Movin' on Up(town) (Chicago, Mark: neighborhood, living, restaurants)

[Aleking]

You'll be fine, your car will be secure and it sounds like you have a safe building. If zombies and street dealers don't upset you, you'll be just fine.

[naleih]

I live for zombies!! Haha.

Maybe I am in a different position in regards to the mentally ill and homeless....I work in mental health. Perhaps it doesn't bother me as much as the next?

Like I said, the married couples who live in the building I'm moving into (very secure) seem to like it. Sucks that the Wilson el stop is in such shambles - that would be nice to be able to use.....oh well, maybe someday!

[chet everett]

While aleking is probably right, that the straight odds are against any one person getting mugged, there is a kind of "fore warned is fore armed" mindset that you really need to survive with some of the rougher thugs out there... If you drop you guard / are unaware that Wilson remains a hellaciously awful stop you almost automatically put the "big dopey target" on your back and the thugs will get ya'.

{and if his handle was "malt liqour king" I'd say he be the one scouting out potential targets... }

[naleih]

I'm sticking with my car!!!

[shaman1204]

I believe there was a murder (shooting) on the 4500 block of N Clarendon a few weeks ago. It sticks out in my mind because I was on that block for business earlier that day. It was at 2:00am though, so if Fido has to relieve himself during the wee hours, wear your kevlar.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by naleih

I did ask questions to those I know who live in the area, and those who have lived in the area in the recent past - it isn't that I am making an uninformed decision. My husband and I spent time in the area the last couple of weekends, and it did seem pretty seedy near the Wilson stop, which is why I posted the question on this forum. I am aware that it is shady around there, and was just seeking to get more information about the el stops near there, and any runners who have had experience (as my contacts who live/have lived up there are not runners). I plan on driving my car to and from work, and am going to rent a spot to keep it in a nearby ramp.

I also have checked data on crime using the Chicago Clearmap system, and surprisingly, Uptown ranks lower than both Lakeview and Logan Square in many searches, including the past 3 months, year, in both all crime as well as in violent crime (there are many sub categories). My husband and I spoke with some of the people who live in the building we are moving into (primarily married couples) prior to deciding to move as well, to see what their opinions were.

Thanks for the opinions, despite quickly making the assumption that I was not making an informed decision. I had already asked many who live in the area, and was just looking for a bit more information on this forum to help keep me safe.

Oooh, sensitive one.

Anyway, when using tools like ClearMAP, it's important to understand its limitations, such as "ranking." When it ranks community areas in order of crime incidence, it uses only raw numbers and does not adjust for respective populations; that is, it does not actually rank according to crime rate. Additionally, when it ranks Uptown, it ranks the entire Uptown community area, much of which is respectable, clean and safe, so it doesn't really capture what's going on in small pockets such as the "core" of the Uptown area where you'll be moving. That's where Everyblock comes in handy, by using the exact same data to create a map of where these crimes are happening so you can get a clearer picture of crime patterns that will reveal where there are localized "hot spots." Plus you can map long-term trends whereas with clearMAP you can only map two weeks worth of crime data at one time. Finally, the crime data on Everyblock goes back three years and counting whereas with ClerMAP you can only get data for the last year.

As for the Wilson stop, while my post may have conveyed that its biggest issue is its physical condition, that's not the case. Its biggest issue is the thuglets who frequently hang out in and around the station.

[naleih]

Yeah, I was curious about the population issue and clearMAP...good to know.

Not super sensitive, Dover, just calling out an assumption you made.

Thanks!

[Chicago60614]

Walking that stretch on Wilson from Clarendon to the L is probably the last place I would want to walk in that area - but I wouldn't be terrified.

I get out at the Wilson L stop often and walk south to the Jewel. The quirky thing is that while there are a lot of freaks, gangbangers and crazies right around that area, there are also a lot of young, well kept, professional looking people all over as well. It's such a hodge podge area as far as races, income levels, etc.

As a single younger white woman walking through there you really aren't going to stand out or get looks like you probably would in some other west/south side areas, but at the same time it's still extremely shady.

I've never had anyone say anything or do anything to me - actually no one has ever seemed to notice me. A vast majority of the crime up there is thug on thug. Yes something certainly can happen, but I hardly ever hear about some random person who wasn't looking for trouble or fitting a specific image being violently attacked any more than it might happen in another area to the south/north/west.

Of course I'm a guy, and I only walk through the area at random times (I live in Buena Park). If I had to walk back and forth there multiple times a day I'm sure I would get very frustrated and tired of dealing with the crap. I know a few girls in their upper 20's who live on Sheridan just north of Montrose, and while nothing bad has ever happened to them, they've seen/heard/had to be around a lot of stuff that drives them crazy.

I'm not sure how things are on Clarendon up by Leland. I'm guessing that might actually be quite a bit better than a few blocks to the west. I agree with whoever said to take the 135 bus or 136 bus downtown if that's your destination. Bypass everything, and move a lot faster.

[naleih]

Yeah, I plan on either driving or taking the bus down LSD when I need to get anywhere. Even though I'm sure I would survive a walk back from the Wilson el to my place, I don't think it would be smart to do so on a regular basis. Also, my husband already told me he wouldn't be super comfortable with me doing so, and chances are that he would be walking with me.

Hopefully more people will start getting off/on at the Wilson stop now that the Target is there.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by naleih

Yeah, I was curious about the population issue and clearMAP...good to know.

Not super sensitive, Dover, just calling out an assumption you made.

Thanks!

It was a qualified assumption, the point of the qualification being to try and pre-empt sensitive overreactions like the one I got. Guess I should have been more circumspect.