matteson/tinley park etc.